Drug trafficking charges have been laid against a 74-year-old woman allegedly found with seven kilograms of heroin at Melbourne Airport.
Australian Border Force (ABF) officers say they intercepted the Sydney woman after she arrived on a flight from Thailand on Friday and discovered anomalies in her luggage.
Further examination revealed the substance hidden inside a hammock, which a presumptive test identified as heroin, the force said. Australian Federal Police will do further testing to determine its exact weight and substance.
The woman from Cabramatta appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday charged with possessing and importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled substance, and was remanded in custody.
The maximum penalty for those offences is life imprisonment.
ABF Acting Superintendent Ian Beasant said the intuition of its officers should not be underestimated.
"The Australian border is one of our most critical national assets, and our officers are continuing to make it a hostile environment for criminals trying to import illicit substances," he said in a statement.
The amount of heroin seized could have been 35,000 hits of the illegal opioid drug, Australian Federal Police Detective Inspector Chris Salmon said.
"This arrest should serve as a clear warning to anyone attempting to bring illicit drugs into Australia - you will be caught and you will be brought before the court," he said.
