Man charged for importing heroin in shoes

A 40-year-old Parramatta man faced Sydney Central local Court today charged with importing heroin into Australia concealed inside his shoes.

Customs and Border Protection officers stopped the man for questioning when he arrived at Sydney International Airport on a flight from Thailand yesterday (4 June).

During questioning, officers became suspicious the man was concealing something inside his shoes.

The man was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and taken into custody.

X-rays indicated a foreign object was concealed inside the shoes.

Presumptive testing indicated the presence of heroin.

It will be alleged in court that the man was concealing approximately 600 grams of a white powder, believed to be heroin, inside his shoes.

The man was charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.2 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

He was remanded in custody to reappear in Sydney Central Local Court on 15 July 2009.

Further forensic testing will be undertaken to confirm the substance, its weight and purity.

The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years imprisonment and/or a $550,000 fine.