Archive · 14 Nov 2025
Man Arrested with 22kg Cocaine at Sydney Airport
Airport police in Sydney, Australia, caught a 25-year-old man trying to bring a lot of cocaine into the country.
They found 22 kilograms of the drug hidden inside his suitcases when he arrived on a flight from Africa.
This is like finding a very large bag of illegal candy that's worth a lot of money.
The police took the drugs and arrested the man.
He could go to jail for a very long time for this.
This happened after other big drug seizures, including a large amount of a different drug called methamphetamine found in luggage last week, and many kilograms of cocaine found in shipping containers since October.
Criminals are trying different ways to get illegal things into Australia.
A 25-year-old man was arrested at Sydney Airport after 22 kg of cocaine was discovered hidden in his suitcases.
The cocaine, valued at nearly AUD 50 million (USD 32.8 million), was found after the man disembarked a flight from Johannesburg via Doha.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) officers conducted the search and seizure.
The man has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, facing a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
This incident follows other recent large drug seizures, including 145 kg of cocaine in shipping containers and 39 kg of methamphetamine in luggage.
- Who
- A 25-year-old man from southwest Sydney and Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) officers.
- What
- A 25-year-old man was arrested after 22 kg of cocaine, valued at nearly AUD 50 million, was found hidden in suitcases.
- When
- The arrest and seizure occurred after a flight arrived on Friday. The announcement of the seizure was made on Friday. Separate incidents were announced on Thursday and the previous week.
- Where
- Sydney Airport, Australia
- Why
- The man was allegedly attempting to import a commercial quantity of cocaine into Australia.
- Location
- Sydney Airport, Australia
- Cocaine Seized
- 22 kg
- Cocaine Value
- AUD 50 million (USD 32.8 million)
- Suspect Age
- 25 years old
- Charge
- Importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug
- Maximum Penalty
- Life imprisonment