WA: Perth a drug gateway say Customs after huge ectasy haul

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-1999
WA: Perth a drug gateway say Customs after huge ectasy haul

Customs officials say Perth appears to be a new gateway for drug importation.

Customs spokesman COLIN MASTRANGELO has raised the concern after three Singaporeans
appeared in a Perth court on charges of possessing and importing 17,000 ecstasy tablets worth
$1.19 million.

He says Customs appears to be getting more drug seizures through Perth because of the
city's proximity to South-East Asia.

The latest drug arrest occurred early yesterday when two men and a woman disembarked at
Perth airport from a flight from Singapore.

Customs officials say they first became suspicious when they noticed one of the men had a
slight bulge around his abdomen as he passed through customs.

The bulge concealed around 2.5kg of ecstasy in a plastic bag taped to the man's body.

The second man had passed through customs and was waiting outside the airport when he was
arrested.

The three were not required to plead when they appeared in the East Perth Magistrate's
Court this morning and have been remanded in custody to appear again on April 19.

AAP RTV alm/jaw/lw

KEYWORD: ECSTASY (PERTH)

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