A 17-year-old Perth girl has been charged after police allegedly found a package that was supposed to contain $16 million of heroin stashed in her bedroom closet.
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The Australian Federal Police began an investigation in April after their Chinese counterparts tipped them off to a series of packages headed for Australian shores.
Some 254 blocks of heroin, weighing more than 74 kilograms, were switched out before the packages reached their intended destinations.
Three packages made their way to Newcastle, but one allegedly ended up in the wardrobe of a 17-year-old Perth girl.
The teen was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly receiving the package, which was supposed to contain 22 kilograms of heroin, worth around $16.2 million.
The girl faced Perth Children's Court charged with one count of attempting to import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
NSW Police also arrested a Newcastle man on April 22, raiding three properties and seizing a small amount of drugs, cash and drug paraphernalia.
The 23-year-old man is charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, which also carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
"This amount of drugs could have been sold to as many as 745,000 people, netting the criminals behind it at least $55 million and causing widespread harm," AFP Commander Asia Peter Sykora said in a statement.
Police are continuing to investigate links between the shipments and have not ruled out further arrests.
Australian Associated Press
