A man has been charged after allegedly trying to smuggle methylamphetamine to a person in hotel quarantine in Perth by hiding the drugs in a hamburger and concealing syringes in a thickshake.
Just after midday on New Year’s Day, the man visited the hotel and indicated he was dropping off some takeaway food to a person in quarantine.
“The man appeared to be acting in a nervous manner,” police said in a statement on Saturday.
Police officers and security staff inspected the food and allegedly found four syringes secreted inside a thickshake, as well as a clip seal bag containing about 1.2 grams of methylamphetamine inside a hamburger.
“Further evidence was located, which indicated he had been communicating with a person in quarantine in relation to delivering a quantity of methylamphetamine to the hotel,” police said.
The 52-year-old Beaconsfield man has been charged with possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply.
He is due to face Perth Magistrates Court on January 29.
Acting Premier Roger Cook said it took “all sorts to fill up hotel quarantine”.
“What it goes to show is that we have all walks of life in our hotel quarantine,” he told reporters on Saturday.
“Some who are doing the right thing, others who have got a more relaxed view about the rules and the laws of the state.
“It’s great that our security teams were able to get on top of that situation.”
It comes after a separate incident in which an international traveller allegedly tried to flee hotel quarantine on New Year’s Eve.
Dyllan Jake Shipp, from South Australia, was granted entry to WA as an Australian citizen returning from working overseas.
He arrived at Perth Airport on Boxing Day via a flight from Dubai, and was ordered to quarantine for two weeks at a hotel.
But just before 11pm on New Year’s Eve, police allege Shipp left his room and refused to follow orders from security staff to go back.
Officers arrested the man in the lobby and took him to the Perth Watch House.
Shipp, 25, was charged with failing to comply with a COVID-19 quarantine direction.
He faced Perth Magistrates Court on Friday and is due back in court on January 11.
“He is now in a high security quarantine facility pending the court appearance,” police said in a statement.
Another returned international traveller also allegedly walked out of the Pan Pacific Hotel in Perth on Boxing Day, which prompted recent changes to WA’s quarantine system.
Jenny D’Ubios, who had arrived from Spain, allegedly caught a bus on Adelaide Terrace and dodged police for about 12 hours, including visits to Fremantle and Rockingham, before she checked herself into a hospital.
She is currently at Bandyup Prison and is due to face court again on Monday, charged with failing to comply with a direction.
As a result of that incident, security guards are now being given power to physically restrain people who try to leave.
Police officers have been temporarily based at Perth’s nine quarantine hotels while security guards receive training.
