Photos of Russian President Vladimir Putin were found on some of the blocks Photo: NSW Police
Australian police have detained a 26-year-old man who was transporting methamphetamine and cocaine worth more than AU$18 million (over USD11 million). The attention of law enforcement was drawn to the packages of drugs, which included a picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin at his desk in the Kremlin, the Daily Mail reports.
Cross-border transport and searches
The man was stopped on Tuesday morning on his way to Melbourne near the town of Gandagai. According to the New South Wales (NSW) police, 25 kg of methamphetamine and 10 kg of cocaine were found during a search of the car. The drugs were carefully hidden in the front doors of the driver and passenger.
An image of the Russian president was found on some of the drug packages, which probably served as a kind of marker for carriers or customers.
Charges and further investigation
The detainee was taken to the Gandagai police station, where he was charged with two drug smuggling offences. The court refused to release the suspect on bail.
“The investigation into this incident is ongoing. We are working to establish possible links to international criminal groups,” the NSW Police said in a statement.
Drug trafficking and the international context
The image of Vladimir Putin on drug packages has caused a wide response. Experts note that such labelling can be used as a symbol to identify specific suppliers or networks.
Australia, which has strict laws on drug trafficking, has become an important destination for international drug cartels in recent years. In 2023 alone, the country’s police seized a record amount of illegal substances worth billions of dollars, which demonstrates the scale of the problem.
Detentions with packages that have political overtones may indicate new trends in drug trafficking that will require even deeper analysis and international cooperation.
