In brief
Emaa Hussen, a British actress known for Eastenders and Jason Statham’s films, was charged following an investigation that uncovered 320 kg of meth hidden in charcoal bags shipped from Ghana. The drugs, worth an estimated A$296 million, were intercepted at Sydney’s Port Botany, halting what police say could have been 3.2 million sales in the city’s drug market. Hussen appeared in court after bail was denied and will face trial in August. Additional arrests were made for individuals who used false identities to rent storage units where the shipment was kept.
Emaa Hussen, 34, a British actress famed for portraying Naz on the Eastenders spin‑off E20 and appearing in Jason Statham’s 2013 thriller Hummingbird, was charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of methamphetamine into Australia. The case follows an investigation that began when Australian Border Force flagged two shipping containers that had arrived at Sydney’s Port Botany from Ghana. The containers, which were listed as bags of charcoal, were found to contain 320 kg of meth, a batch with an estimated street value of A$296 million (US$208 m).
Hussen was seen in court after bail was refused in an earlier hearing and is due back for a hearing in August. Police allege that she travelled to the storage facility in Girraween, supervised men unpacking the containers, and that they loaded several bags into a car. The vehicle later reached a house in Blacktown, where she was arrested. Electronics and a notebook were seized.
An investigation also led to the arrest and charging of a 30‑year‑old woman and a 32‑year‑old man in Adelaide for using false identities to rent the storage units where the drugs were stored. Authorities say the seizure of these drugs has prevented a potential 3.2 million deals from reaching Australian streets.
Australian Border Force Superintendent Jared Leighton praised officers for their vigilance, noting that criminal syndicates often hide drugs within mundane goods like charcoal. Det. Acting Superintendent Trevor Robinson of the Australian Federal Police highlighted the importance of advanced detection methods in identifying such threats.
