A couple from Australia was caught trying to smuggle crystal methamphetamine out of China, and could potentially be facing the death penalty.

Australian Kalynda Davis and New Zealander Peter Gardiner, 25, were seemingly just another young tourist couple traveling abroad and heading home to Australia. But when trying to board a flight at the Guangzhou International airport, Chinese customs officials spotted crystal meth in their luggage as it went through the scanner.

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"When they tried to leave the country, we found the 'ice' inside their checked-in luggage," a customs officer known as Mr. Wang told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), referring to crystal meth as "ice."

Conflicting reports are claiming how much of the drug the couple was attempting to smuggle out of China. Earlier reports claim the couple attempted to smuggle 75 kilograms of ice, but according to Mr. Wang, authorities at the airport weighed the luggage in at 36 kilograms and only a proportion of this was crystal meth.

After the couple was detained, they were quickly handed over to the anti-smuggling bureau within customs, which is an organization that reportedly will be investigating their case before Chinese prosecutors officially intervene.

While the couple may not be making an appearance in court for another few months, drug smuggling in China can potentially lead to a prolonged prison term or even the death penalty. And if past incidents are any indication, defendants rarely get off.

Meanwhile, friends of the couple are in shock and remain skeptical about the incident. "She is definitely incapable of doing something like this," Blake Tatafu, friends of Kalynda for ten years, said via twitter. "It's a complete shame that Australians who've seen the article about Peter, Kalynda and 'ICE', do not know the person Kalynda REALLY is." 

TagsDrug Smuggling, crystal meth, Chinese customs, Guangzhou, Australia