Foiled plot tried to sneak 49 lbs of cocaine into Australia via Xerox printers
Summary
Four Australian men tried to smuggle nearly 50 pounds of cocaine hidden inside Xerox printers into Australia in 2017. Police intercepted the shipment, replaced the drugs with a fake substance, tracked the printers, and arrested the men when they tried to retrieve the packages.Key Facts
- The cocaine weighed 22.4 kilograms (49.4 pounds) and was hidden inside the printers' paper trays.
- The drugs were valued between 9.3 and 12.4 million Australian dollars ($6.7 to $9 million).
- Police used drug testing and tracking devices to catch the smugglers.
- Three men were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 9 to 10 years; one man was found not guilty.
- This case shows how criminal groups use technology and creative methods to smuggle drugs.
- Similar drug smuggling cases involving printers or printer cartridges have occurred in India, the UK, and Australia.
- The earlier UK case involved smuggling cocaine worth about £132 million ($178.5 million) hidden in printer toner pallets.
- In 2014, Australian police suspected a woman smuggling methamphetamine in laser printer cartridges due to visible white powder.
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