Authorities in Australia say they found six capsules after conducting a CT scan and charged the man after finding 120 grams of cocaine at the Melbourne airport
Federal authorities in Australia have arrested a 28-year-old Irish national who was stopped at Melbourne airport and then taken for a CT scan.
According to a report by the Guardian on Wednesday, January 4, the police conducted the scan and found six capsules of Kinder Surprise with cocaine inside his body.
The police said the Australian Border Force at the Melbourne airport decided to conduct the CT scan after the passenger’s baggage turned positive for the presence of cocaine.
The 28-year-old man was arrested in late December after he had arrived on a flight from the Middle East.
Upon arriving, he was taken to the Royal Melbourne hospital, where the scan was conducted.
A statement released by Australian officials said, “He later excreted six yellow plastic capsules that allegedly contained a total of about 120g of cocaine”.
They also added that five of the capsules were inside condoms, while one was wrapped in plastic cling film.
“Smuggling drugs internally is idiotic, there is the real risk that something could go wrong, resulting in a potentially fatal drug overdose or permanent damage to internal organs”, said Chris Salmon from the Australian Federal Police, in a quote cited in the report.
The Irish man has been charged with “importing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug”.
If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
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