Sydney couple jailed over failed $12 million meth import plot
A Sydney couple has been sentenced to lengthy prison terms after attempting to take possession of 13 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in shipping pallets imported from Iran.
The 36-year-old man was sentenced to 11 years in prison with a non-parole period of seven years, while the 32-year-old woman received a 10-year sentence with a non-parole period of six years. The sentences were handed down in the Gosford District Court on 19 June 2026.
The case began in August 2023 when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers inspected a shipping container arriving from Iran and discovered 13kg of pure methamphetamine hidden inside five blue shipping pallets destined for western Sydney.
Investigators removed the drug-filled pallets before allowing the remaining shipment to be delivered to a storage facility in Waterloo as part of a controlled operation.
Authorities later uncovered evidence that the couple had used false consignee details and repeatedly redirected the shipment to different locations in an effort to avoid detection.
On 18 September 2023, Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers carried out raids at properties in Surry Hills and Waterloo, seizing encrypted communication devices, mobile phones, pallets connected to the shipment, and additional illicit drugs.
The pair were convicted on 2 October 2025 of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported methamphetamine.
AFP Detective Acting Inspector Aaron Burgess said the case demonstrated the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to target drug trafficking networks and prevent harmful substances from reaching Australian communities.