TWO United States nationals have been sentenced in the Melbourne County Court for their roles in the attempted importation of over 1.7 tonnes of methamphetamine in 2019.
Authorities say they are the final two of the six syndicate members charged in Australia over the plot, with four other people having already been sentenced to terms of imprisonment.
At the time, this was the largest ever meth shipment bound for Australia, and the biggest domestic seizure in the US.
Approximately 1.7 tonnes of methamphetamine, 25kg of cocaine, and 5kg of heroin were found inside two containers purporting to contain audio equipment.
Authorities say this amount of methamphetamine could have been sold as more than 17 million street deals, with an estimated street value of $1.29 billion.
The investigation began in 2018 when the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF) gathered intelligence about a planned large-scale importation by a suspected drug smuggling syndicate operating out of California.
JOCTF worked alongside US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), leading to HSI and US Customs and Border Protection intercepting the consignment containing illicit drugs in California before it left American shores.
Authorities called the joint investigation of the shipment “Operation Hoth”.
As a result of investigations to identify the alleged syndicate connections in Australia, JOCTF executed 13 search warrants across Melbourne and Sydney in early 2019, which saw two US nationals, three Australian men, and a South Korean national all charged.
The two US nationals, a man aged 57 and a woman aged 52, have been sentenced to 21 and 14 years imprisonment respectively.
From the other four syndicate members charged over the plot, two Sydney men were sentenced in 2021 to 15.5 years and 18 months imprisonment respectively, while a Melbourne man was sentenced to two years imprisonment in 2022.
The South Korean man was also sentenced in 2022, to 10 months imprisonment.
AFP detective superintendent Jason McArthur said the final sentencings capped off an investigation which had spanned more than five years, commenting the case highlighted the outcomes that were achieved when law enforcement worked together across borders.
“Stopping more than 1.7 tonnes of methamphetamine before it had a chance to cause havoc and heartache on Australian streets helped to protect the community and ensured criminals could not profit at their expense,” Mr McArthur said.
“Despite the distance between the US and Australia, dedicated investigators in both countries are united in their commitment to disrupt transnational drug trafficking syndicates, which negatively impact the economy and safety in every country they operate.
“I want to thank our US counterparts for their expertise and strong support of our efforts to keep these drugs from Australian shores.”
Homeland Security Investigations attaché Ernest Verina said the investigation was a great example of successful collaboration between multiple international law enforcement agencies.
“The international reach of organised crime is disrupted by global law enforcement partnerships like the one between the United States and Australia,” Mr Verina said.
ABF Superintendent Ben Michalke said Operation Hoth stood as a landmark achievement for the Australian Border Force and partners in the fight against transnational organised crime.
“Our coordinated efforts are crucial in detecting and disrupting criminal networks in their attempts to exploit our borders,” Mr Michalke said.
“By leveraging intelligence, resources, and expertise, we continue to strengthen our ability to intercept the flow of illicit goods, ensuring the safety and security of our nation.”
