April 30th 2024.
Three men from New South Wales have been accused of orchestrating a major cocaine import into regional Queensland, with a whopping 500-kilogram shipment. This illegal drug haul is estimated to be worth a staggering $162 million and has the potential to fuel over two million individual street deals.
According to the Australian Federal Police, the suspects were taken into custody on Sunday at a regional boat ramp after allegedly retrieving the massive amount of cocaine from a larger cargo vessel at sea. It was quite a daring operation, but thankfully, the authorities were able to intervene before any harm could be done.
The three accused individuals, aged 66, 45, and 27, appeared in Gladstone Magistrates Court yesterday and were remanded in custody. The AFP launched Operation Ocean to investigate this alleged drug importation into Queensland, and their efforts clearly paid off with this arrest.
The suspects were caught red-handed when they returned to shore on an 8.2m fishing boat at the Boyne Island boat ramp, located about 24 kilometers south of Gladstone. Upon searching the vessel, the AFP discovered 15 black and yellow waterproof bags, each containing approximately 32 blocks of a powdered substance. Each block weighed around one kilo, and initial testing confirmed the substance to be cocaine.
Further forensic testing will be conducted to determine the exact weight and purity of the drug. In the meantime, the AFP executed search warrants at a motel in Tannum Sands and the residential properties of the suspects in Newcastle and the Central Coast of New South Wales. They also searched a vessel anchored in the Port of Gladstone as part of their investigation.
The three men have been charged with one count of possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. They are scheduled to appear in Gladstone Magistrates Court on July 19, where they will face the consequences of their actions. This is another successful bust in the ongoing battle against illegal drug trafficking, and it serves as a reminder that the authorities will not tolerate these dangerous activities.
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