A flight attendant has been charged with drug offenses following an alleged heroin seizure valued at approximately $500,000 at Melbourne Airport. Meena Kondo, 26, a flight attendant for Thai Airways, was arrested on June 25 after Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers reportedly found heroin concealed within her luggage.
The AFP estimates the street value of the seized drugs to be $500,000. According to authorities, border officers detected anomalies during an X-ray scan of Ms. Kondo's bags after she had completed an international flight.
Police allege that over a kilogram of heroin was discovered stitched into the lining of 12 tote bags. One of the bags reportedly featured an elephant design and the word 'Thailand'.
Ms. Kondo faces charges of importing a marketable quantity of illicit drugs and possessing a marketable quantity of illicit drugs. Both charges carry a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment upon conviction.
The flight attendant appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday. Prosecutors and defense attorneys requested an adjournment, informing the court that resolution discussions had commenced and time was needed for them to proceed. Ms. Kondo was remanded into custody and is scheduled to return to court on October 12.
At the time of her arrest, AFP Acting Commander Simone Butcher stated that the force maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards individuals who exploit their positions of trust to engage in criminal activities. "The AFP remains unwavering in its efforts to target individuals who use their employment or community standing to support drug trafficking," Butcher said. "We work closely with our partner agencies to protect the community from the scourge of illicit drugs."
Thai Airways has been contacted for comment.