Zimbabwean man nabbed in $828M meth bust from USA to Australia

Australian police have detained a 31-year-old resident of Zimbabwe who smuggled nearly a ton of methamphetamine from the USA worth $828 million. He faces life imprisonment. The drugs were carefully packed in 9 million packages.

In Australia, law enforcement agencies detained a 31-year-old Zimbabwean citizen suspected of smuggling nearly a ton of methamphetamine from the USA. The value of the smuggled drugs is estimated at an astronomical sum of $828 million. If found guilty, the man faces a life sentence.

The arrest came after Australian police discovered over 2,000 pounds of drugs hidden in industrial machines that were brought from the United States to Sydney. The drugs were carefully packed in 9 million packages, which, according to the police, were intended for the market on the eastern coast of Australia.

Information about the suspected smuggler reached Australian authorities from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The American agency drew attention to frequent purchases of digital machines in the USA by a small furniture store located in Sydney. Investigations revealed that these transactions masked drug smuggling using the "piggybacking" method. This method uses the distribution network of companies with an established import history. In this particular case, the exporter was a drug cartel.

Detective Peter Fogarty, inspector of the Australian Federal Police, emphasized in a media interview that the arrest of the Zimbabwean citizen would significantly impact the drug trade in New South Wales. "Methamphetamine is the second most commonly used drug in Australia, and its effects can be felt throughout the community, in our homes and hospitals," said Fogarty.

Reports from the Australian Institute of Health for the years 2021-2022 show that the problem related to methamphetamine use is serious. On average, 27 people per day were hospitalized due to problems related to this drug.