THE AUSTRALIAN Federal Police (AFP) has charged two men, father and son, for their alleged roles in attempting to possess a consignment of cocaine concealed in industrial machinery.
The illicit consignment, weighing 50 kilograms, was discovered by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers in August at Port Botany, after they identified anomalies in an industrial generator during a routine inspection of sea cargo from Vietnam.
Authorities say the consignment could have been sold as 250,000 individual street deals, with an estimated street value of $16,250,000.
The AFP removed the illegal drugs and enabled the machinery to be delivered, monitoring the consignment as it was transported to an industrial complex in Sydney’s northern beaches.
Investigations by the AFP allegedly identified the 48 year-old who had leased the industrial complex, with police also allegedly finding evidence the man made overseas cash transfers to a known criminal facilitator, and had recently travelled to Vietnam.
On 30 September, AFP officers allegedly observed the 48 year-old and his son, 23, attempt to access a compartment in the generator where the drugs had been hidden.
It will be alleged the men departed the industrial property on two occasions to purchase materials, including angle grinders, from a local hardware store.
The AFP arrested and charged both men with jointly attempting to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported border controlled drug. The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
The pair, from Sydney’s northern beaches, were expected to appear before the Downing Centre Local Court yesterday (October 1), following their arrests by AFP officers on September 30.
ABF Inspector Marc Rea said the joint work of the federal agencies has continued to disrupt and dismantle these criminal syndicate’s business models.
“ABF officers continue to detect and disrupt these plots to smuggle drugs into Australia with the assistance of our federal and state law enforcement counterparts,” Mr Rea said.
“Our officers at any of our sea, air, or mail facilities work daily to ensure we are stopping the scourge of illicit drugs reaching our shores.”
AFP acting inspector Alex Drummond said the arrests were a testament to the relentless work of the AFP and its partners.
“Criminals, no matter their relationships will go to great lengths to smuggle drugs into Australia, and this matter is an example of that,” Mr Drummond said.
“The AFP is focused on preventing the drug from entering the Australian community and causing widespread harm.”
Authorities say enquiries into the syndicate offshore are continuing.
