Three charged after Australia seizes methamphetamine shipment from Ghana

Three people have been charged in Australia after authorities intercepted an estimated 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in a shipment that originated from Ghana.

Australian officials said the seizure prevented drugs with an estimated street value of A$296 million (£143 million; US$193 million) from reaching the country's illicit market.

Among those charged is British actress Emaa Hussen, 34, who has appeared in an EastEnders spin-off and a film starring Jason Statham.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said the investigation began in April 2026 after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers detected irregularities in two shipping containers that arrived at Sydney's Port Botany from Ghana.

The containers had been declared as carrying bags of charcoal. However, X-ray screening revealed suspicious contents, and officers discovered a white crystalline substance. Initial testing indicated the substance was methamphetamine.

Forensic analysis later confirmed that the shipment contained approximately 320 kilograms of the drug.

Authorities removed the narcotics before allowing the containers to continue to a storage facility in the Sydney suburb of Girraween as part of a controlled operation.

Investigators allege that Ms Hussen travelled to the facility on 20 April and oversaw the unloading of the container by a group of men. Several bags were then allegedly transferred to a vehicle and taken to a property in Blacktown, western Sydney.

Shortly afterwards, AFP officers executed a search warrant at the property and arrested Ms Hussen.

Police said they recovered 32 bags allegedly used to conceal the drugs, along with electronic devices and a notebook. The items are undergoing further forensic examination.

Ms Hussen appeared before a Sydney court on Thursday charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of methamphetamine into Australia. She had previously been refused 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 later expanded to South Australia.

On 30 April, AFP officers executed a search warrant at a home in Oakden, Adelaide, where a 30-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man were arrested.

Police allege the pair attempted to rent storage facilities in Sydney using false identities in support of the alleged drug importation scheme.

Authorities said investigations into their exact involvement remain ongoing.

The two appeared before the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 1 May and were charged with dealing in identification information using a carriage service with the intention of facilitating the possession of a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. They also face charges of failing to comply with a court-issued order under Australia's Crimes Act.

Both were remanded in custody and are due to return to court on 2 September.

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Trevor Robinson said investigators were continuing efforts to identify those responsible for supplying and facilitating the shipment.

“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 the AFP, the quantity seized was equivalent to around 3.2 million street-level drug deals.

ABF Superintendent Jared Leighton said criminal groups were increasingly using sophisticated methods to conceal illicit drugs.

“Criminal syndicates will go to great lengths to disguise illicit drugs, including embedding them in everyday goods like charcoal, but our highly skilled officers are trained to see beyond these attempts,” he said.