A British actress identified as Emaa Hussen, 34, has been charged in Australia alongside a South Australian couple over an alleged attempt to smuggle 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in shipping containers said to have originated from West Africa.
The suspects are facing charges in connection with a drug shipment intercepted by authorities after it was discovered hidden in bags of charcoal transported in containers from Ghana. The drugs are estimated to have a street value of A$296 million (approximately US$208 million or £157 million).
Hussen appeared before a Sydney court on Thursday after being charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of methamphetamine into Australia, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. She had previously been denied bail and is due to return to court in August.
Australian authorities allege that Hussen, along with a 30-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man from South Australia, were involved in efforts to facilitate the importation and distribution of the consignment.
According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), investigations began in April after the Australian Border Force (ABF) detected irregularities in two shipping containers that arrived at Sydney’s Port Botany from Ghana. The containers were declared as carrying bags of charcoal.
A subsequent X-ray examination revealed a white crystalline substance concealed within the shipment. Forensic testing later confirmed the substance to be methamphetamine.
Authorities removed the drugs before the containers were delivered under controlled conditions to a storage facility in Girraween, in Sydney’s western suburbs.
Investigators allege that Hussen later attended the facility and supervised the unpacking of the containers by several individuals. Some of the bags were reportedly loaded into a vehicle and transported to a residence in Blacktown, where she was later arrested. Police also seized electronic devices and a notebook believed to be relevant to the investigation.
As part of the wider probe, the South Australian couple were arrested in Adelaide and charged for allegedly using false identities to rent storage units in Sydney where the consignment was to be kept.
The AFP says the seizure prevented millions of potential street-level drug transactions.
“The seizure of these drugs – with an estimated street value of $296 million – has prevented a potential 3.2 million deals from reaching Australian streets,” Detective Acting Superintendent Trevor Robinson said.
The Australian Border Force also commended its officers for detecting the concealed drugs, noting that criminal syndicates often disguise illicit substances in everyday goods such as charcoal, but trained officers are able to identify such concealments.