An elderly American man has been arrested in Australia for attempting to smuggle in cocaine that was hidden in children’s books.
The 71-year-old U.S. national was selected for a baggage examination by the Australian Border Force (ABF) officers at the Melbourne International Airport on Monday Dec. 11, said a media release issued by the Australian Federal Police and ABF.
The man was arriving on a flight from Dubai.
The ABF officers found two peculiar children’s books inside the man’s bag which they then x-rayed.
The officers then drilled into one of the books and discovered inside it was cocaine.
71-yr-old US national charged with attempting to import approx. 700 grams of cocaine concealed in children’s books. More: https://t.co/XgxS3Mn5dA pic.twitter.com/L7aLDj8aNe
— ABF (@AusBorderForce) December 18, 2017
In total, the officers found the man was attempting to smuggle in approximately 700 grams of cocaine hidden in the books.
Federal police then arrested the man who now faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The man is scheduled to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on March 5, 2018.
Cocaine is worth up to nine times more on Australian streets than it is in the U.S.
Australian law enforcement and border protection officers have seized record amounts of cocaine this year. In February, law enforcement seized 1.4 tons of the drug on an Australian bound yacht.
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