Cairns man charged with importing DMT drugs, police find suspected backyard lab

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A 20-year-old Trinity Park man has been charged with importing a “marketable quantity” of a dangerous drug, while his residence is also alleged to have concealed an illicit drug laboratory.

A joint investigation between the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force (ABF) and Queensland Police Service was launched in early September, after authorities examined a package sent to the man’s address from Germany.

Intercepted at the Brisbane International Mail Centre, ABF officers found a bag containing 433 grams of a powdery substance that tested positive for N, N-dimethyltryptamine – a psychedelic drug also known as DMT.

Labelling on the mail item listed its contents as a dye concentrate for wool, silk, cotton and linen.

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On 18 October, the AFP searched the man’s Trinity Park residence and located an alleged drug lab in a backyard shed, suspected of being used to manufacture DMT.

Officers also seized two mobile phones.

The Trinity Park man was charged with importing a marketable quantity of border controlled drugs, namely DMT, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment.

He is due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court today.

ABF Acting Commander Operations Queensland, Amanda Coppleman, said a large number of mail items containing border controlled drugs are intercepted by the ABF each year.  

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“Each and every one of those individual deals has the potential to cause death or serious harm,” Commander Coppleman said.

“In addition to the harm illicit drug use causes directly to individuals, there are devastating social impacts on families, and significant health-care system costs.  

“We continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to stop these drugs reaching our communities where they can cause so much damage.”

For information on drug and alcohol addiction treatment or support, go to turningpoint.org.au