12 Aug 2015

91-year-old man caught with 4.5kg of cocaine

9:17 am on 12 August 2015

A 91-year-old man arrested at Sydney Airport with 4.5 kilograms of cocaine in his luggage says he had no idea he was carrying drugs.

Cocaine was smuggled in through soap by a 91-year-old man flying from New Delhi to Sydney.

Cocaine was smuggled in through soap by a 91-year-old man flying from New Delhi to Sydney. Photo: AAP

Victor Twartz, a retired oral surgeon, appeared in an Australian court yesterday.

According to the police there was cocaine worth more than $1 million inside 27 bars of soap in a bag given to Mr Twartz by people he met on an all-expenses paid trip to India.

Mr Twartz said he believed he was carrying only soap that was to be a gift for a banker in Australia who was to release a $10 million inheritance to him .

His son, Peter Twartz, said his father was a devout Seventh Day Adventist with no criminal background, and had been caught up in a scam.

Cocaine was hidden in multiple bars of soap being carried by a 91-year-old man.

Cocaine was hidden in multiple bars of soap being carried by a 91-year-old man. Photo: AAP

Federal Police commander David Stewart said vulnerable people can often fall for scams involving money or romance.

- ABC