'Ice' found in marble tables

Two men have been charged with trying to smuggle 16 kilograms of the drug 'ice' into Australia hidden in two marble tables.

Customs officers discovered the drugs more than two weeks ago after two packages from Vancouver in Canada aroused suspicion during a routine X-ray at Sydney Airport.

Officials found powdered crystal methamphetamine, or 'ice', inside when they drilled a hole in the marble slabs.

The Australian Federal Police then substituted the drug with a dummy powder and monitored its delivery to a residential address in Kingsford, in eastern Sydney.

A 25-year-old Canadian national was arrested at the house as he allegedly received the packages.

A 23-year-old Hong Kong citizen was also seized at Sydney Airport as he tried to return to Hong Kong.

Both have been charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled substance and have been refused bail in Parramatta Local Court.

No application for bail was made and the case was adjourned to Central Local Court on Tuesday.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Sat, 28 July 2007
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia -Web)
Email: comments@your.abc.net.au
Copyright: 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Website: http://www.abc.net.au/