Two men handed lengthy jail terms over Christmas Day drug bust

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Two Italian men have been jailed after authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle ketamine into Australia hidden inside Christmas toys.
Border officers in Perth made the discovery on Christmas Day in 2023, finding 1.3kg of high-purity ketamine inside five soft Christmas toys that were shipped from Spain.
Australian Federal Police intercepted the package and replaced the drugs with an inert substance, before releasing the package for delivery on January 4, 2024.
Authorities replaced the ketamine with an inert substance, and sent the package out for delivery to catch the perpetrators out.
Authorities replaced the ketamine with an inert substance, and sent the package out for delivery to catch the perpetrators out. (Supplied)

In a coordinated operation, a package was intercepted at a residence in Coogee, located in the southern region of Perth, prompting an immediate raid by Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers.

Inside the premises, authorities uncovered the package alongside a set of scales and a vacuum sealing device.

Two Italian men are facing prison time, with the pair part of an alleged Spain-based crime syndicate.
Two Italian men are facing prison time, with the pair part of an alleged Spain-based crime syndicate. (Supplied)

An Italian national confessed to charges of attempting to traffic a substantial quantity of ketamine and handling over $100,000 in funds suspected to be linked to criminal activities.
The 29-year-old appeared in Perth District Court last week, where he was sentenced to six years and eight months’ imprisonment.

He will be eligible for parole after completing a sentence of three years and four months.

A second Italian individual involved in the scheme was also convicted, facing a three-year prison term.

Investigators suspect that both men are tied to a purported crime syndicate based in Spain, believed to be smuggling drugs into Australia.
Spanish law enforcement investigating the syndicate have charged several people in Barcelona and Ibiza.

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