Queensland woman to face court on drug importation charges

The Australian Border Force (ABF) has summonsed a Queensland woman to appear in court next month on drug importation charges following the conclusion of a detailed investigation.

The ABF will allege that the woman imported over 1.6 kilograms of drugs in February and March 2019. The packages, which were intercepted by the ABF, were comprised of Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), and were addressed to the woman.

In March 2019, joint search warrants with the Queensland Police Service (QPS) were conducted in central Queensland to locate evidence related to the importations. Drugs and weapons such as extendable batons and knuckle dusters were also seized.

The woman was charged by the ABF with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, contrary to the Commonwealth Criminal Code. If found guilty, the woman faces a possible sentence of life imprisonment.

She will appear at Moranbah Court House on May 15, and will also face additional charges from QPS in relation to weapon possession and drug trafficking within Queensland.

ABF Commander of Investigations, Graeme Grosse, thanked the QPS for their ongoing support and cooperation.

“This is another example of what can be achieved when we work closely with our state and territory law enforcement counterparts,” Commander Grosse said.

“Anyone thinking of engaging in this type of criminal behaviour should know that the ABF remains focused on combatting the scourge of illegal drugs, even while the nation responds to the challenges associated with COVID-19. Our officers are continuing to treat these issues as business as usual – we are still watching and we are investigating,” he said.

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