A 28-year-old Carrara woman is scheduled to appear in Southport Magistrates Court today after being charged by the Australian Federal Police for attempting to import 20 litres of gamma butyrolactone (GBL).
On 1 July 2011, Customs and Border Protection officers selected a consignment for examination at Air Cargo Operations in Brisbane.The consignment had arrived from Hong Kong and contained a large drum of liquid.
The consignment was referred to Queensland Police Service (QPS), and subsequently the Australian Federal Police (AFP) where a joint investigation began.On 18 July 2011, the AFP and the QPS executed a search warrant at a residential premise in the Gold Coast where further evidence relating to the importation was located.
The woman has been charged with the following offences:
Importation of a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely gamma butyrolactone, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995. The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment and/or an $825,000 fine.
Possession of a dangerous drug contrary to section 9 of the Drug Misuse Act 1986. The maximum penalty for this offence is 20 years imprisonment.
GBL is a date-rape drug, also known as ‘fantasy’, which metabolises into the drug gamma-hydoxybutryate (GHB) in the body. It can cause abrupt loss of consciousness, memory loss, respiratory difficulties, coma and death.
Enquiries into this importation are continuing.