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 Raymond Jaravaza – [email protected]

A ZIMBABWEAN man was last Wednesday arrested in a US$828 million drug bust in the Australian city of Sydney.
The drugs weighing nearly 900 kilograms of methamphetamine, commonly known in the streets as meth, were concealed in industrial machines imported from the United States.
The discovery followed an anonymous tip-off received from the United States Homeland Security Investigations which tied large drug shipments to the Sydney-based store.
The man identified as Michael Charumbira (31), appeared before the Downing Centre Local Court on 1 August.
He will remain in custody until his next court date on October 2.
The maximum penalty for the offence is life in prison.
It is unclear whether the drugs were manufactured in the US, Mexico or elsewhere but police believe the staggering amount of meth was intended to be distributed in Australia.
Charumbira was charged with an alleged plot to import an estimated 896 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside packages contained within two separate computer numerical control (CNC) machines.
On July 22, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers examined a shipping container in Port Botany and discovered a powdered substance, identified through presumptive testing and returning a positive result for the illicit drug.
Two men were arrested after allegedly examining and opening the shipping container and, with the assistance of a forklift, beginning to handle the contents.
ABF Acting Commander Asha Patwardhan said officers drilled through concrete and metal to reach the numerous individually wrapped packages after drug-sniffing dogs signalled the positive result.
Australian Federal Police Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty estimated the almost 900kg amount of methamphetamine could have equated to about 8.9 million individual street deals.
“Methamphetamine is the second-most consumed illicit drug in Australia and its impact can be felt across the community, from our homes to our hospitals,” Det Supt Fogarty said