MAN IN COURT OVER HEROIN HAUL

A 21-year-old unemployed man appeared in court yesterday charged with
importing $10 million worth of heroin. James Gey-Houn Ra, of Strathfield was
arrested by Customs and Australian Federal Police on Saturday and charged
with a number of drug trafficking offences.

It was alleged the drugs, weighing more than 10kg, had been hidden in four
stone columns.

The columns had been packed in individual open-frame wooden crates and were
flown from Hong Kong to Sydney.

Customs officers detected the drug using an ionscan and replaced it with an
inert substance as they monitored its delivery, Justice and Customs Minister
Amanda Vanstone said in statement.

The columns were delivered to the man's Strathfield unit on Friday. Ra was
arrested as he allegedly tried to remove the drugs from the columns, the
statement said.

"This was a very sophisticated attempt to try to smuggle illicit drugs into
Australia but despite the lengths that the smugglers went to, it failed,"
Mrs Vanstone said.

"This sends a strong message to purveyors of this deadly trade: the chances
of getting caught are increasing all the time."

Ra did not apply for bail.

His case will be mentioned in Central Local Court today.