US woman charged with allegedly smuggling cocaine into Australia in shampoo bottles at Melbourne airport

A US woman has been charged after allegedly attempting to smuggle 3kg of cocaine into Australia hidden in shampoo bottles.

The 49-year-old woman was stopped for a baggage inspection when she landed at Melbourne Airport from San Francisco on Monday.

Australian Border Force officers allegedly detected the drugs and the Australian Federal Police, leading to the woman’s arrest.

The woman was charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug — a charge that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted.

She appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody to reappear in court on March 25.

AFP acting Superintendent Ray Imbriano reaffirmed law enforcement’s commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks.

“The AFP is working tirelessly to disrupt all levels of the drug trade and stop anyone who tries to profit at the expense of our community,” Imbriano said.

“We warn criminals, no matter the methods used to smuggle illicit substances into the country, the AFP and our partners are committed to stopping these substances from inflicting harm in our communities.”

ABF acting Commander Allister Keel echoed the warning.

“Our message to criminals, whose vain attempts to generate huge wealth comes at the expense of our country’s sovereignty, is that you will be found out and be met by the full weight of the law,” Keel said.

The woman is the fourth person to be charged with importing border-controlled drugs at Melbourne Airport in 2025.

Earlier this month, another US woman was charged with attempting to smuggle 12kg of cocaine into the country.

In January, two other travelers were charged with allegedly trying to import meth and cocaine concealed in their luggage.