A former high-profile lawyer has been accused of trafficking more than 120kg of cocaine disguised as frozen chicken in the back of a van.
Australian Federal Police will allege that Michael Bosscher, 55, attempted to transport the drugs from Melbourne to Sydney in August 2022.
He appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday by telephone and faced a charge of trafficking in commercial quantities of controlled drugs.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Bosscher is also accused of simultaneously playing a major role in an alleged multimillion-dollar money laundering syndicate, in another matter before the courts.
Former top Queensland lawyer Michael Bosscher (pictured) has been charged with allegedly attempting to transport 120kg of cocaine from Melbourne to Sydney disguised as frozen chicken.
Bosscher’s attorney, Adam Guest of Guest Lawyers, requested that the charge be joined with other related matters, the mail reports.
Magistrate Peter Saggers adjourned the case until May 17, leaving Bosscher in custody.
He was one of two men arrested by the AFP in October 2022 and charged with their alleged involvement in a $4.5 million money laundering syndicate.
Raids on the syndicate allegedly uncovered $70,000 in cash from two safes hidden under stairs and a cash counter at a premises in Bardon, a Brisbane suburb, while $160,000 in cash was seized from a safe in Helensvale on the Gold Coast.
Bosscher was charged with conspiring to deal in the proceeds of a general crime and, at the time of the deal, the value of the money or property was $1,000,000 or more.
The cocaine was allegedly discovered in the back of a van disguised as a frozen chicken (pictured)
Bosscher is also accused of allegedly playing a major role in an alleged multimillion-dollar money laundering syndicate at the same time (pictured, Bosscher arrested in 2022)
His law firm Bosscher Lawyers had previously described Bosscher as one of Australia’s most experienced criminal law professionals.
He became a lawyer in 1993 and has since represented serial killers, rapists and drug traffickers.
“Michael has spent more than a quarter of a century practicing exclusively in criminal law,” the firm’s website states.
‘Michael has appeared in some of Australia’s most famous criminal law cases over the past 25 years and is also a published author on criminal law topics.
“His reputation for knowledge and experience in the field is nationally recognized and he provides advice not only directly to clients but also to educational institutions, sporting bodies and law reform stakeholders.”
