By Kwedu News
A 31-year-old Zimbabwean national, Michael Charumbira, has been arrested in connection with a massive methamphetamine shipment from the United States of America worth Australian $828 million (US$550million), destined for Sydney.
Charumbira, who holds dual Australian and Zimbabwean citizenship, was arrested at a Warwick Farm property in South-west Sydney and appeared before the Downing Centre Local Court on August 1.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty said, “We have seized 896 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $828 million… This consignment would have equated to almost 9 million individual street deals.”
The drugs were found concealed within two large industrial machines exported from the United States.
“The AFP launched operation Austinville in July this year, following an anonymous tip to crime stoppers and with intelligence received from the United States Homeland Security investigations, we allege the Winston Hill man opened the container on its arrival in the property at Warwick Farm with the assistance of a fork lifter, began to access contents inside.
“The man was subsequently arrested and the AFP executed search warrants at the Warwick Farm property and homes….
“The dual Australian and Zimbabwe national who has been here for some time… and we think his role was to receive it and almost 900 kilos is really a massive amount of drugs,” Detective Superintendent Forgarty said.
He alleged that Charumbira’s role was to receive the shipment and distribute it across the eastern seaboard.
“Methamphetamine is the second-most consumed illicit drug in Australia, and its impact can be felt across the community, from homes to our hospitals,. Australian Federal Police say.
The anonymous tip-off tied large drug shipments to a Sydney-based furniture store.
Fogarty warned that criminal syndicates would stop at nothing to conceal their activities, but the AFP and its partners would continue to pursue them.
“So I think there is very much an organised crime syndicate behind this, a much bigger syndicate who has access to large sums of money in order to bring this sort of quantities of drugs to Australia,” he said.
The maximum possible penalty for the offence is life in prison and Charumbira will remain in custody until his next court date on the 2nd of October 2024.
