AFP drug bust of ketamine in Christmas toys in WA leads to arrests as part of alleged Spanish crime syndicate

The bizarre arrest of an Italian man who smuggled 1.5kg of Ketamine hidden inside Christmas toys into WA has led to the takedown of a Spanish-based criminal syndicate accused of trafficking drugs into Australia. Australian Federal Police officers travelled to Spain to help with the arrest of 11 accused smugglers in December after managing to unravel the organised crime syndicate following the festive-themed find back in 2023. The investigation started when the Australian Border Force intercepted about 1.5kg of high purity ketamine hidden inside Christmas toys in WA on Christmas day that year. The discovery was flagged with the AFP before they swapped the drugs out for a harmless substance and the package was released for delivery. It was taken to a home in Coogee on January 4 before the property was raided the next day. One bag of the substituted drugs was located on a set of scales, near a vacuum sealing machine. An Italian man, 27, was charged and later jailed for three years in WA’s District Court. Encrypted messages found on a mobile phone seized during the investigation — codenamed Operation Helidon — were then allegedly linked to a 39-year-old Italian national in Spain. This information was passed to Spain’s Guardia Civil before nine search warrants were conducted, with the help of the AFP and Catalonian Police. The AFP claim the alleged organised crime syndicate had been dismantled following the arrest of 11 people during the international investigation. The operation targeted “alleged senior members of the syndicate,” according to the AFP. Some of the methods the group are accused of using to smuggle drugs include via “international air mail” and by stuffing them inside Christmas toys and household ornaments. Ketamine is a sedative that could be used legally by medical practitioners and veterinarians but is illegal to be imported for recreational use. AFP assistant Commissioner Pryce Scanlan said international partnerships with other law enforcement agencies was “vital for keeping Australians safe at home”. “Drug trafficking syndicates cause harm in every country they operate in – they impact national security and financial systems, and the downstream impacts of illicit drug use contribute to the road toll, family violence and pressure on busy hospitals,” he said. “While some air mail imports may seem like relatively small amounts of illicit substances, any amount can cause significant harm. Users never know exactly what they’re ingesting, what strength the drugs are, or what else has been mixed in. “Criminals are not constrained by international borders and that is why it is so important for law enforcement agencies to work together to tackle them. I congratulate Guardia Civil and the Mossos d’Esquarda on these outcomes. AFP Detective Inspector Matt Taylor previously said illegal Ketamine was dangerous. “The dissociative effects block sensory brain signals, and it can cause memory loss, make people feel detached from reality and prevent their ability to perceive danger,” he said. “Effects can range from nausea and vomiting to rapid heartbeat and seizures.”