20-year-old traveler found with 86 pounds of chili-covered meth, Australia cops say
An Australian woman is facing charges after being stopped at the Sydney airport with two suitcases of illegal drugs covered in chili flakes, officials said.
A 20-year-old woman from Queensland flew from Los Angeles to Sydney on Nov. 6 and was stopped for “a baggage examination following her arrival,” the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force said in a joint Nov. 7 news release.
Officials searched the traveler’s bags and found “39kg (about 86 lbs) of a substance covered in chilli flakes inside the woman’s suitcases, with initial tests indicating the substance was methamphetamine,” the departments said. Photos show the confiscated baggage containing a white substance and red chili.
The woman was charged with “one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug” and expected to appear in court, officials said.
“Every detection of drugs at the border keeps Australia safer and ensures that drug traffickers cannot reap profits by exploiting the Australian community,” Amy Knox, a detective acting inspector with the Australian Federal Police, said in the release.
“We know the devastating impact methamphetamine and other drugs have on individuals and our communities — that’s why we’re working closely with (the Australian Border Force) and other partners to stop the flow of illicit drugs,” Knox said.
This story was originally published November 11, 2025 at 10:37 AM with the headline "20-year-old traveler found with 86 pounds of chili-covered meth, Australia cops say."
