Dr Sharma, who has a PhD in nematology (roundworms), migrated from India in 2000 with her husband and twins after quitting a prestigious position in the Indian Ministry of Agriculture.
Intelligence obtained during the Operation Ironside enabled the AFP to disrupt the plan to smuggle the drugs into Australia inside two welding machines.
The government says the visas will be capped at 5,000 at any one time and targeted at critical skill shortages in sectors such as healthcare, education, engineering and information technology.
Australian authorities reportedly decided to use a dedicated charter flight because some of the detainees were considered “non-compliant and disruptive”, making it difficult and unsafe
