A Kiwi pensioner says he thought he'd flown to Thailand to pick up a Covid-19 award from the United Nations. Instead, it turned out to be two kilograms of heroin.
The 77-year-old was arrested in July by the Australian Federal Police when they found the drugs in his luggage as he transited to Auckland through Melbourne on his way home from Thailand.
He faces a charge of importing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled substance, which could see him serve up to 25 years behind bars.
Australian Border Force officers (ABF) allegedly found "white powder", which later tested positive for heroin, hidden inside the lining of his suitcase.
He claims he is the victim of a scam.
According to court documents obtained by Stuff, the Aucklander said he believed he was flying to Thailand to pick up an honour from the United Nations for the country's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
About 18 months before his arrest, he was contacted through WhatsApp by a man who called himself George, the prosecution's statement of facts said.
"He was told he needed to go to Bangkok to sign the certificate and pick up prizes for other people back home," his lawyer told Stuff.
Instead, he was duped into taking drugs in his luggage.
While he was in Bangkok, a woman met the man at his hotel and gave him a black carry-on bag with "carry gifts for officials he would be meeting in Australia", the court documents said.
He told police that inside the bag he had only seen soap and clothing wrapped in plastic.
After taking the gifts to the "officials" in Melbourne, he would then receive US$23 million (A$36 million) and the certificate.
His lawyer said his family claimed he had previously fallen for online scams, but this one had far more severe consequences.
Since his arrest, he has been held at a medium-security remand centre in Melbourne's west, where alleged offenders wait until they face court.
Unless the charges are either thrown out or he is bailed, he is likely to remain behind bars through his 78th birthday next month.
While at the facility, a kidney condition he had prior to incarceration has worsened, and he faces the possibility of going on dialysis, his lawyer said.
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"He's terrified of the environment he's in," his lawyer said.
"Who would think an elderly man would end up in a place like this."
