British couple in Australia face 15 years in jail after drugs haul worth £5.7 million found in hire car boot
Demi McDaid, 23, and Jack Farrelly, 30, from Edinburgh, were arrested last month in Sydney
A British couple face up to 15 years behind bars after police discovered a £5.7 million drugs haul in the boot of their rental car.
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Mum-of-two Demi McDaid, 23, and Jack Farrelly, 30, from Edinburgh, were arrested last month in Sydney after police discovered 105 kg of ketamine in a car hired by Farrelly.
It came after officers searched a holiday apartment allegedly rented as a short-term let in Sydney's upmarket North Shore on June 26.
They discovered 2kg of the party drug, along with scales, disposable gloves, clear resealable bags containing a white crystallised residue and luggage.
The rental was searched after local residents in Artarmon tipped off cops about the pair's odd behaviour.
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Days later, cops secured a warrant to search a nearby hotel where they seized a large number of mobile phones, ledgers containing details of drugs transactions and the equivalent of around £1,050 in Australian dollars.
They also combed through a rental vehicle in a hotel car park, reportedly leased by Farrelly, where they discovered 105kg of the hallucinogenic drug in the boot.
Detective Acting Inspector Alison Dixon, of New South Wales Police, said: “We will allege that the couple travelled from the UK for the sole purpose of taking part in illegal drug supply.”
She said the couple were relying on the rapid turnover of short-term accommodation rentals to enable them to slip under the radar.
She said cops had often seen "a lot of illegal activities come and go" through places such as hotels and Airbnbs and encouraged property owners to "be wary".
Neighbours were suspicious of the 'tourist' couple after clocking that they didn't appear to have any luggage.
They appeared at Sydney's Manly Local Court on June 30 and were denied bail.
The pair will remain behind bars until they appear at Downing Centre Local Court on August 26.
Police will allege the man and woman travelled to Australia for the sole purpose of taking part in the distribution and supply of large commercial quantities of prohibited drugs.
A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are supporting two British nationals detained in Australia and are in contact with local authorities."