{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "bskyPostRef": {
    "cid": "bafyreibavztopwcjxsbn6d6rounsajtfjk2xw6dbnhwgzkacglyeqefo54",
    "uri": "at://did:plc:oznbnvgr7dmvddiyvr7dih52/app.bsky.feed.post/3mipvn5kn5aa2"
  },
  "coverImage": {
    "$type": "blob",
    "ref": {
      "$link": "bafkreibuefxq3kzxm2hjsaivtyyylpx3fqjxxxk622cvgt2chaim2yeqnu"
    },
    "mimeType": "image/jpeg",
    "size": 80055
  },
  "path": "/news/world/melbourne-airport-british-tourist-arrested-smuggling-heroin-australia",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-05T03:16:25.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "WATCH: Skies turn blood-red in Australia as Tropical Cyclone Narelle sparks hellish scenes",
    "Fugitive who 'killed two police officers' in Australia is shot dead after six months on the run",
    "Christians in Australia demand action on fears the church is 'silenced' by anti-discrimination laws",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA 52-year-old Briton has been arrested at Melbourne Airport after allegedly attempting to smuggle heroin into Australia concealed inside his body.\n\nIfeanyl Ezeiru-Maru faces two serious drug charges after being detained on March 22.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nBorder Force officers selected him for further examination after he disembarked from a flight from Bangkok.\n\nThe Australian Federal Police (AFP) then transported him to a Melbourne hospital for assessment, where scans reportedly revealed multiple pellets inside his stomach.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nAuthorities allege he was carrying more than 90 packages containing heroin, which were later expelled under medical supervision.\n\nThe total weight of the alleged haul was 1.1kg.\n\nHe has been charged with importing and possessing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled substance.\n\nEach offence carries a maximum penalty of up to 25 years in prison or a fine of approximately £835,570.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Ezeiru-Maru remains in custody ahead of his appearance at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on June 17.\n\nThe alleged seized heroin has an estimated street value of between £272,500 and £273,500.\n\nAustralian authorities have condemned criminal networks that exploit so-called “drug mules”.\n\n“Transporting drugs internally is extremely dangerous. Even if only one pellet ruptures, it can be fatal,” Acting Commander Simone Butcher said.\n\n### AUSTRALIA - READ THE LATEST:\n\n\n\n\n  * WATCH: Skies turn blood-red in Australia as Tropical Cyclone Narelle sparks hellish scenes\n  * Fugitive who 'killed two police officers' in Australia is shot dead after six months on the run\n  * Christians in Australia demand action on fears the church is 'silenced' by anti-discrimination laws\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n“Criminal syndicates treat couriers as disposable.”\n\n“They show no regard for the person’s life or the harm these drugs cause in the community,” she added.\n\n“The AFP, working closely with the Australia Border Force (ABF), will continue to detect and disrupt attempts to import illicit substances, no matter how they are concealed.”\n\nABF Commander Clinton Sims said officers use intelligence-led screening to identify potential risks.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n“ABF has advanced, intelligence-led screening techniques, including working with our international law enforcement partners, to identify travellers who may pose a risk to the Australian community,” he said.\n\n“Our officers are trained to examine more than just baggage - we consider the demeanour and behaviour of travellers, and how they respond to questioning.\n\n“ABF officers are alert to the concealment methods of criminals and have the knowledge and intelligence before you even step off the plane.”\n\nForensic analysis of the drugs is ongoing.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "British tourist arrested after ‘smuggling 1kg of heroin inside own body’ into Australia"
}