A Scottish couple accused over the seizure of 107kg of ketamine in Australia are facing a new criminal charge following a court appearance in Sydney.
Glam influencer mum Demi McDaid, 23, and her partner Jack Farrelly, 30, were arrested at the end of June at a hotel in the city after police allegedly found 105kg of the drug in a car parked at the accommodation.
New charge after court appearance
The Edinburgh pair, who appeared before Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, have now each been charged with one count of participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.
They already face charges of supplying a prohibited drug and supplying a prohibited drug in a large commercial quantity. Neither McDaid nor Farrelly has entered a plea.
Police seizure details
Police said mobile phones, $2,000 Australian (£1,060) in cash, and documents described by officers as drug ledgers were also seized at the hotel.
Detectives had earlier allegedly found 2kg of ketamine at a short-term stay unit in Artarmon on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, along with scales, gloves and other paraphernalia.
Police claim they travelled to Australia “for the sole purpose of taking part in the distribution and supply of large commercial quantities of prohibited drugs”.
Official response and background
A Foreign Office spokesperson previously said: “We are supporting two British nationals detained in Australia and are in contact with the local authorities.”
The drugs are understood to have an estimated street value of AUD$11 million - or roughly £5.7 million. In images released by police, the couple's rental car can be seen packed with bags of the drug in Sydney. Other pictures show piles of ketamine packed on top of one another following the shocking haul.
Before the pair moved to Australia, McDaid filmed herself posing with designer bags and bragging about Farrelly flying her out to an unknown destination. In the video, she posed in an airport with a Chanel handbag and a Louis Vuitton holdall.
The caption reads: "POV: He books you to a flight to where he is cause you miss each other that much and can't go a few days without seeing one another."
