Two men are accused of trafficking 200 kilos of cocaine to Australia in a clandestine plot involving a small plane, a remote airstrip and night vision goggles.
Australian Federal Police arrested a Victorian man, 48, and a South African national, 44, in Perth’s CBD at 6pm on Saturday following an investigation that began in October.
Both men have been charged with one count of trafficking in a commercial quantity of a controlled drug and face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if convicted.
Police searched the Victorian man’s Perth hotel room and allegedly found around 200kg of cocaine, in individual one-kilogram blocks, in six suitcases, as well as electronic devices, night vision goggles and an air band VHF radio.
They then searched the South African’s hotel room and allegedly confiscated four empty suitcases, aviation navigation equipment, a cryptocurrency wallet and other electronic devices.
Police allege the Victorian man was seen renting a utility vehicle in Perth on Boxing Day and loading it with several suitcases and jerry cans.
The South African man allegedly encountered a small plane at the Overlander airstrip, about 700 kilometers north of Perth, the next day.
Police allege the pair met in Perth on Saturday and bought more suitcases, before dumping their luggage and jerry cans in a shopping center bin a few hours later.
A Victorian man and a South African national have been charged with using a regional airfield and night vision goggles to traffic 200kg of cocaine to Perth (pictured, one of the accused).
Investigators allegedly found a receipt for the suitcases in the Victorian man’s hotel room.
AFP Inspector Chris Colley said the charges highlight the lengths criminals would go to in their efforts to smuggle illicit drugs into and through Australia.
“The AFP has prevented these individuals – and an alleged organized crime syndicate likely to be responsible for this effort – from profiting from the distribution of this dangerous drug in and through WA,” Inspector Colley said.
The Victoria man has also been charged with possession of a controlled drug in the form of cocaine and failing to provide police with access to an electronic device.
Federal police are working to identify the link between the seized cocaine and the small plane that arrived at the Overlander airstrip.