TWO men have been jailed for attempting to import 645 kilograms of methamphetamine inside a shipping container filled with barbeques.

The container was sent from Cyprus in July 2019 and was intercepted on its arrival into Sydney.

The Cyprus Drug Law Enforcement Unit had informed the Australian Federal Police of the suspected export of a significant quantity of drugs from the port of Limassol in Cyprus.

Australian Border Force officers examined the 200 aluminium barbeques and found 645 kilograms of meth concealed within false base plates.

In December 2019, search warrants were executed in Sydney, Cyprus and the United Kingdom. The two men were arrested in Sydney.

Detective Sergeant Dale Widders said the seizure of the drugs demonstrated how partnerships between the AFP and domestic and international law enforcement agencies are vital to disrupting organised crime.

“As a result of this job we’ve been able to keep 2.2 million individual street deals from reaching our community and as $61 million out of the pockets of criminals,” he said.

Joanne Yeats, ABF Superintendent container examination facility and detained goods management, said criminals are trying to use increasingly sophisticated concealment techniques to import illicit substances.

“Our highly skilled and experienced officers are equipped with the necessary technological capability to detect even the most sophisticated unlawful importations,” Superintendent Yeats said.

“We continue to work side-by-side with our law enforcement partners to ensure the Australian community is kept safe from organised crime syndicates involved in the importation of border-controlled drugs.”

One man, a 32-year-old Canadian national, faced Sydney Central Local Court on 5 July 2022 and was charged with one count of aid, abet counsel or procure an imported border-controlled drug.

He was sentenced to four years in jail with a non-parole period of two years and seven months.

And a Coomera man, 36, faced Sydney Downing Centre District Court yesterday and was charged with one count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug.

He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of six years.