An Indian man has been charged after Australian authorities found a $5.6 million consignment of pseudoephedrine hidden in a food consignment in Sydney’s Port Botany.The man appeared in Parramatta District Court on Thursday after Australian Border Force officers seized approximately 166 kilograms of pseudoephedrine, a controlled chemical commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.The shipment arrived from India in early May 2026 and was declared as a food product, Australia Today reported. ABF officials became suspicious after anomalies were detected in three pallets during inspection at Port Botany. Upon closer examination it was discovered that there were several sachets filled with white powder, which later tested positive for pseudoephedrine.Investigators claim the estimated value of the quantity seized is $5.6 million.On 11 May, ABF officers carried out a managed delivery operation, allowing the consignment to be transported under surveillance to a storage facility in Parramatta. Three days later, a man was arrested after allegedly attempting to collect the shipment.He has since been charged with importing a border-controlled precursor under section 307.11(3) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This crime carries a maximum prison sentence of 25 years.Authorities later searched the man’s hotel room on May 15, where they found three mobile phones, a laptop and business-related documents.ABF Superintendent Shaun Baker emphasized the agency’s intelligence-driven approach to border security: “The seizure demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led border operations,” Baker said, describing pseudoephedrine as “a key ingredient in methamphetamine production that fuels serious drug harm in Australian communities.”