A 77-year-old German national has been charged in Australia after authorities allegedly discovered cocaine in his luggage upon arrival at Perth Airport.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) said the man was stopped on August 8 during a baggage inspection after arriving on an international flight. Officers searched his backpack and reportedly found two mini briefcases containing four kilograms of a white substance. Tests later confirmed it was cocaine.

The AFP took over the case, seized the drugs, and arrested the man. He has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, an offence carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

AFP Superintendent Peter Hatch said the seized cocaine could have supplied around 20,000 street-level deals worth an estimated 1.3 million Australian dollars (about 836,000 US dollars).

The case highlights a growing concern over drug trafficking attempts through Australia’s airports. Just weeks earlier, on July 27, a 20-year-old French national was charged in Sydney after allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine. Border officials reportedly discovered the drugs hidden in vacuum-sealed bags inside his luggage on a flight from Amsterdam.

Authorities estimated that the methamphetamine haul could have produced 220,000 individual deals worth more than 20 million Australian dollars (13.1 million US dollars).

AFP Detective Superintendent Morgen Blunden emphasized that such crimes have widespread consequences. “This is not a victimless crime. The drugs these individuals carry fuel violence, addiction, and organised crime in our communities. Every kilogram seized is a blow to the networks that profit from harm and a reminder that Australia is not an easy target,” he said.

The German suspect remains in custody as investigations continue.