Australian authorities have charged three people in connection with the alleged importation of 320 kilograms of methamphetamine worth an estimated A$296 million, which was concealed in two shipping containers that arrived from Ghana and were declared as bags of charcoal.

According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the investigation began in April 2026 after officers of the Australian Border Force (ABF) detected anomalies in two shipping containers that arrived at Port Botany in Sydney from Ghana.

The containers, which were purportedly carrying charcoal, were subjected to further examination after raising suspicions during routine screening. Subsequent X-ray scans revealed the presence of a white crystallised substance hidden within the shipment.

Preliminary testing returned a positive result for methamphetamine, while forensic analysis later confirmed the consignment contained approximately 320 kilograms of the illicit drug.

Australian authorities estimate the seized methamphetamine had a street value of about A$296 million and could have been distributed in as many as 3.2 million individual street-level deals.

The drugs were removed from the shipment before the containers were delivered under police surveillance to a storage facility in Girraween, a suburb of Sydney, on 20 April 2026.

Investigators allege that a woman from the United Kingdom attended the storage facility and supervised the unloading of the container. Authorities claim several bags were subsequently loaded into a vehicle and transported to a residence in Blacktown.

Shortly afterwards, AFP officers executed a search warrant at the property, where the woman was arrested.

Police said they recovered 32 bags believed to have previously contained methamphetamine, as well as electronic devices and a notebook, which have been seized for further forensic examination.

The woman has been charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment under Australian law. She was refused bail and is expected to appear before the Downing Centre Local Court.

Further investigations led authorities to a residence in Oakden, South Australia, where a 30-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man were arrested on 30 April 2026.

The pair are accused of attempting to rent storage facilities in Sydney using false identities to facilitate the movement and storage of the shipment.

Both have been charged with offences relating to the alleged use of identification documents to facilitate a serious drug crime, as well as failing to comply with a court-issued order. The couple appeared before the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 1 May 2026 and were remanded in custody until 2 September 2026.

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Trevor Robinson said investigations were continuing to identify the suppliers and other key facilitators behind the attempted importation.

“This operation highlights the agility of the AFP and our partners to investigate complex matters across jurisdictions and stop organised crime syndicates in their tracks,” he said.

He added that the seizure had prevented millions of potential drug transactions from reaching Australian communities.

Australian Border Force Superintendent Jared Leighton also praised officers involved in the operation, noting that criminal syndicates often go to great lengths to conceal illicit drugs in seemingly legitimate cargo.

“Criminal syndicates will go to great lengths to disguise illicit drugs, including embedding them in everyday goods like charcoal, but our highly skilled officers are trained to see beyond these attempts,” he said.

Authorities say investigations into the wider network behind the shipment remain ongoing.

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Three people charged in Australia for bringing A$296m worth of meth hidden in charcoal to Ghana

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