NT man charged after huge kava seizure

A Northern Territory man has allegedly tried to smuggle more than $130,000 worth of kava into the remote Indigenous community of Galiwinku.

1300 deal bags of kava were seized by NT police before reaching the remote Indigenous community of Galiwinku Source: NT Police

Police charged the 35-year-old Galiwinku man on Tuesday, alleging he’d separated the kava into more than a thousand deal bags and tried to smuggle them into airport freight.

"This haul had a potential profit of more than $130,000,” Senior Constable Tania Smith said.

"The kava, which was destined for Galiwinku, had been separated into more than 1300 deal bags ready for sale," she added.

"Persons profiting from the distribution of kava in remote communities cause considerable social and health problems as well as serious economic hardship."


The charges follow a lengthy six-month investigation.

The man is expected to appear in Darwin Local Court on May 9.

AAP