Former Qld fireman Cody William James on drug trafficking, supply charges

A former Queensland fireman is facing charges of drug trafficking and supply and carrying a weapon in public after a huge police operation across Brisbane’s bayside targeting a drug racket linked to the Comancheros bikies.

A former Queensland firefighter who claimed to love community safety has been charged in a large-scale police operation targeting a drug trafficking syndicate linked to notorious bikie gang, the Comancheros.

Cody William James, 35, was in June 2019 celebrated in an internal Queensland Fire and Emergency Services magazine as he was nearing five years with the organisation.

Yesterday, it was revealed that James was arrested and charged as part of a 10-month police operation targeting the supply and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamines, MDMA and cannabis across Brisbane’s bayside.

Former Queensland firefighter Cody William James is facing six drug-related charges.

James was charged alongside 41 others, with police alleging many have strong links to the Comancheros bikie gang.

The alleged kingpin of the operation was yesterday identified as Adam Christopher White, who was once the president of the Gold Coast Bandidos before he patched over and allegedly joined the Comancheros Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.

White was charged with six offences, including two counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs – serious organised crime, one count of carrying a weapon in public, and one count of supplying dangerous drugs.

While James - who in 2019 said to Queensland’s official fire and emergency services magazine, Response, he “loves doing community safety; going to schools or visiting the elderly,” - was charged with one count of trafficking dangerous drugs, four counts of supplying dangerous drugs and two counts of unlawful supply of weapons.

He was not charged with any offences indicating he is part of the bikie gang.

A total of 42 people were charged after police executed raids as part of Operation Tango Citron.

James has previously spoken about his love for his job with QFES, and how he hopes to inspire children to follow in his footsteps.

“It’s great to be able to go to schools and see the kids’ eyes light up and possibly inspire them to be the next generation of firefighters,” he said in the June, 2019 edition of the internal QFES magazine.

It’s understood James has since resigned from QFES, who said in a statement:

“Queensland Fire and Emergency Services is aware criminal charges have been brought against one of its former employees. As the matter is currently before the court it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

James told Response magazine helping those get through their worst times was a highlight of his job.

“Being there to help someone through what is possibly the worst day of their life is one of the rewarding parts of the job.”

James will appear in Brisbane Magistrate court on December 13 on all seven changes.