Local News

$22 Million Cocaine Bust Off Queensland Coast

May 4th, 2001

The Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison, announced Australia's sixth largest seizure of cocaine today, after the culmination of a joint operation involving the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Customs Service and the United States Customs Service.

Approximately 90 kg of the drug was seized on a yacht off the coast of Brisbane, near Moreton Island. This represents about 450,000 hits of cocaine with a potential street value of around $22.5 million.

"That's almost half a million hits of cocaine that will not be reaching the streets of Australia," Senator Ellison said.

The operation was the culmination of nearly two years of investigation by the AFP and Australian Customs and involved significant assistance from the Queensland Police Service, police and customs in New Caledonia and the United States Customs Service.

The AFP and Customs Coastwatch had been tracking the vessel from Columbia through Noumea to Australia.

Shortly before midday yesterday, the AFP, Australian Customs and Queensland Police officers boarded the vessel, moored off Moreton Island. The vessel was secured and searched and 100 blocks of cocaine, stored in four bags were found onboard a Zodiac at the rear of the 17 metre yacht.

"It is the result of excellent work by Australian Federal Police, Customs and the Queensland police and demonstrates that the Howard Government's Tough on Drugs approach is getting results," Senator Ellison said.

"Today's seizure is another example of the value of the excellent relationships being developed by the AFP with key law enforcement agencies around the world."

"An essential outcome from this approach is that we are taking the fight against drug syndicates off-shore and that we are able to obtain information in advance about possible drug importations into Australia."

Information provided by the US Customs Service initially alerted the AFP and Australian Customs to the alleged importation of cocaine.

The surveillance by Coastwatch aircraft of the vessel coming from New Caledonia played a significant role as did the two Customs Bay Class Vessels, the Dame Roma Mitchell and the Botany Bay, that were used extensively the operation.

"This was a world-class surveillance effort by Customs Coastwatch. They identified and then tracked a vessel over an extended offshore area, for more than a week, without that vessel knowing that it was under surveillance," Senator Ellison said.

"This outstanding result by the AFP, Customs and our overseas partners sends a clear warning to those involved in the drug trade that the chances of illicit drugs being detected are increasing all the time."

A 58-year-old United States citizen and a 37 year old Australian citizen have been charged with drug related offences and are expected to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates court this morning.

A 44-year-old Australian man was taken into custody in the United States yesterday and the AFP will be seeking his extradition in relation to this matter.

Further enquiries are being conducted by the Australian Federal Police.