Two men have received prison sentences for attempting to smuggle approximately 100 grams of cocaine into the Northern Territory, concealed within sneakers. The operation began when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers inspected an air cargo shipment arriving from Peru on June 6. Among the items in the shipment, a shoebox containing sneakers was discovered to hold 131 grams of a white powder that tested positive for cocaine.
After the cocaine was seized, ABF officers substituted it with a harmless powder and orchestrated a controlled delivery to the intended recipient in Casuarina, Darwin, on June 12. The following day, the two men, aged 35 and 36, were arrested while trying to collect the package. Subsequent forensic analysis revealed that the package contained 103.2 grams of pure cocaine, valued at around $65,900 on the street.
Despite the relatively modest quantity, AFP Superintendent Greg Davis highlighted that this amount could produce hundreds of individual doses, contributing to significant public health issues. He noted that there were 985 cocaine-related hospitalisations across Australia in the previous year, averaging more than two per day and placing a considerable burden on healthcare systems.
Both individuals entered guilty pleas to drug importation charges on May 21. The younger man was sentenced to three years in prison, with 15 months to serve before being eligible for release on a 21-month suspended sentence. His accomplice received an 18-month prison term, with six months counted towards his sentence, allowing for a 12-month suspended release thereafter.