WA Man Charged Over Attempted Import of Liquid Meth Hidden in Cordial Bottles
Australia – A 59-year-old man from Kelmscott, Western Australia, is facing serious drug charges after allegedly attempting to import liquid methamphetamine disguised as bottles of cordial and cooking oil.
The man will go to Perth Magistrates Court on Friday, July 25, 2025. He was arrested last week during a sting operation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Border Force (ABF).
The joint investigation started when ABF officers at Perth Airport noticed two suspicious air cargo shipments coming from Malaysia.
Authorities seized 27 bottles containing a total of 33 litres of meth-laced liquid. Forensic testing will determine the precise quantity and purity of the drugs.
To catch the intended recipient, AFP officers removed the original contents and replaced them with a harmless substitute before delivering the packages to a Rockingham industrial unit on 18 July. The suspect allegedly took possession of the consignments, opened them, and photographed the bottles before returning home — where officers arrested him.
Searches at the unit and the suspect’s Kelmscott residence uncovered the substituted bottles, $45,000 in cash hidden in a freezer, suspected meth and cannabis, ammunition, a crossbow, and several mobile phones now undergoing forensic analysis.
He has been charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug — an offence carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the source of the drugs and the network behind the trafficking attempt.
