CANBERRA: Australian authorities have busted a “brazen and selfish” alleged international drug smuggling ring over the Christmas period, following a two-and-a-half year investigation. About 500 kilograms of cocaine were seized in an operation at Parsley Bay, north of Sydney, late on Christmas Day. More than 600kg, which authorities allege to have been bound for Australia, had been seized in Tahiti in March 2016. The combined 1.1 tonnes of the drug was estimated have a street value of about $360m.
Chris Sheehan, acting assistant commissioner for the Australian Federal Police, said it was the biggest-ever seizure of cocaine – and one of the largest interceptions of any drug – in Australia’s history. He said the “robust, resilient and determined” alleged syndicate was “sophisticated, and went to great lengths to avoid detection”. “We are very confident that we’ve gone from the top to the bottom, the entire group has been taken out. Fifteen men, aged between 29 to 63 years, were arrested for their alleged role in the syndicate between 25 and 28 December. All were charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs and refused bail. Among them are former Roosters player John Tobin and Bondi entrepreneur Darren Mohr, News Corp reports.
Authorities had observed a fishing trawler, the Dalrymple, depart Sydney Fish Markets on 3 December bound for NSW’s central coast. Three men were arrested on Sunday evening when authorities intercepted a small tender launched from the Dalrymple as it arrived at Parsley Bay. Eight subsequent arrests were made after search warrants were executed across Sydney, including in the suburbs of Zetland, Double Bay, Kingsford and Greenacre. Two men were arrested in Brisbane and Hobart on Tuesday, and a further two in Ulladulla on Wednesday. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs is life imprisonment.
Authorities traced five alleged conspiracies to import illicit drugs into Australia back to the ring, including the seizure of 32kg of heroin by authorities in Fiji in December 2014. There was no evidence to suggest this ring had successfully imported drugs, and the Sydney Fish Markets were not under investigation.
“Operation Okesi” spanned more than two and a half years and involved NSW police, AFP, the Australian Border Force and international partners. Mark Jenkins, the NSW police assistant commissioner, said more than 100 officers from NSW police alone were working over the holiday period to resolve the operation. “Law enforcement doesn’t rest when it comes to illicit drug enforcement, not even over Christmas and Boxing Day.” He said the investigation was prompted by a “thread of information” supplied to NSW police’s drug squad two and a half years ago, and encouraged members of the public with similar tips to come forward. “That small kernel of information has resulted in a large number of arrests and a seizure of drugs, it’s been a fantastic result.”
There were ongoing inquiries to determine the alleged ring’s distribution networks in South America, where the cocaine is believed to have originated from, and within Australia. Tim Fitzgerald, the acting assistant commissioner of the ABF, said attempting to circumvent border control with small vessels was typical. “It’s international organised crime syndicates trying to take advantage of our 35,000 km coastline in the hope that we won’t be in the area that they’re in. But as is evidenced today … [alleged] syndicates such as this will be taken down.” He said border force officers made 18,000 seizures of narcotics bound for Australia every year.
