More than half a tonne of cocaine floating in the ocean off Western Australia has landed a Queensland man in jail for almost 14 years.
Perth District Court yesterday (August 25) sentenced the man to 22 years in jail, and a non-parole period of 13 years 10 months after he had pleaded guilty to importing the drugs.
An Australian Federal Police statement says the man, 51, is the second person to be jailed over the failed plot to import 560kg ($182 million) of cocaine in August 2023.
The first person was a 34-year-old Queensland man who was jailed on August 23, 2024, for 22 years (non-parole of 14 years) after he also pleaded guilty.
The scheme was thwarted by a joint operation of AFP, Australian Border Force (ABF), Western Australia Police and Department of Home Affairs officers.
HOW THE COCAINE PLOT UNFOLDED
The AFP say authorities launched the investigation in August 2023 after they were alerted that an international crime syndicate was planning a large cocaine import via the WA coast.
The drugs were dropped off a bulk cargo carrier into the waters off the coastal town of Kalbarri, about 580km north of Perth.
Authorities say the two Queensland men flew to Perth on August 9, 2023, bought a seven-metre fibreglass boat, a four-wheel-drive, a GPS and other items, then drove to Kalbarri.
The police say they launched the next morning and initially struck a sandbar but pushed free and headed out to sea.
About 4.30am on August 11, they returned to shore and brought the boat back to the short-term rental accommodation where they stayed.
Police arrested the men as they unloaded plastic-wrapped bags of cocaine from the boat into the house.
Forensic testing of the drugs found they had a purity of more than 86%, or about 488kg of pure cocaine, the police say.
WE ARE WATCHING, SAYS AFP
AFP Inspector Chris Colley says the amount of cocaine could have been broken down into about 2.8 million individual deals of 0.2 grams, worth at least $182 million.
“Examination of the two convicted men’s phones found they were promised $300,000 for their involvement in this drug smuggling syndicate; instead, they will be spending years in a jail cell,” he says.
“The WA coastline is vast but this matter highlights the results that law enforcement achieves when we share intelligence and resources across Australia and overseas. We encourage the community to also report any suspicious activity.”
The courts also seized the boat, 4WD and almost $5000 cash found on the 51-year-old man.
The cases of four other Queensland men are still before the WA courts over their alleged involvement in the trafficking plot, the AFP says.
SUPPORT SERVICES
The following services provide people with access to support and information:
- For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.
- Access free 24/7 drug and alcohol counselling online at counsellingonline.org.au.
- For information about drug and alcohol addiction treatment or support, go to turningpoint.org.au.
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