English
A 39-year-old man in Western Australia is facing drug charges after police discovered approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine concealed inside a McDonald’s McMuffin during a vehicle search in Broome. The unusual find has drawn widespread attention after the Western Australia Police shared bodycam footage of the discovery on their official Facebook page.
The Discovery During a Broome Drug Investigation
Officers pulled over the man’s vehicle as part of an ongoing investigation into illicit drug trafficking in the Broome area. During the search, police found a bag of fresh food from the fast food chain Chicken Treat on the seat. At the bottom of the bag, however, they came across something far less appetizing — a cold, discarded McDonald’s McMuffin that stood out from the rest.
Stay connected to every major update — subscribe and follow us on the PhoenixQ website and across our social media platforms.
Senior Constable Ben Lucas described the moment on the WA Police Confidential podcast. When officers unwrapped the McMuffin, they found a sealed bag of methamphetamine hidden between the bacon and egg. The breakfast sandwich appeared to have a bite taken out of it. “It caught us all by surprise,” Lucas said.
The bodycam footage, posted to the Western Australia Police Facebook page, shows officers sifting through the paper bag of fast food before uncovering the drug-filled sandwich. The post included a clip of the Gingerbread Man from the animated film Shrek asking, “Do you know the muffin man?” — a detail that quickly went viral online.
Charges and Police Warning
Police charged the man with possession with intent to sell or supply methamphetamine. He is scheduled to appear before a magistrates court on September 9. Officers also arrested a woman who was present in the vehicle, but released her after questioning.
Senior Constable Lucas used the incident to send a direct message to those involved in the drug trade. “It’s not acceptable within the community; it leaves a scourge on society, and you’ll always be looking over your shoulder because we could be there any time,” he said on the podcast.
Australia’s Methamphetamine Problem in a Global Context
The McMuffin meth bust highlights a much broader drug crisis across Australia. Methamphetamine use in the country has doubled over the past decade, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s annual report, released in April. The commission tracks consumption through wastewater monitoring and ranks Australia as the second-highest consumer of methamphetamine in the world, behind only the United States.
The global picture is equally concerning. The United Nations’ 2025 World Drug Report estimates that 316 million people worldwide used drugs in the past year as of 2023. That same year, seizures of amphetamine-type stimulants broke records globally and accounted for nearly half of all synthetic drug seizures. North America and East and Southeast Asia together represented close to 80 percent of the 482 tons of methamphetamine seized worldwide in 2023.
Canada also faces significant methamphetamine challenges. Statistics Canada data shows that Canadian cities report very high methamphetamine levels compared to cities in other countries. While fentanyl caused three-quarters of all accidental apparent opioid toxicity deaths between January and September 2024, methamphetamines ranked second among illegal drug trafficking violations. In 2023, a total of 8,049 Canadians died from apparent drug poisonings, including those linked to opioid use, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association.
The Broome methamphetamine discovery — hidden inside a fast food breakfast sandwich — serves as a reminder that drug concealment methods continue to evolve, even as law enforcement agencies intensify their efforts to disrupt supply networks at the local level.
