New South Wales Police have charged a man after a near-$20 million stash of drugs was found in the door cavities of his car.
The NZ$19.7 million drug bust included 25kg of methamphetamine and 10kg of cocaine bricks — some of which were bagged with photos of Russian president Vladimir Putin.
NSW Police organised crime squad detective superintendent Peter Faux told ABC identifiable markers were commonly used among dealers to identify or brand their products.
"People want to be distinguished in terms of their drug or their commodity," he said.
"They could be anything, pictures of vehicles, emblems and — in this case — it's a picture of the Russian president."
(Source: New South Wales Police Force)
NSW police said the drugs were found as the 26-year-old man was attempting to cross the state border from New South Wales into Victoria.
At about 9.40am yesterday (local time), officers attached to Riverina Police District Traffic and Highway Patrol Command – with assistance from State Crime Command’s Organised Crime Squad – stopped a Toyota Corolla travelling south on the Hume Highway near Gundagai.
A search of the vehicle located the drugs.
(Source: New South Wales Police Force)
The man was taken to Gundagai Police Station, where he was charged with possessing a "large commercial quantity" of illegal drugs and a "dedicated encrypted criminal communication device".
He was refused bail pending an appearance in the Local Court today, police added.
"Police will allege in court the man was attempting to transport the prohibited drugs from Sydney to Melbourne."
