Brazilian to spend four years in jail after decade on the run

An AFP officer arrests the Brazilian man in 2022. Picture: AFP

A Brazilian national who spent 10 years evading an arrest warrant has been jailed for at least four years for his role in an international cocaine smuggling operation.

The man, now 42, was convicted in the Supreme Court of Queensland last week (October 15) and sentenced to eight years in jail with a non-parole period of four years and three months.

He was one of seven men arrested and charged in Australia and New Zealand in March 2012 as part of Operation Ashby, a joint federal-Queensland police investigation into a transnational drug trafficking syndicate.

The Brazilian national was charged and faced court in March 2012 but was granted bail. A warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to appear in Southport Magistrates Court in May 2012, the Australian Federal Police said.

A decade later, he was stopped by WA Police Force (WAPF) officers over a traffic matter.

Officers were suspicious about his identification and checks done with Australian Border Force (ABF) revealed the outstanding arrest warrant.

The man was tracked down, arrested and extradited to Queensland to face trial over a conspiracy to import 1.38kg of pure cocaine seized in New Zealand and which police alleged was bound for Australia.

On October 15, the Supreme Court found him guilty of conspiracy to import a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug.

NEW ZEALAND LINK

The AFP said the man belonged to a syndicate believed to be responsible for importing cocaine from South America into Australia via New Zealand.

The AFP say the syndicate shipped cocaine from South America for storage in New Zealand before couriers tried to smuggle it into Australia inside their luggage.

Police said they seized 7.5kg of cocaine and $615,000 in cash linked to the syndicate after raids on the Gold Coast, and in New Zealand (with the help of NZ Police).

Three men were charged in Australia and four more charged in NZ. The seized cocaine had an estimated street value of around $1.75m in 2012, about $2.3m today.

AFP Detective Superintendent Sascha Austin said other members of the syndicate had received prison sentences of between four and 11 years.

“After 10 years on the run this man may have thought he’d gotten away with it,” Det-Supt Austin said.

“This result sends a clear message that police do not give up – if you are involved in the illicit drug trade you will be brought to justice, even if the crime was years earlier.

“The AFP and its partners are committed to preventing illicit drugs from reaching our communities and stopping those who try to profit from this harmful trade.”