Tereapii Pokoina pleads not guilty over allegedly importing 20kg of cocaine in welding machinery
A man charged over a $20m, 20kg cocaine haul – which authorities found despite its secret hiding spot – will stand trial.
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A man charged over a $20 million cocaine haul allegedly hidden inside electric safes wedged into welding machinery has been ordered to stand trial in the District Court.
Tereapii Pokoina, 46, of Hyde Park, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to a charge of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.
At the time of his arrest in September last year, the Australian Federal Police alleged 18 rectangular packages of the drug – weighing 20kg – were found inside two electronic safes hidden in welding machinery flown to Adelaide from Greece.
They said each of those safes contained nine packages of cocaine.
In total, they alleged the haul amounted to 20,000 street level deals with a street value of $20 million.
Australian Border Force officers in Adelaide uncovered the safes on August 31 last year after an x-ray revealed anomalies.
They removed a panel from a piece of one welder to find one of the safes. The second welder was then dismantled, revealing the second safe.
Police also allege Pokoina organised the consignment and arranged for it to be delivered to his former workplace without the knowledge of the business owners. They further allege he had inquired with the freight company about when the consignment would be available.
The offence carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The case was sent to the District Court where Pokoina will next appear for a pre-trial hearing in June.
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