- DO YOU KNOW MORE? Send an email to tips@dailymail.com
More than a dozen people have been charged over a multi-million dollar attempt to import cocaine into Australia, the largest in the country’s history.
Australian Federal Police have charged 11 men and two minors with conspiring to import 2.34 tonnes of cocaine into the country by sea.
It is alleged the men and crew of a ship attempted to import the drugs into Queensland and several groups planned to collect the cocaine on land.
The men were arrested on Saturday following a joint effort by the AFP and Queensland Police to investigate a transnational organized crime syndicate.
Police allege one of the men arrested was the vice-president of the Brisbane chapter of the outlaw Comanchero motorcycle club.
“Investigations into the origin of the drugs remain ongoing and we will work with our national and international law enforcement partners to identify criminal syndicates and anyone else involved in facilitating this alleged drug importation,” said AFP Commander Stephen Jay. .
“Let these arrests serve as a warning to those criminal syndicates planning attempts to bring illicit substances into our country. We stand together, ready to act and disrupt their criminal activities, along with our law enforcement partners.”
The amount of cocaine that was supposedly attempted to be imported weighs the same as a Ford Raptor truck.
It is estimated to have a street value of $760 million and could be equivalent to 11.7 million street sales, AFP said.
The largest cocaine importation attempt in Australian history has been thwarted by police
Authorities had been tracking the vessel allegedly sent to collect drugs from a mother ship located off the coast of Queensland.
Police investigations began in November after intelligence information led authorities to a criminal syndicate linked to the Comanchero gang.
Federal and Queensland police, as well as the Border Force, tracked a recreational fishing boat last week and it encountered another boat.
The pleasure boat was stranded about 18 kilometers off the northeastern tip of K’Gari (Fraser Island) after a suspected mechanical breakdown in which authorities began making arrests.
During the search of the ship, 51 bales containing 40 kilos of white substance packaged in individual 1 kilo blocks were recovered, AFP indicated.
The 11 men and two juveniles have been charged with one count of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
But when the ship returned to the Queensland coast it suffered mechanical problems and broke down.
Officers found 15 black and yellow waterproof bags containing 32 blocks of 1kg each that tested positive for cocaine.
They will face Maryborough, Bundaberg and Cleveland magistrates’ courts on Monday.
The drug bust comes after police seized more than $160 million worth of illicit substances in April.
The AFP charged three men over the plot when 500kg of cocaine was seized at a boat ramp in central Queensland. Officers found 15 black and yellow waterproof bags containing 32 blocks of 1kg each that tested positive for cocaine.
Australian Border Force and federal police have seized more than 33.7 tonnes of illicit drugs and precursors in the last financial year.