Inquest: Man disappeared during hunting trip used as interstate drug run

A pig hunting trip with mates during which a man disappeared in remote South West Queensland, was being used by some members of the group as an interstate drug trafficking run, a court has heard.

An inquest is being held into the disappearance of Jeremiah Rivers.

A pig hunting trip during which a man disappeared in South West Queensland, was being used by some members of the group as an interstate drug trafficking run, a court heard.

The revelations came during the first day of a five-day inquest in the Coroners Court in Brisbane into the disappearance of Jeremiah “Jayo” Rivers, who was last seen at a campsite at the remote Wippo Creek, near Noccundra, on October 18, 2021.

Mr Rivers and his kinship brother, Joe Joe Kantilla-Gaden, arranged a trip home to the Northern Territory in October 2021 from Balranald in NSW, where they had been living.

Their friend Matthew Moore joined them on the interstate pig hunting trip, as did Mr Moore’s friends from Victoria – Travis Clare, Dylan Thomas, Joel McMaster and Kane Toohey.

The inquest heard the group set off from Balranald and drove more than 1000km across the Queensland-NSW border to Wippo Creek in South West Queensland.

Jeremiah Rivers in photos released by police.

Covid-19 border closures were in place and the interstate border crossing gate was locked. The men cut the chain with a saw and allegedly illegally entered, the inquest was told.

Mr Kantilla-Gaden, Jayo’s kinship brother, was the inquest’s first witness on Monday. Midway through, the inquest adjourned.

Upon resumption, Coroner Donald MacKenzie said during the break Mr Kantilla-Gaden had admitted to knowing about the smuggling of cannabis from Victoria to the Northern Territory. Mr Kantilla-Gaden has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Coroner MacKenzie said Mr Kantilla-Gaden’s testimony was given under special legal protections, so it cannot be used against him in any potential criminal proceedings.

Coroner MacKenzie said Mr Kantilla-Gaden only became aware of the drugs at Wippo Creek after Jayo had disappeared. He said other members of the group told him.

The inquest heard one of the Victorian men, Travis Clare, was carrying three pounds or more of cannabis in the car he was travelling in. The inquest also heard the plan was to sell the drugs in the communities in Darwin, for a total of around $72,000.

Police searching for missing man, Jeremiah Rivers.

Mr Kantilla-Gaden said he did not believe Jayo ever knew about the cannabis.

All group members are due to testify at the inquest this week, it is expected all will be asked about the cannabis smuggling allegation. No criminal charges have been laid.

Prior to the drug smuggling claim, Mr Kantilla-Gaden said some of the men had been drinking alcohol and smoking methamphetamine throughout their multi-day drive.

One effect of the drug was that those who had smoked it had been awake for four days by the time they arrived at Wippo Creek about 7am on October 18, the inquest heard.

Mr Kantilla-Gaden said they killed a pig soon after arriving at Wippo Creek. Mr Kantilla-Gaden told the court he then set up his tent because he was exhausted from the effects of the ice and alcohol, but Jayo wanted to continue hunting for more wild pigs.

“I told him to have a rest, I said: ‘Surely you must be feeling it?’” Mr Kantilla-Gaden said.

“And he (Jayo) said: ‘You’re getting more like Mum’.”

The inquest heard Jayo meant Mr Kantilla-Gaden was “worrying too much”.

Mr Kantilla-Gaden also recounted to the inquest his final conversation with Jayo at the Wippo Creek campsite before Jayo went off for a swim and was never seen again.

“I told him to have a rest (instead of swimming),’” Mr Kantilla-Gaden said.

“I said: ‘If anything happens here, it’s going to come back to me, and it’s going to come back to me 10 times harder’.

Mr Kantilla-Gaden then went to sleep. When he woke, Jayo was nowhere to be found.

An eight-day search was conducted involving police officers, police divers, SES volunteers, local volunteers, aircraft, thermal imaging, ATVs, and trail bikes. Nothing was found.

The inquest resumes on Tuesday.