CANBERRA, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The amount of cocaine being imported to Australia from Europe is on the rise, authorities have warned.
From January 2017 to August 2017, the Australian Border Force (ABF) made 934 detections of drugs being smuggled into the country, 178 of which took place at Melbourne Airport.
James Watson, ABF Regional Commander, said that cocaine was the most common drug and much of it was coming from Europe.
He said that cocaine had been found by agents at Melbourne Airport hidden in the linings of suitcases, in children's toys, in food products and even internally.
"Since January 2017 we have observed an increase of European citizens attempting to bring cocaine into the country through Australian airports," Watson told Australian media on Thursday.
In July two German nationals were charged after attempting to import approximately 8 kg of cocaine, and in February a 39-year-old Italian national attempted to import 5 kg of cocaine, both through Melbourne Airport.
"No matter how unique or sophisticated concealment methods are, importers are no match for our highly trained officers and cutting-edge x-ray technology.
"There is a very high probability they will be caught and the penalties are severe."
The German nationals, aged 21 and 22, were charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled substance which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Cocaine worth 870,000 U.S. dollars was found in the suitcase of the Italian woman when x-ray screening of her luggage revealed a plywood false bottom, under which were several packages containing cocaine.
