Sydney airline worker faces life imprisonment for allegedly trying to smuggle 4 liters of drugs into Australia in shampoo bottles

The 29-year-old Newtown man was working on an international flight from South Africa to Sydney on Saturday, December 7, when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers made the discovery.

Four bottles of ‘shampoo’ and a water bottle in a sealed bag were found wrapped in clothing in the staff’s luggage.

Initial tests on its liquid ingredients allegedly showed a positive result for GBL, which converts in the body into GHB, a commonly used date rape drug.

The man was charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, namely gamma butyrolactone, and faces life imprisonment if convicted.

He will spend Christmas behind bars as he remains in custody ahead of his next hearing at Downing Center Local Court on February 4.

Australian Federal Police Detective Acting Inspector Dom Stephenson highlighted the force’s relentless pursuit of drug traffickers.

“The AFP remains committed and focused on detecting and disrupting those who seek to import harmful illicit substances into our country,” said Det. a/Support. Stephenson said.

“We will allege that the accused abused his position of trust as an airline employee and attempted to use that access to smuggle commercial quantities of drugs into Australia.

“AFP and partners work closely to protect Australian society from the scourge of illegal drugs.”

ABF Inspector Elke West said border force officers would continue to work in partnership with law enforcement to respond promptly to potential threats.

“Domestic and international cooperation is key to eliminating the threat posed by trusted insiders, where criminal organizations seek to exploit and recruit individuals to further their illicit drug trafficking enterprises,” said Supt. West said.

“Our ABF officers use a range of detection capabilities to detect passengers and crew attempting to obstruct our border controls.

“With the increasing threat from trusted insiders, border agencies will continue to target any weak points in the supply chain.”