Australia seizes meth-filled bra inserts in major drugs bust

[Chip (OP)]

source: https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/30825504/australia-seizes-meth-filled-bra-inserts-in-major-drugs-bust/

ed.: who'da thought ?

Australia seizes meth-filled bra inserts in major drugs bust



Sydney (AFP) - Australian police have seized more than Aus$1 billion (US$712 million) in methamphetamine, or ice, some concealed in inserts for bras in one of the country's biggest drug busts, authorities said on Monday.

Three Hong Kongers and a Chinese national were arrested during the joint operation with China which Justice Minister Michael Keenan described as the largest seizure of liquid methamphetamine in Australian history.

"This has resulted in 3.6 million individual hits of ice being taken off our streets with a street value of Aus$1.26 billion," he said.

"This largest seizure of liquid methamphetamine to date is the result of organised criminals, targeting the lucrative Australian ice market from offshore."

Australian Federal Police Commander Chris Sheehan said the operation began in December 2015 when the Australian Border Force examined a shipping container out of Hong Kong in Sydney. It originated in mainland China.

"That shipping container was found to contain gel bra inserts and hidden inside those gel bra inserts was 190 litres of liquid methamphetamine," he said.

The seizure was referred to the Australian Federal Police who began an investigation which traced an additional 530 litres of liquid methamphetamine to five storage units in Sydney where they were found inside art supplies.

In January, a 33-year-old Hong Kong man was arrested and charged in connection with the original seizure.

A further two Hong Kongers, a man, 37, and a 52-year-old woman, along with a Chinese man, 59, were also seized and charged with knowingly taking part in the manufacture of a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug over the stash in the storage units.

"We are alleging that the people we have arrested weren't just mere bit-players, they were significant players within this criminal network," said Sheehan, adding that they all face life in prison if convicted.

The sting was part of Taskforce Blaze, a rare operation established in November between the Australian Federal Police and the Chinese National Narcotics Control Commission -- the first joint effort between the two targeting the booming ice market.

The two sides are working together to gather intelligence relating to concealment methods, trafficking routes and syndicates facilitating methamphetamine imports from Southeast China into Australia.

"This critical international cooperation is already paying significant intelligence dividends," said Keenan.

The bust comes two months after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull unveiled a Aus$300 million strategy to combat the growing use of ice following a government report that Australia had proportionally more users than most countries.

The report showed that the use of the highly addictive drug had doubled since 2007 to more than 200,000 users in 2013, with anecdotal evidence of higher current numbers.

An Australian Crime Commission report published last year found that while US$80 bought one gram of ice in China, users in Australia had to pay US$500 for the same amount.

[Chip (OP)]

An Australian Crime Commission report published last year found that while US$80 bought one gram of ice in China, users in Australia had to pay US$500 for the same amount

as at time of writing, Australia pays an average of $A 375 per gram today ... there is downward pressure on prices, times are hard ...

[Chip (OP)]

https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/30832909/afp-admits-inflated-figures-used-to-calculate-billion-dollar-drug-bust-hidden-in-bras/

AFP admits inflated figures used to calculate billion dollar drug bust hidden in bras

The AFP's claim it busted a haul of more than $1 billion worth of the drug "ice" has been criticised as being massively inflated by up to four times higher than previous busts.

Officers have admitted they used an "upper range" estimate when they announced Monday they had arrested four Hong Kong and Chinese nationals for the alleged importation of 720 litres of liquid methamphetamine in bras and craft items.

But the claim the drugs were valued at $1.26 billion immediately came under scrutiny when compared to similar seizures made as recently as last month, which show it has been inflated by four times as much.

Federal police said the 720 litres of methylamphetamine could have been used to produce 504 kilograms of ice, estimating the street value to be $1.26 billion, or $2.5 million a kilo.

Yet in January the AFP announced a raid and seizure of the 159 kilos of ice at an estimated value of $106.5 million, or $666,000 a kilo.


The drugs were allegedly found in stick on bra packets

AFP's NSW Commander Chris Sheehan told the ABC the value has been based on a range of different data, including the Australian Crime Commission's Illicit Drug Data Report and the potential street value if the total half tonne was broken down into street weights of 0.1 grams deals called "points".

"The first point I'd make is that, regardless of the value, once we have seized the drugs, they are essentially valueless because they will never ever, ever, realise a profit for organised crime," Commander Sheehan said.



"In terms of the computation of values, there are a number of different ways they can be calculated.

"The particular value of this shipment has been calculated on the basis of its value sold at a street level, which at that level — a kilogram of crystal methylamphetamine — could be broken into 0.1 gram deals, or 'points', and sold at that value.



"Now, calculating out from there brings us to the $1.26 billion."

The AFP later admitted in a statement it recently changed its methodology to "standardise calculations" and "use a single point of reference".

Criminologist and former police officer Dr Terry Goldsworthy said it was already known police tended to go for the higher range of a drug's price, but there needed to be consistency in the methodology.

"It's no secret, the ACC puts out data on prices of drugs and street prices. I'd like to see the AFP, or whoever makes that determination, put forward how they actually calculated that," he said.

The three men and one woman charged with the importation of methylamphetamine hidden in push-up bras, paint-by-numbers kits and glue remain in police custody and face life in prison if convicted.

[SkyHigh]

Interesting way to try and conceal their shipment lol.

[theSWPK]

as at time of writing, Australia pays an average of $A 375 per gram today ... there is downward pressure on prices, times are hard ...

Wow. That's nutso! Atlas the stuff has a long duration! You're looking at A $112 for a G in my neck of the woods. 80 USD.

[kat1lifeleft]

It's about time they were called out about these fabulously inflated dollar amounts. The police do this consistently from what I've noticed...ridiculous!

[Guts]

Someone had to have snitched... this is a pretty damn smart plan. I wonder how they found out if not...

[cpwhyme]

I am always skeptical of what numbers the press reports. They tend to sensationalize the numbers for more drama! There are ethical reporters out there I guess but I always read with some skepticism.

[Zoops]

Did the bra model get arrested too? She should have.

"Presa Tina water bag push up bra" my ass!