POLICE investigating the death of a diver and more than 50 kilograms of cocaine found at the Port of Newcastle arrested a man in north Queensland as he allegedly tried to flee to Singapore.
After police found the dead man and the drugs near a berthed ship at the Port of Newcastle on Monday, the Organised Crime Squad established Strike Force Groove.
The investigation has been assisted by officers attached to the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Northern Territory Police and Queensland Police.
Following extensive inquiries, a 62-year-old man was arrested by QPOL and the AFP as he attempted to board a plane to Singapore about 1730 yesterday (11 May).
Police took him to Cairns Watch House and charged him with Import Large Commercial Quantity of Border Controlled Drug and Large Commercial Drug Supply (NSW DM&T).
Organised Crime Squad detectives are travelling to Queensland to seek the man’s extradition to NSW when he appears at Cairns Magistrates Court on Thursday (12 May).
Police said inquiries under Strike Force Groove are ongoing and offshore inquiries led by the AFP continue in relation to this matter.
