A 35-year-old Australian national was extradited from Serbia to Australia one year after being arrested for attempting to smuggle 1.28 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a shipping container into Sydney.
Authorities intercepted the shipment over 18 months ago at Sydney, with the ABF valuing the 2576 intercepted blocks of cocaine hidden in a shipment of pre-fabricated steel at $500m.
The man is one of three extradited from Serbia in connection to the importation, uncovered by Operation Amorgos, an Australian Federal Police-led investigation.
AFP acting manager of organised crime Commander Peter Bodel said that the AFP’s goal is to target organised crime at its upper management levels.
“The cooperation we have received from our colleagues in Serbia has been critical in initiating prosecutions against people we allege played a key role in one of the largest shipments of cocaine ever seized in Australia,” Commander Bodel said.
The man in custody, a former resident of the UAE, is facing three charges before Sydney Central Local Court including importing, conspiring to import and the procession of border controlled drugs.
