Members from the Dog Operations Unit along with Customs and Border Protection Service Detector Dog Unit attended Darwin Airport yesterday to conduct joint searches of passengers and luggage.



The officers attended a small airline yesterday at about 3:00pm to screen a flight to Groote Eylandt. During the screening drug dog Yoda reacted positively to 42-year-old woman boarding the flight and a subsequent search was conducted. A total of 48.5 grams of cannabis contained in 49 individual clip seal bags was located and seized by police.


The woman was spoken to and will be summonsed in relation to the possession of a dangerous drug.



A short time later the same drug dog reacted positively to a shopping bag that had been lodged as freight on the same flight. Police conducted a search of the luggage revealing two silver taped packages containing 100 individual small clip seal bags of cannabis and two medium clip seal bags of loose cannabis. A total of 110.8 grams was seized by police.



Police are continuing their enquiries in relation to the second seizure.



Senior Constable Richard O'Brien of the NT Police Dog Operations Unit said Police and Customs and Boarder Protection would continue to work together to apprehend drug smugglers.



"A total of 159.3 grams was seized with each of the small individual clip seal bags containing approximately 0.5 grams of cannabis. If these drugs were sold in our remote communities the offenders could have made a profit of up to $31 860"



"We will continue to target and prosecute persons trafficking illicit substances into remote communities" he said.

Media Contact

Rickie Scoot

8922 3185

0458 307 870