A Sydney couple has been sentenced to prison after attempting to import methamphetamine worth an estimated $12 million from Iran into Australia.
The investigation began in August 2023 when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers inspected a shipping container arriving from Iran and destined for Guildford in Sydney. During the examination, officers discovered 13 kilograms of pure methamphetamine concealed inside five blue shipping pallets.
Authorities removed the drug-filled pallets while allowing the remainder of the shipment to be delivered to a storage facility in Waterloo, Sydney, in September 2023 as part of a controlled operation.
On September 18, 2023, Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers executed search warrants at properties in Surry Hills and Waterloo.
During the raids, investigators seized an encrypted communication device, mobile phones, the pallets linked to the shipment, and additional drugs.
The couple was found guilty on October 2, 2025, of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, under the Criminal Code.
The 36-year-old man was sentenced to 11 years in prison, while the 32-year-old woman received a 10-year jail term.
The court heard that the pair used false consignee information and repeatedly redirected the shipment to different locations in an effort to avoid detection by law enforcement.
AFP Detective Acting Inspector Aaron Burgess said those involved in drug trafficking should be aware that authorities remain committed to identifying offenders and bringing them before the courts.