Three people, including a British actress, have been charged in Australia after authorities intercepted approximately 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in a shipment originating from Ghana.
Australian law enforcement agencies say the seizure, estimated to have a street value of A$296 million, prevented millions of doses of the illicit drug from reaching communities across the country.
The investigation began in April 2026 when officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF) identified irregularities in two shipping containers that arrived at Sydney’s Port Botany from Ghana. The cargo had been declared as bags of charcoal.
Following x-ray screening, officers discovered a white crystalline substance hidden within the shipment. Subsequent forensic analysis confirmed it was methamphetamine weighing about 320 kilograms.
As part of a controlled operation, authorities removed the drugs before allowing the shipment to continue to a storage facility in Girraween, Sydney.
Police allege that 34-year-old British actress Emaa Hussen later visited the facility and oversaw the unloading of the container. Investigators claim several bags were subsequently transported to a residence in Blacktown.
AFP officers later raided the property, arresting Hussen and seizing 32 bags allegedly used to conceal the drugs, along with electronic devices and a notebook that are undergoing forensic examination.
Hussen, who has reportedly appeared in an EastEnders spin-off and a Jason Statham film, appeared before a Sydney court on Thursday. She has been charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of methamphetamine into Australia. She was previously denied bail after being charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The investigation subsequently extended to South Australia, where AFP officers arrested a 30-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man at a residence in Oakden on April 30, 2026.
Authorities allege the pair attempted to rent storage facilities in Sydney using false identities to support the drug importation scheme. Both have been charged with dealing in identification information using a carriage service to facilitate the possession of a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, as well as failing to comply with a court-issued order.
The two suspects were remanded in custody and are expected to reappear before the Adelaide Magistrates Court on September 2, 2026.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Trevor Robinson said investigations are continuing to identify other individuals linked to the attempted importation.
“This operation highlights the agility of the AFP and our partners to investigate complex matters across jurisdictions and stop organised crime syndicates in their tracks,” he said.
According to Robinson, the seizure prevented an estimated 3.2 million potential street-level drug deals.
ABF Superintendent Jared Leighton said criminal networks continue to employ sophisticated methods to disguise illicit substances but stressed that border officers remain vigilant.
“Criminal syndicates will go to great lengths to conceal illicit drugs, including hiding them in everyday goods such as charcoal, but our officers are trained to detect these attempts,” he said.
Australian authorities say investigations into the broader network behind the shipment remain ongoing.
