A39-year-old Nigerian national has received a substantial prison sentence after being found guilty of importing methamphetamine and heroin with a potential street value of almost $5m to a Mount Gambier home.
The sentencing was the result of an Australian Border Force (ABF) investigation triggered after ABF officers in Adelaide detected and seized three separate parcels the man had arranged to be sent from overseas in November and December 2021.
The first two parcels sent from South Africa to Henry Nwaulu’s Kurrajong Street home were found to have more than 500 grams of methamphetamine concealed in baby clothes and books, while the third parcel sent from Laos was found to contain approximately one kilo of heroin concealed in an amplifier system.
The Mount Gambier resident was arrested in February 2022 after his home and a number of mobile phones located at the property were searched by officers from the ABF and South Australian Police.
Analysis of the phones revealed photo and video evidence of the drug packages as well as screen shots of consignment numbers and phone calls to the relevant courier company.
He was subsequently charged with three counts of importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug and found guilty by a jury trial in the Mount Gambier District Court late last year.
ABF Inspector Steve Garden said the ABF was committed to stopping the flow of harmful drugs at the border to help protect the community from the misery they inevitably cause.
“Whether these illicit drugs come in through our seaports, airports or in the international mail system, our officers are at the front line of their detection, regardless of how creatively they are concealed,” Inspector Garden said.
“During the course of the investigation we have worked with closely with our partner agencies, Australian Federal Police and South Australian Police to secure a successful prosecution after the original detections.
“This sentencing outcome reflects this outstanding work of everyone involved.”
In delivering sentencing, Judge Michael Durrant said methamphetamine and heroin caused great harm in the community.
“They are a scourge which destroys lives,” he said.
“It was submitted I should sentence you on the basis you were no more than a consignment point and that you had a limited low-level role. I reject that submission. I am satisfied you knew the packages contained drugs and you imported those drugs motivated by profit.
“I consider the role you played to be a very significant and essential one in the importation of drugs into this country. Without persons who play such a role, the subsequent distribution and sale of such drugs would not be possible.
“I am satisfied, from the whole of the evidence, that you had been engaged in similar conduct for months prior and that you had received deliveries which had concealed drugs and that you took steps to extract those drugs from concealment and that you had weighed and separated those drugs into smaller packages.
“You and others must be deterred from this type of offending. It is offending that causes very great harm to users and to our community.
“You say you did not realise you were importing drugs and thought the packages contained diamonds. As I have already said, I am satisfied you knowingly imported the drugs in the three packages and I have sentenced you on that basis. I do not accept you did not realise you were importing drugs and thought the packages contained diamonds.
“As I have also said, your offending was not isolated. I am satisfied you had been engaging in similar conducts for months prior. You made videos of your activities with other drugs. You received deliveries designed to conceal other drugs and you extracted those drugs from concealment and weighed and separated them into smaller packages.”
Mr Nwaulu was sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison, with the sentence to expire on August 1, 2033.
He will be eligible for parole from September 7, 2029 after having served five years, 10 months and six days of the sentence.
