A Sydney man has been sentenced to eight years and three months in prison, with a non-parole period of five years and nine months, following a conviction for importing 233 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in construction materials.
The 37-year-old man was sentenced at Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court on 8 November 2024, after being found guilty by a jury in April 2024. The sentencing follows a lengthy investigation, dubbed Operation Cobberas, initiated by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in March 2022.
The investigation began after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers inspected 10 boxes of structural supports shipped from China, discovering a concealed white powdered substance. Testing confirmed the presence of methamphetamine, prompting the AFP to seize the consignment and dismantle the supports. This led to the recovery of 233 kilograms of meth, with an estimated street value of $70 million.
After a two-month investigation, AFP officers arrested the man at his Auburn home in June 2022. He was charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, under section 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty highlighted the damaging effects of methamphetamine, describing it as an “extremely addictive illicit drug that causes widespread harm.”
“Criminals have little regard for the impact of these drugs on people, their families, and the wider community,” Det-Supt Fogarty said. He noted that the investigation emphasised the value of collaboration between the AFP and its law enforcement partners in combating organised crime syndicates that attempt to import illegal drugs into Australia.
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