A 22-year-old French national has been arrested in Australia following an alleged drug smuggling operation involving hair products. In June, officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF) in Sydney intercepted a package that was said to contain hair care items, but which was actually concealing 550 grams of ketamine.
Investigations led authorities to identify the suspect, who was operating under a pseudonym while in the Northern Territory and living in Western Australia. The man was apprehended by Northern Territory Police during a recent journey between the two regions.
Upon searching his vehicle, police uncovered not only the illicit drugs but also LSD, a burner phone, three SIM cards, and images of counterfeit identification purportedly used for executing drug imports.
The young man now faces serious charges, including three counts of attempting to import a controlled substance, two counts related to attempting to possess such substances, and one count of having a significant quantity of a dangerous drug. He appeared in Darwin Local Court and has been remanded to return for a further hearing on September 30.