British actress Emaa Hussen, 34, has been charged in Australia over an alleged attempt to smuggle 320kg of methamphetamine into the country, in a case authorities say involved drugs worth an estimated A$296 million (around £157 million).
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Hussen appeared before a Sydney court on Thursday after being accused of attempting to import a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under Australian law.
The actress is best known for portraying Naz in the EastEnders spin-off E20 , which debuted in 2010. She also appeared in the 2013 Jason Statham action thriller Hummingbird , released in the US as Redemption .
Meth allegedly concealed in charcoal shipments from Ghana
According to investigators, Hussen and two alleged accomplices from South Australia were involved in a plan to bring methamphetamine into Australia hidden inside bags of charcoal shipped from Ghana.
The investigation began in April after Australian Border Force officers detected irregularities in two shipping containers that arrived at Sydney’s Port Botany.
Authorities said X-ray examinations of the containers revealed suspicious contents. Further testing of a white crystallised substance discovered inside the charcoal bags allegedly confirmed the presence of methamphetamine.
Police estimate the seized drugs weighed around 320kg and could have generated millions of dollars in illicit profits if distributed.
Police allege Hussen supervised unloading operation
Investigators claim the drugs were secretly removed from the shipment before it reached its intended destination and was subsequently delivered to a storage facility in Girraween, in Sydney’s western suburbs.
Police allege Hussen later visited the facility and oversaw the unloading of the container by several men. Authorities claim a number of bags were loaded into a vehicle and transported to a property in Blacktown.
Officers later executed a search warrant at the residence, where Hussen was arrested. During the operation, police allegedly recovered 32 bags believed to have previously contained methamphetamine, along with electronic devices and a notebook.
Two more arrests in Adelaide
As part of the wider investigation, police also arrested a 30-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man in Adelaide.
Authorities allege the pair used false identities to rent storage units in Sydney that were linked to the delivery of the shipment.
Authorities hail major drug seizure
Detective Acting Superintendent Trevor Robinson said the seizure had prevented a significant quantity of drugs from reaching Australian communities.
“The seizure of these drugs, with an estimated street value of A$296 million, has prevented a potential 3.2 million deals from reaching Australian streets,” he said.
Australian Border Force Superintendent Jared Leighton said criminal networks were increasingly using everyday products to disguise illicit substances.
“Criminal syndicates will go to great lengths to conceal illegal drugs, including embedding them in ordinary goods such as charcoal, but our officers are trained to identify these methods,” he said.
Hussen was previously denied bail and remains in custody. She is scheduled to appear in court again in August as the case proceeds.
