Editor's note: arrest footage and images of the seized imports are available to download here.
Two men have been charged over allegedly importing hundreds of litres of precursor drugs into the country following a three-month Australian Border Force investigation.
In July 2025, ABF officers identified several consignments which had arrived from southeast Asia via sea cargo, declared as various items including clothing, kitchen appliances and paper towels.
Upon further inspection and analysis, officers identified several bottles of a clear liquid inside the container, with presumptive testing returning a positive result for methylamine – a chemical compound which is used in the production of various products such as pharmaceuticals, and insecticides, however is misused by criminal syndicates to domestically produce MDMA and methamphetamine.
A part of ongoing investigations, a 48-year-old man was arrested during a Commonwealth search warrant at a Thornleigh address on Friday 25 July 2025.
During the warrant, investigators located and seized a further 479L of methylamine, approximately 100kg of BMK glycidic acid, and several digital assets.
The man was arrested and charged with:
- Three counts of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled precursor, contravening s.307.11 (1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995. The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years imprisonment and/or 5,000 penalty units.
- One count of importing tier one (1) goods, contravening s.233BAA(4) of the Customs Act 1901. The maximum penalty for this offence is five (5) years imprisonment and/or a fine not exceeding 1,000 penalty units.
He remains before the courts.
Following further enquiries, ABF Investigations NSW officers attended Sydney International Airport on Tuesday 23 September 2025, where they spoke to a man, aged 48, who had landed on a flight from the Philippines.
During an intelligence-informed baggage and digital device examination, officers allegedly located messages and images relating to the importation of the border controlled substances.
He was arrested and charged with the same four offences.
He was refused bail to appear in court on Wednesday 24 September, where he was formally bail refused.
Both men will reappear at Parramatta Local Court on Friday 14 November 2025.
ABF Investigations NSW Superintendent Shaun Baker said the detection of precursor substances at the border is vital in stemming the domestic production of illicit drugs.
“Criminals involved in drug manufacture do not care about the harm they cause, they put our community at risk for their own benefit, funding further criminal ventures," Supt Baker said.
“Whilst on the surface the imports have legitimate purposes, our investigators must align pieces of intelligence, targeting, and officer intuition to identify consignments which warrant further analysis.
“Our detection processes, whether it be by land, air, or sea, are extremely thorough – we must continue to make the Australian border a volatile environment for organised crime, maintaining its integrity and protecting the Australian community."
Anyone with information about suspicious activity which m ay impact the security of Australia's borders is urged to report to Border Watch online. By reporting suspicious activities, you help protect Australia's border and the community.
Media contact: media@abf.gov.au
