AN IRANIAN national accused of attempting to bring methamphetamine into Australia inside crane parts has faced court.
The 390kg meth import is estimated to have a potential street value of more than $360 million.
The man faced Downing Centre Local Court on 18 August charged over his alleged role in the failed plot to import methamphetamine into Australia.
The man, 61, was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on 15 October, 2025.
He is accused of planning and coordinating the importation of the illicit drugs sent from Iran to Sydney concealed inside crane parts.
AFP officers arrested the man on 17 August, 2025, after a search warrant was executed at a home in Quakers Hill, NSW.
The AFP began its investigation, known as Operation Alondra, in June 2025, after the Australian Border Force (ABF) identified a suspected detection of border-controlled drugs in a shipping consignment that arrived in Sydney from Iran.
ABF officers intercepted three shipping containers carrying yellow-coloured, metal crane structures, each of which displayed anomalies.
ABF officers conducted an inspection and deconstruction of the consignment, where they found plastic pipes and packages concealed inside the crane structures, allegedly containing a crystalline substance.
AFP forensics later confirmed the substance was methamphetamine. The AFP seized the entire consignment of illicit drugs, which was confirmed to weigh a total of 390kg.
The Iranian national arrived in Australia from Hamburg, Germany, on 25 June, 2025, before police allege he started planning to take possession of the consignment containing the methamphetamine.
On the morning of 17 August, 2025, AFP officers executed a search warrant at a property in Quakers Hill, along with a rental car hired by the man. A number of items were seized, including power tools and cutting equipment.
The Iranian national has been charged with:
One count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported border-controlled drugs, namely methamphetamine, contrary to Section 307.5 of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
One count of participate in the business of importing commercial quantities of border-controlled drugs, namely methamphetamine, contrary to sections 307.1 and 311.4 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.
AFP Detective Superintendent Morgan Blunden said the AFP remained focused on criminal syndicates working onshore and overseas attempting to import harmful, illicit substances into Australia.
“The alleged method of concealment inside industrial crane components indicates a sophisticated criminal operation which required planning, resources, and coordination between parties overseas and here in Australia.
“This arrest should serve as a warning to anyone involved in this failed import attempt – we are not ruling out further arrests and we remain committed to bringing those responsible to justice.
“If you seek to profit from the import and sale of illicit drugs, it’s only a matter of time before we’re knocking on your door.”