Police arrested Demi McDaid, 23, and Jack Farrelly, 30, when the Scottish couple arrived in Sydney last month. Locals had tipped off authorities about suspicious behaviour at their holiday rental in Artarmon, a suburb north-west of the city.
Officers claim they found 2kg of ketamine at the rental on June 26, then later discovered an additional 105kg of the drug in the boot of a car leased by Farrelly and parked in a hotel car park.
A source told The Scottish Sun: "Australia doesn't take this type of crime lightly - if convicted, they could be facing a minimum of 15 years. A lot depends on the circumstances surrounding the case but they are looking at a very long sentence followed by certain deportation."
Evidence Discovered
The Edinburgh-based couple were being held in an Australian prison. Police seized scales, disposable gloves, clear resealable bags with white crystallised residue, luggage, mobile phones, nearly £1,050 in Australian dollars, and ledgers detailing drug transactions. A compact white hatchback was found with its boot full of reusable shopping bags containing the drugs.
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."
Potential Sentence
The couple could face a minimum of 15 years in prison if convicted of supplying a commercial quantity of illegal drugs. The arrest was made by New South Wales Police rather than border authorities, suggesting a possible link to local drug dealing rather than importation.
