NZ woman charged with trying to smuggle cocaine into Australia

SYDNEY: -- A New Zealand woman is due to appear in court in Sydney today on drug trafficking charges.

The 34-year-old Australian resident, was stopped by Customs when she arrived at Sydney Airport on a flight from Bangkok on Sunday.

Customs officers say the woman was trying to smuggle 91 pellets of cocaine into the country.

She is charged with importing cocaine, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment as well as a fine of 750 thousand Australian dollars.

The woman is the second drug courier caught by Australian Customs officers in the past week.

--Radio New Zealand 2006-01-19

Alleged smuggler 'swallowed drugs'

SYDNEY: -- A 34-year-old New Zealand woman was refused bail today after allegedly importing cocaine by swallowing pellets of the drug and hiding more in her baggage.

Amanda Mason, residing at Auburn, in western Sydney, was arrested at Sydney International Airport on Sunday after arriving on a flight from Bangkok.

A baggage examination allegedly revealed pellets of cocaine hidden in Ms Mason's underwear, and Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers became suspicious she was also concealing the drug internally.

Police will allege she had 91 pellets in her possession, including 60 that were ingested.

Ms Mason was refused bail when she appeared in Central Local Court today and remanded to appear again on February 22.

AFP acting national manager for border operations, Bruce Hill, said that people carrying drugs internally put their lives at risk.

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"People should never swallow pellets of drugs," he said.

"A person can die within half-an-hour if a bag of heroin bursts inside their stomach.

"Cocaine is also extremely dangerous and can be lethal."

Earlier this week, a 40-year-old Vietnamese-born Australian woman appeared in court after she allegedly tried to smuggle nine ingested heroin pellets into Australia.

The maximum penalty for drug smuggling is a fine of up to $750,000 and/or life imprisonment.

--news.com.au/AAP 2006-01-19

Who cares - shame she wasnt caught this end.....

At least she will be more comfortable in prison there for the rest of her life.

How do they know if someone is smuggling something internally?

How do they know if someone is smuggling something internally?

They rattle when they walk.

Another dumbo who somehow got to the top of the food chain.

Hopefully they got her before she had a chance to reproduce and make more idiots.

How do they know if someone is smuggling something internally?

If a customs officer has a strong suspicion that this may be the case, they will inforce an x-ray screening of the abdomen under medical supervision.

Having 31 pellets (customs do know what the 'swallow' variety looks like) hidden in baggage and on the person is one of the things which would raise such strong suspicion.

Stupidity, greed, or both???

How do they know if someone is smuggling something internally?

I think the flight crew keep a eye on people during the flight if they don’t eat or drink they report it

Had a mate that tried to trick his wife by changing into a Omani dish dash (Arab dress) and a sleek set of sun glasses while on the plane to see if she recognized him at the airport. Well she never recognized him but she said she saw airport security drag a Arab off for integration

How do they know if someone is smuggling something internally?

I think the flight crew keep a eye on people during the flight if they don’t eat or drink they report it

Had a mate that tried to trick his wife by changing into a Omani dish dash (Arab dress) and a sleek set of sun glasses while on the plane to see if she recognized him at the airport. Well she never recognized him but she said she saw airport security drag a Arab off for integration.

No offence intended Rigger but a good typo.

Were immigration planning integration after interrogation and initiation?

Edited January 20, 200620 yr by ratcatcher

How do they know if someone is smuggling something internally?

They used to hold you in a room and wait for nature to take its course if you swallowed it. they can also do a full body cavity search...

How do they know if someone is smuggling something internally?

I think the flight crew keep a eye on people during the flight if they don’t eat or drink they report it

Had a mate that tried to trick his wife by changing into a Omani dish dash (Arab dress) and a sleek set of sun glasses while on the plane to see if she recognized him at the airport. Well she never recognized him but she said she saw airport security drag a Arab off for integration.

No offence intended Rigger but a good typo.

Were immigration planning integration after interrogation and initiation?

O well you know what i meen

And my spelling is improving since I start posting on TV and using word

According to my news source, she was a large lass weiging in at over 100kgs (220lbs). When customs looked under her dress, they found 15kgs of crack......

According to my news source, she was a large lass weiging in at over 100kgs (220lbs). When customs looked under her dress, they found 15kgs of crack......

Average Tauranga girl.

cv

At least she will be more comfortable in prison there for the rest of her life.

Not even close to life

I am not sure how much 91 pellets of cocaine weighs, but if she is charged under the "New South Wales (Sydney) Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 " and she has a smart beak (lawyer) that plea bargains down to a "Trafficable quantity" charge, then she may be looking at only

2yrs +/ $10, 000

At least she will be more comfortable in prison there for the rest of her life.

Not even close to life

I am not sure how much 91 pellets of cocaine weighs, but if she is charged under the "New South Wales (Sydney) Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 " and she has a smart beak (lawyer) that plea bargains down to a "Trafficable quantity" charge, then she may be looking at only

2yrs +/ $10, 000

As she was caught bringing it in....she would probably be charged with Importation of a prohibited substance or something similar.....Not too sure of the NSW way of things...

Police will allege she had 91 pellets in her possession, including 60 that were ingested.

Getting more sophisticated and perhaps safer: it used to be condoms filled with illegal drugs they swallowed, now it’s pellets.

Not that I would recommend either. It’s absolutely stupid to smuggle illegal drugs.

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Maestro