Three men have been arrested over an alleged plot to smuggle almost $100 million worth of methamphetamine into Western Australia.
The men, aged 31, 32 and 35, were arrested on December 30 after Australian Border Force officers found 99 kilograms of drugs hidden in a 550 kilogram shipment of latex bed pillows on December 17.
Footage from the arrest in Maddington over the alleged drug smuggling operation. Credit:Australian Federal Police
Border Force and Australian Federal Police officers were watching as two men allegedly picked up the boxes of pillows on December 29 and took them to a property in Maddington.
They were met by two other men, and the group allegedly unloaded the boxes into a shipping container.
They returned the following evening, when they were arrested.
Police said the 99 kilograms of meth could have been sold to close to one million people as individual street deals, with the estimated street value of around $100 million.
AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner John Tanti said methamphetamine prices in WA were currently among the highest in the country because COVID border closures had helped restrict supply, but demand for the drug remained high.
“Criminal syndicates are looking to exploit this demand and sell methamphetamine in WA to maximise their profits, they do not care about the immense harm that this drug causes,†he said.
“We believe it is also no coincidence that the drugs had arrived in Perth just in time for New Year’s Eve celebrations – one of the busiest nights of the year for drug and alcohol-fuelled harm.
