A 32-year-old Colombian woman, Laura Rocio Leal Ortiz, has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison after attempting to import nearly $2 million worth of drugs concealed within wooden statues sent via air freight to Brisbane, Australia. Following a guilty plea, she faced the Queensland Supreme Court, admitting to aiding the importation of a substantial quantity of illegal narcotics and attempting to possess them.
The details of the case revealed that Leal Ortiz had provided her name for the air freight consignment that originated in Mexico City in February 2021. The court heard that she maintained constant communication through WhatsApp with two associates using coded names, discussing the logistics and expressing hope that the operation would proceed successfully. The drug haul, discovered by Australian Federal Police, comprised over 10kg of crystalline powder, which was identified as equivalent to 4.64kg of pure methamphetamine, valued at approximately $1.8 million.
Under surveillance, law enforcement officials arranged for the delivery of the consignment to Leal Ortiz. At the time of the police raid, she was on a call, inquiring about the drugs’ whereabouts. Additional charges against her included handling large sums of money linked to criminal activities, with evidence of $600,000 transferred across 70 different recipients in Colombia over three years.
Leal Ortiz’s defence claimed her role was minor, akin to that of a courier, emphasising the brief period of her involvement, which lasted only six days. Although Justice Paul Freeburn described the case as unfortunate and noted that she may not have personally benefited from the operation, he highlighted the seriousness of the offences, which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Ultimately, the court sentenced Leal Ortiz to a total of six years and six months, with a minimum non-parole period of two years and eight months. As a Colombian national, it is anticipated that she will face deportation following her release. Leal Ortiz bid farewell to her supporters in court as she was taken into custody, marking a significant turn in her life.