The largest cocaine bust in Australia’s history – a staggering 2.34 tonnes valued at $760 million – unfolded in dramatic fashion early this month with four Logan men alleged to have played a key role in the operation.
An investigation by the AFP, Queensland Police Service and Australian Border Force (ABF) into the alleged importation plans began last month.
The investigations came to a head once police began tracking a recreational fishing boat as it travelled to sea from the Queensland coastline, where it allegedly “met a mothership to collect the cocaine” before returning.
The plan began to unravel on Saturday evening when the smaller vessel, allegedly tasked with transporting the drugs ashore, suffered a mechanical breakdown 18 kilometres off the northeastern tip of K’gari.
Water police intercepted the stranded boat, discovering 51 bales with roped netting around them.
Each bale contained about 40kg of a white substance packaged in individual 1kg blocks.
Initial tests confirmed the substance was cocaine, marking the largest drug seizure in Australia’s history.
Two men aboard the boat, aged 35 and 57, were arrested.
Water police then towed the vehicle back to a marina in Harvey Bay.
As the investigation expanded, police tracked down others allegedly involved in the operation.
Three Logan men—aged 20, 22, and 28—were arrested at a fast-food restaurant in Bundaberg East, while the fourth Logan man, aged 20, was arrested following a traffic stop in the same area.
In total, 11 men and two juveniles were charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of drugs.
This crime carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
AFP Commander Stephen Jay said the AFP was alert to transnational organised crime syndicates (TSOC) attempting to import drugs into Australia via ‘motherships and daughterships’.
“We know that criminals go to extreme lengths, and often risk their own lives, to smuggle drugs into Australia with no regard to the harm they cause to Australian communities,” Commander Jay said.
“I would like to thank the exceptional work of our AFP investigators, together with our QPS and law enforcement counterparts, who have together prevented a significant amount of illicit drugs from hitting our community, right before Christmas.”
