A Brisbane man has been arrested for allegedly trying to import huge quantities of drugs into Australia at least 20 times, including cocaine bricks.
Police allege he was behind a failed plot to smuggle about 900kg of cocaine into Australia through cargo ships. This had resulted in bricks of cocaine washing up on NSW beaches.
Altogether, police accuse him of trying to import more than 20 tonnes of drugs. Altogether, Police estimate the drugs had a street value of $617 million.
Cocaine bricks
Last November, Australian Federal Police (AFP) conducted an unsuccessful search for 900kg of drugs they believed had been dropped from a cargo ship. Police allege the drugs were never collected due to “adverse weather conditions”.
Multiple bricks of cocaine then began washing up on shores across NSW, some as heavy as 39kg.
The AFP allege the Brisbane man was behind the botched plot.
Other crimes
Police have arrested the Brisbane man in connection to 19 other attempts to import illicit drugs. These included conspiracy to important 450kg of drugs into Queensland last month.
The man is alleged to have used encrypted messaging apps like Telegram.
Queensland police will also charge him with multiple offences, including ordering other people to light properties on fire, harass and intimidate others, and fire shots at people. He’s believed to be connected to an outlaw motorcycle gang.
