Man Arrested for Alleged Bomb Hoax on Sydney-Kuala Lumpur Flight
Incident on Turkish Airlines Flight
Representational Image
Sydney, June 23: Authorities in Australia have charged a man in connection with a bomb hoax on a flight from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced on Tuesday that a 44-year-old individual from Montenegro was taken into custody at Sydney Airport on Sunday following reports of a bomb threat on a Turkish Airlines flight.
The man allegedly claimed to possess an explosive device after a crew member inquired about some electrical equipment as the aircraft was preparing for takeoff. The captain was alerted to the situation, prompting the plane to return to the gate, where police intervened and removed the suspect.
He now faces a charge of threatening aviation security, which could result in a fine of up to 10,500 Australian dollars (approximately 7,346 US dollars).
The captain reported that the suspicious device appeared to be a wireless phone charger.
Detective Superintendent Davina Copelin of the AFP emphasized that such hoaxes can lead to major disruptions, emergency responses, and the diversion of resources from genuine threats.
Major Drug Seizure in Sydney
In a separate incident, Australian authorities made a historic drug bust, seizing 2.7 tonnes of cocaine from a property located northwest of Sydney. This operation marked the largest cocaine seizure in the country’s history.
The AFP reported that the cocaine was discovered during a search warrant execution at a property in Londonderry, situated 50 km northwest of Sydney's central area, on Friday. Investigators found the cocaine hidden in plastic crates buried within underground bunkers, which were concealed by false container floors.
The estimated street value of the confiscated cocaine is around 816 million Australian dollars (571.3 million US dollars), enough to facilitate approximately 3 million street-level transactions.
Two men, aged 21 and 25, have been arrested and charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled substance, which carries a potential life sentence.