Elderly couple unknowingly used as drug mules after winning holiday to Canada

[CarolF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarolF]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-2...-mules/5046100

AUSCAN TOURS SCAM

Australian Federal Police have uncovered a scam in which a Perth couple were unknowingly used as drug mules.

Police say the couple, aged 64 and 72, travelled to Canada after being told they had won a free holiday, including seven nights' accommodation and new luggage.

They became suspicious on their return to Perth and alerted Customs officers who found 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in each of their suitcases.

A 38-year-old Canadian man was arrested at Perth airport and has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine.

AFP Commander David Bachi said police do not believe the couple were willingly involved.

"The investigation has revealed a complex and highly organised scam in which older Australians appear to be targeted by a bogus Canadian-based tour company identifying themselves as Auscan Tours," he said.

"The organisers of this scam went to great lengths to provide a façade of legitimacy.

"Thankfully the travellers contacted Customs and didn't dismiss their concerns, allowing us to make the arrest.

"We will continue working with local and international law enforcement partners, targeting all elements of this drug syndicate."

"Victims of this scam or any persons who have received similar offers of travel should contact the AFP immediately."

Jan Hill, the director of Customs Airport Operations in Perth, warned travellers about carrying luggage on behalf of someone else, no matter the circumstance.

"If you've been asked to carry something on behalf of another person, make the right choice and alert local authorities," Ms Hill said.

"Do not allow another person to pack your bag and do not carry luggage on behalf of another person."

The AFP says investigations into the incident are continuing.

The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

North Carolina had one that was even more bizarre and a university professor is still in jail in Argentina for it. He met someone who purported to be a Czech beauty queen and model on a chat site, and after some correspondence, ''she'' invited him to meet her on a photo shoot in Uruguay or Paraguay. He bought tickets and when he got there, all he found was a message that she had had to go on to Buenos Aires and would meet him there and a separate message that she had forgotten a small suitcase and would he bring it for her. In Buenos Aires was another message that she had to go back to Europe, and as an apology a plane ticket to go meet her there. At the airport, they found lots of drugs in that suitcase. Even though he could produce all the correspondence that showed he was set up, he was still convicted and sentenced to active time. The Czech woman was a real person, but the person posing as her was someone else.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

North Carolina had one that was even more bizarre and a university professor is still in jail in Argentina for it. He met someone who purported to be a Czech beauty queen and model on a chat site, and after some correspondence, ''she'' invited him to meet her on a photo shoot in Uruguay or Paraguay. He bought tickets and when he got there, all he found was a message that she had had to go on to Buenos Aires and would meet him there and a separate message that she had forgotten a small suitcase and would he bring it for her. In Buenos Aires was another message that she had to go back to Europe, and as an apology a plane ticket to go meet her there. At the airport, they found lots of drugs in that suitcase. Even though he could produce all the correspondence that showed he was set up, he was still convicted and sentenced to active time. The Czech woman was a real person, but the person posing as her was someone else.

Here's the article about that from the New York Times magazine:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/ma...uble.html?_r=0

[catwgirl Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close catwgirl]

Poor ol' guy was thinking with the wrong head.

[PigsDad Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PigsDad]

Did he really think a 20-something Czech bikini model who he had never met face-to-face was waiting for him to sweep her off her feet? I think (as the article mentioned) that there is some level of mental illness or abnormality he was/is dealing with.

Kurt

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Isn't that an amazing story? Having known some stupid/smart college professors , I was totally convinced that he was just naive and arrogant...until I got to the part where they reveal what he was texting. That was it for me.

I think he may have known that there were drugs in the suitcase (how can you not notice that an empty suitcase is almost five pounds heavier than it should be?) and was trying to get them home to North Carolina so he could sell them there.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Here is more on the Australian story:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...mule-scam.html