(LAWFUEL) – A 19-year-old Sydney man will appear in the Sydney Central Local Court today following his arrest last night for allegedly attempting to import heroin concealed in his shoes.
The Chester Hill man was stopped by Customs officers for questioning when he arrived at Sydney International Airport on a flight from Bangkok yesterday. During an examination of the man’s baggage, Customs officers became suspicious he was concealing drugs in the shoes he was wearing.
A subsequent x-ray examination of the man’s shoes revealed anomalies in the base of the shoes. The soles of the shoes were pierced and a white powder was revealed. Initial testing of the substance indicated the presence of heroin.
The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police and the man was
charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug
contrary to section 307.2 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
Further testing of the substance will be undertaken to confirm the substance, its weight and purity.
The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years imprisonment and/or a
$550,000 fine.
