A British actress who appeared in an EastEnders spin-off and a Hollywood action film has been charged in Australia over an alleged attempt to import methamphetamine worth almost A$300 million.
Emaa Hussen, 34, appeared before a Sydney court on Thursday after being charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of methamphetamine into Australia. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Australian authorities allege that Hussen was involved in a scheme to import approximately 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside bags of charcoal shipped from Ghana. The drugs have an estimated street value of A$296 million.
According to investigators, the shipment arrived at Sydney’s Port Botany, where border officials detected irregularities during routine screening. X-ray examinations of two shipping containers reportedly revealed suspicious contents hidden among bags of charcoal.
Subsequent testing confirmed the presence of methamphetamine, prompting authorities to launch a controlled operation. Police removed the drugs before allowing the shipment to continue to a storage facility in Girraween, western Sydney.
Investigators allege that Hussen later attended the facility and supervised the unloading of the container. Several bags were then loaded into a vehicle and transported to a property in Blacktown, where police subsequently arrested her.
Authorities also seized electronic devices and a notebook as part of their investigation.
The case forms part of a wider probe that has led to the arrest of two other suspects in Adelaide. Police charged a 30-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man with allegedly using false identities to rent storage facilities linked to the shipment.
Hussen, who played Naz in the EastEnders spin-off E20, also appeared alongside Jason Statham in the 2013 action thriller Hummingbird.
Australian Federal Police said the seizure prevented an estimated 3.2 million individual drug deals from reaching the streets.
Detective Acting Superintendent Trevor Robinson described the operation as a significant blow to organised crime, while Australian Border Force Superintendent Jared Leighton said criminal networks often attempt to disguise illicit substances within everyday goods.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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