Accused drug trafficker Daniel Wayne John Roberts denied bail in Brisbane Supreme Court

A Brisbane man who allegedly directed a “criminal enterprise” accused of planning to import 20 tonnes of drugs has been labelled an “extreme flight risk” despite putting up a $1.5m surety.

Daniel Wayne John Roberts pictured in 2015. Picture: Jack Tran

A teddy bear is one “strand” allegedly tying a defendant to a shadowy online figure called WANTED who authorities accuse of planning to import 20 tonnes of drugs into Australia, a country they claim he could flee from in an overseas “mothership” if granted bail despite offering a $1.5 million surety.

The Australian Federal Police allege Daniel Wayne John Roberts, 36, directed and controlled a “sophisticated criminal enterprise” involving money laundering, drugs and actual violence from his base in Queensland.

However Roberts’ legal team say there is simply no compelling evidence that their client is the person who ran the drug operation under the online names of WANTED, notorious US gangster John Dillinger and others.

Brisbane man Daniel Wayne John Roberts being detained by a string of officers including Queensland Police and AFP.

His barrister Angus Edwards, KC, instructed by Owens and Associates, made an application for bail in Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday which was opposed by state and commonwealth prosecutors.

Commonwealth prosecutor Daniel Trigger said the quantity of drugs alleged or conspired to have been imported were “huge”.

“It’s difficult to … consider a case that will be more serious than this one with the completed importations in terms of the 450 kilograms off WA, the 900ish kilograms off Queensland which failed, but also the 20 tonnes that is alleged to have been the subject of planning,” he said.

“It’s the crown case that Mr Roberts was the ultimate coordinator of these multiple extremely voluminous shipments of border controlled drugs and the coordinator of dealing with over of $2.7 million of proceeds of crime.

“The risks of flight are extreme. He’s alleged to have been co-ordinating huge importations of border control drugs using ships and other vessels ... he is an unacceptable risk of deploying those skills to flee the jurisdiction through undetected means.”

Police allege the failed import of 900kg of cocaine off Moreton Island in November last year saw packages of the drugs washing up on beaches along the NSW coast in 2023 and 2024. In less than a week, 124 bricks of cocaine had been plucked from the surf between Sydney and Tuggerah Lakes.

“There are various circumstantial strands that, tied together, clearly present a strong circumstantial case that (Roberts) is WANTED,” Mr Trigger alleged.

AFP alleges Roberts played a significant role in importing almost two tonnes of cocaine in three ventures, worth $617.5m. Picture AFP

He said a message sent on the encrypted application Threema from WANTED asking someone to break another person’s legs included a photo of a toy bear.

Mr Trigger alleged the same sort of bear was seized from Roberts’ home during a raid and would be subject to forensic testing.

But Mr Edwards attacked the strength of the case against his client submitting it was “not even close” to indicating Roberts was WANTED.

“It’s impossible to imagine there’s going to be any expert evidence about fluffy toys and the comparison of (teddy bear) fabric in a photograph,” he said.

Brisbane man Daniel Wayne John Roberts charged with botched 900kg cocaine import, where more than 200kg washed ashore. Picture AFP

He said Roberts had been subjected to a joint AFP and Queensland Police investigation of at least six months encompassing the use of listening devices, telephone intercepts and surveillance.

“How much drugs has Mr Roberts ever been located with? The answer is none,” he said.

“Has he ever been found with large sums of money and trappings of wealth? No.

“He didn’t have the phone. He didn’t have WANTED’s phone.”

Mr Edwards said there was alleged evidence suggesting Roberts, who was previously sentenced for drug trafficking in 2014/15 and was on parole at the time of the alleged offending, “offered some limited assistance” to WANTED as he was a fisherman who knew about tides.

He said the alleged risks if granted bail of Roberts committing further offences, interfering with witnesses or fleeing Queensland on a “mothership from overseas” were overstated by the prosecutors.

Daniel Wayne John Roberts pictured leaving a Brisbane watch house in 2015. Picture: Jack Tran

Despite this he proposed his client was willing to abide by bail conditions that included a 24 hour curfew, seven day reporting to police, wearing a GPS tracker, not contact 32 people, possessing only one phone incapable of utilising apps, not travel or apply for a passport and be subject to a standing search warrant. He was also offering a $1.5 million surety.

Justice Thomas Bradley said that it was not yet possible to make an assessment of the strength or weakness of the prosecution’s case. The first partial brief of evidence was due Friday, the court heard.

As a result Justice Bradley was not prepared to find the crown case so weak that the alleged risks associated with the release of Roberts, who has been in custody since his April arrest, could be reduced to an acceptable level with bail conditions.

Bail was refused.

His charges include two counts of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, one count of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, one count of trafficking a commercial quantity of controlled drugs, one count of directing activities of a criminal organisation, one count of dealing in the proceeds of crime, and one count of using a telecommunications network with the intention to commit a serious offence.