"Sydney airport staff probed over drug bust"

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Sydney airport staff probed over drug bust
Australia - The Sydney Herald Sun 


SYDNEY airport workers with access to international tarmacs are suspected of
aiding and abetting cocaine smugglers after almost 6kg of the drug was
discovered in an American plane.

An investigation has been launched into what is believed to be a deliberate
"drop" of blocks of cocaine for collection in the rubbish bin of a plane's
toilet cubicle on Sunday. 

Investigators strongly suspect the importation was left in the bin for
someone with airside accreditation, such as a cleaner or caterer, to
collect, as these workers are not subject to Customs scans. 

Investigators are probing suspected links between the importation, which has
a street value of $660,000, and associates of Sydney's Maroubra-based Bra
Boy gang. 

A Customs Air Border Security Team, acting on a tip-off from US law
enforcement authorities, searched United Airlines flight UA 839 after its
arrival at Sydney International Airport early Sunday. 

The flight had left Los Angeles International Airport late on November 30. 

An American woman, who was a passenger on the flight and has since flown out
of Australia, is believed to have been the courier. 

Customs and the Australian Federal Police said that officers boarded the
Boeing 747 with sniffer dogs and found 12 blocks of shrink-wrapped white
powder. 

"The powder was later confirmed as 5.7kg of cocaine," a statement said.

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