Butch Smith, Angus Cattanach’s alleged links to Noosa drug syndicate
Two men arrested in a Brisbane drug trafficking operation have been alleged to have held hierarchical positions in a separate cocaine syndicate in Noosa.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Two men who were arrested as part of an alleged South East Queensland “criminal organisation” have been accused of holding hierarchical positions in a separate cocaine syndicate in Noosa.
Noosa AFL identity Butch Graham Smith and former Brisbane nightclub owner Angus Michael Cattanach were arrested on Friday to face court on drug trafficking charges.
The pair, and seven other men were arrested and charged as part of police operation Sierra Stallion which targeted the alleged trafficking and supply of drugs over the past 18 months.
Police allege Mr Smith and Mr Cattanach were part of a “criminal organisation” which also involved 46-year-old man Jay Roland Cryer, from Little Mountain.
Court documents have revealed the pair were originally targets of a separate police operation Sierra Frontier which led to the arrest of 25 people on more than 100 charges in Noosa.
The original operation closed in November 2021 and resulted in drug charges being laid against prominent Noosa figures including former Rolling Rock nightclub co-owner Marcus Les Wright and former part owner of a boxing gym Matthew James Long.
Mr Wright and Mr Long both faced the Noosa Magistrates Court in November 2021 on drug trafficking charges.
Court documents have further revealed the alleged links Mr Smith and Mr Cattanach had to Mr Wright and Mr Long.
Mr Smith, 47, was on Monday granted bail at Brisbane Magistrates Court on 62 charges including allegedly supplying cocaine at Doonan and trafficking the drug in Brisbane.
Police allege Mr Smith dealt cocaine at the Rolling Rock nightclub at Noosa Heads, including on one occasion to Mr Cattanach, 41.
Mr Cattanach, a former part-owner of Fortitude Valley nightclub X Cargo was also granted bail in the same court on 21 charges including cocaine trafficking.
Former Nambour restaurateur Jay Roland Cryer was also granted bail to face 35 charges including trafficking cocaine at a Spring Hill unit.
Property data shows Mr Smith and Mr Cryer own an industrial building in Willawong in Brisbane’s south which is alleged in their bench charge sheets to be the location of some criminal activity.
Court documents showed Mr Smith, Mr Cattanach and Mr Cryer were established as “persons of interest” in Sunshine Coast operation Sierra Frontier.
A police source told The Courier-Mail that police are alleging Mr Smith and Mr Cattanach held “hierarchical positions” within a cocaine ring in Noosa.
Noosa Police station officer-in-charge Ben Carroll said in November that the Sierra Frontier operation resulted in the arrest of 25 people on more than 100 charges, including alleged cocaine trafficking.
Senior Sergeant Carroll said the course of the investigation had resulted in the seizure of $12,000 in illicit drugs, including cocaine, cannabis and steroids, and some $346,000 in property.
“Police had been acting on information from members of public in addition to own intelligence,” Sergeant Carroll said at the time.
Two people found dead in Gold Coast apartment
A crime scene has been declared at Miami on the Gold Coast where two people have been found dead in an apartment.
Police swarm Qld property after shots fired
Police have surrounded a rural Qld property where its understood shots have been fired, and officers are negotiating with a man inside.