Three individuals were charged in connection with a plot to smuggle 1.5 tonnes of cocaine into New South Wales (NSW). Detectives from the organised crime taskforce identified the men in the Hunter Region, noting their suspicious behaviours and cash transactions for two boats.
Authorities reported that the individuals’ actions mirrored those of “catching crews,” who typically retrieve significant quantities of cocaine dropped at sea.
The first arrest occurred the previous morning when a 34-year-old man was stopped in Eleebana, near Lake Macquarie. Following his arrest, he was taken to Belmont Police Station, where he faced serious charges including conspiring to supply a commercial quantity of drugs, recruitment of accomplices for the alleged smuggling operation, and directing criminal activities.
Subsequently, at approximately 8.20 a.m., a 23-year-old man was arrested at an industrial site in Forster. He was taken to Forster Police Station and charged with drug supply and involvement in a criminal organisation. Additionally, at 11.20 a.m., a 24-year-old man was apprehended at Salamander Bay on similar charges.
All three suspects were denied bail and were scheduled to appear in Parramatta Local Court. Police also confiscated a fishing vessel named “Seas the Day” from Lemon Tree Passage, which was transported to Nelson Bay for further inspection. It is alleged that together, the three men could have earned around $3.4 million for their roles in the operation.