Sacked Bronco freed from prison after serving time for role in $154m cocaine bust

The new life of Jamil Hopoate has been revealed after the sacked Broncos player was imprisoned over his role in a $154 million cocaine haul.

Sacked Broncos player Jamil Hopoate is living with his father John after his release from prison in July.

The 29-year-old was in 2022 sentenced to serve a prison sentence of at least two years and three months over his role as a courier in a massive drug importation scheme.

He said at the time he was suffering from long-term drug, alcohol and gambling addictions.

His dad, rugby league bad boy John Hopoate, has now told News Corp his son Jamil is living in the family home.

The Daily Telegraph first reported Jamil has been seeing his two children and long-term partner Shae Beathe.

Shae Beathe shared the photo. Picture: Instagram, @shaebte.

In photos shared by Beathe on Instagram recently, the happy-looking family enjoyed a trip around Sydney together. They also celebrated Jamil on Father’s Day with Beathe writing: “Celebrating our guy @jhopoate. Father’s Day vaycay. So grateful, we love you”.

It is just over two years since the former footballer was led away by Corrective Services officers after giving one of his daughters a kiss on the cheek when his sentence was handed down inside Sydney’s Darlinghurst Court House.

He had been arrested after police intercepted a consignment of drugs arriving at Sydney airport from London in May, 2021.

Shae Beathe shared a video of the family together. Picture: Instagram, @shaebte.

Police switched the drugs for a dummy substance and installed surveillance devices.

Hopoate was arrested after he climbed inside a truck linked to the massive 514kg cocaine haul – estimated by police to have a street value of $154m – at Pagewood in southern Sydney before leading police on a brief chase.

The court was told Hopoate was paid $10,000 for his role in retrieving part of the drug shipment.

The court was told he retrieved eight 1kg blocks of the fake substance before jumping in a silver Hyundai van.

Three people were arrested over the half-tonne cocaine seizure which arrived in a consignment of toolboxes from the UK on May 15, 2022.

Recently sacked NRL star Jamil Hopoate was arrested.

In a letter of remorse delivered to the court, Hopoate said he had reflected on his actions and felt he had let everyone down, in particular his family.

John Hopoate, in a character reference, described Jamil as a family-oriented man who had expressed remorse and aspired to turn his life around.

The former Broncos forward, who was sacked by all three NRL clubs he has played for, narrowly avoided being sent to jail in 2021 for domestic violence offences against his partner.

He pleaded guilty to seven offences, including two counts of common assault – domestic violence related and one count of common assault.

Jamil Hopoate and Shae Beathe. Photo Steve Pohlner.

He was sentenced to a 12-month sentence to be served in the community by way of an intensive corrections order.

However, Hopoate in 2022 breached the terms of his ICO and served three months in prison before his sentence expired.

His parole was revoked after he failed to perform 250 hours of community service despite State Parole Authority staff calling him eight times.

In 2014, Hopoate was jailed for at least one year for an unprovoked attack outside a Manly pub.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company.

He was sentenced to 18 months in jail, with a one-year non-parole period.

Hopoate played 12 games for the Brisbane Broncos before he was let go at the end of the 2020 season and failed to earn a contract with another club.

After his arrest in 2022, Hopoate said he becomes a “monster” when consuming alcohol.

He said he turned to alcohol to cope with depression and the pressure of having a career in the NRL.

He said he was jealous and felt inferior compared to his brother, Will, who was the youngest player to ever be selected to play for NSW in State of Origin.

Will and Jamil are two of five siblings that have all played in the NRL at different times.

He said at the time: “Drink turns me into an asshole.”

Originally published as Sacked Bronco freed from prison after serving time for role in $154m cocaine bust