In a separate operation barely 24 hours after the cocaine-pellet case, Australian Border Force officers on 24 January stopped a 32-year-old Western-Sydney woman arriving from South Africa when x-ray imagery revealed anomalies in her two suitcases. Inside they allegedly found 39 kg of methamphetamine packed in vacuum-sealed bags – enough for 390 000 street-level deals with a notional value of AU$36.7 million.
The woman was charged on 25 January with importing and possessing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. AFP Detective-Superintendent Morgan Blunden said the arrest was the seventh drug-mule interception at Australian airports “in a matter of days”, suggesting smugglers are testing new routes ahead of the busy Australia-Day travel weekend.
The ABF says it is intensifying collaboration with airline security teams and has advised ground-handlers to watch for travellers checking unusually heavy or chemically scented luggage. Mobility professionals relocating staff from higher-risk regions should factor in potential baggage delays for secondary screening and remind travellers that random swab tests are routine.
![39 kg of meth seized from luggage of Sydney arrival as authorities warn of ‘sharp spike’ in drug-mule activity]()
Meanwhile, VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) can help corporate mobility teams and individual travellers navigate Australia’s increasingly complex entry requirements. From real-time updates on visa categories to assistance with the additional travel-history disclosures authorities now demand, the platform streamlines applications and flags potential compliance issues before departure—reducing the risk of costly delays or denied boarding.
The case also illustrates the regulatory ripple-effect: freight forwarders handling unaccompanied personal effects from South Africa can expect heightened inspection frequencies for at least the next quarter, while employers sponsoring short-term mobility assignments will see visa applicants asked more detailed travel-history questions when itineraries include Johannesburg or Cape Town.
Industry analysts note that the seizure comes as the federal government prepares a 2026 Aviation Security Amendment Bill that would expand the AirportWatch public-reporting programme referenced by the AFP in its post-arrest statement.
The woman was charged on 25 January with importing and possessing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. AFP Detective-Superintendent Morgan Blunden said the arrest was the seventh drug-mule interception at Australian airports “in a matter of days”, suggesting smugglers are testing new routes ahead of the busy Australia-Day travel weekend.
The ABF says it is intensifying collaboration with airline security teams and has advised ground-handlers to watch for travellers checking unusually heavy or chemically scented luggage. Mobility professionals relocating staff from higher-risk regions should factor in potential baggage delays for secondary screening and remind travellers that random swab tests are routine.
Meanwhile, VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) can help corporate mobility teams and individual travellers navigate Australia’s increasingly complex entry requirements. From real-time updates on visa categories to assistance with the additional travel-history disclosures authorities now demand, the platform streamlines applications and flags potential compliance issues before departure—reducing the risk of costly delays or denied boarding.
The case also illustrates the regulatory ripple-effect: freight forwarders handling unaccompanied personal effects from South Africa can expect heightened inspection frequencies for at least the next quarter, while employers sponsoring short-term mobility assignments will see visa applicants asked more detailed travel-history questions when itineraries include Johannesburg or Cape Town.
Industry analysts note that the seizure comes as the federal government prepares a 2026 Aviation Security Amendment Bill that would expand the AirportWatch public-reporting programme referenced by the AFP in its post-arrest statement.
