Hong Kong teen faces jail for Australia drug ring

A 19-year-old Hong Kong woman faces life in prison for allegedly importing crystal meth to Australia via mail. Police agencies launched a joint operation in November 2015 after a package arrived in Melbourne containing 1kg of meth. Three more shipments containing about 28kg of the drug were allegedly linked to the woman before she was arrested on Wednesday. Police also allege the woman imported 700g of the precursor ephedrine. She will face a number of charges, including importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and importing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled precursor. AFP Commander Paul Osborne said police would continue targeting drug gangs. "Those seeking to bring these destructive drugs into Australia should be aware that our capabilities to detect and disrupt organised crime continue to grow, and we will not slow our efforts," Commander Osborne said. Victoria Police Commander Cindy Millen said heavy penalties for drug-related crimes reflected the negative impacts illicit drugs had on the community. "Anyone who is involved in importing illicit drugs should be aware of the seriousness of these offences and that they could face life in prison," Commander Millen said.