Bodybuilding council worker accused of running major $175m cocaine lab

A Gold Coast Council worker and bodybuilder’s alleged secret life as the ringleader of a major cocaine ring with links to a Colombian drug cartel has been exposed in explosive court claims.

A Gold Coast Council worker accused of heading a major cocaine manufacturing syndicate with links to a Colombian drug cartel was on a “mid-career break” at the time of the alleged offence.

Well-known lifeguard and bodybuilder, Rhys Alwyn Ferszt, 33, has been employed by Gold Coast City Council since December 5, 2006, and currently holds a position as a full-time roads and drainage officer.

It is alleged he is the ringleader of a massive cocaine manufacturing operation and orchestrated the construction of a $250,000 cocaine laboratory in the regional town of Durong, where police recently found 100kg of pure extracted cocaine.

It is further alleged he stored fuels and chemicals needed to extract cocaine in a business residence in Varsity Lakes and provided “instructions and advice” to other men, teaching them how to extract cocaine.

The AFP allege Rhys Alwyn Ferszt played an organising role in the cocaine operation.

Following a major AFP bust, Mr Ferszt was arrested in the Northern Territory on July 21 and charged alongside nine others.

He faces one count of conspiracy to manufacture a commercial quantity of controlled drugs between May 25 and July 21, 2022, and could face an 18-year jail sentence if found guilty.

He applied for bail on Friday at the Brisbane Supreme Court after being denied bail at his first court appearance in Darwin on July 25.

Mr Ferszt’s defence counsel Michael Gatenby told the court that part of the prosecution material aimed at showing whether Ferszt had access to “substantial” amounts of illegitimate money was inconsistent with his own material.

He said Mr Ferszt had access to a legitimate source of income and had simply taken a break from his full-time job with the Gold Coast City Council while in the NT, a role which he planned to return to if granted bail.

Justice Declan Kelly found the claim was substantiated through a letter tendered to the court directly from the council, confirming Mr Ferszt was on paid leave during the alleged time of offending.

Rhys Ferszt was a Gold Coast City lifeguard before becoming a road and drainage officer. Picture: Jono Searle

The crown prosecution went on to allege that Mr Ferszt was the ringleader of a large cocaine manufacturing group in Australia, with international links to a drug cartel.

It was further alleged Ferszt in April bought a property at Durong, where he paid a man $250,000 to erect a large shed in June, later found to be a “cocaine laboratory” used to cut up to 700kg of cocaine with a street value of up to $175m.

He also allegedly oversaw teaching processes and provided instructions and advice to other men to carry out cocaine extraction while distancing himself from the Durong lab.

On June 8, it is alleged Mr Ferszt and two other men travelled to the laboratory and packed 11 bricks of cocaine into a barbecue before taking it to Brisbane to be repacked into two fridges.

One of the men then took the fridges but was intercepted by NSW police.

AFP officers executed multiple search warrants on July 21 and found the cocaine laboratory shed at Durong, as well as cocaine extracting equipment, 100kg of cocaine, acids and chemicals used to extract cocaine and $1.7m in cash hidden in a duffle bag.

Mr Ferszt’s NT residence was also searched, with police uncovering steroids, rifles,$60,000 cash, a paper shredder and anotepad with titles such as “Aus, Key, Overflow, and Stash Bag.”

Mr Ferszt was subsequently arrested and extradited from the Northern Territory to Queensland, where he has since been remanded in custody.

The crown prosecution on Friday opposed Mr Ferszt’s bail application, arguing he was a flight risk and at risk of reoffending or interfering with case witnesses.

But Mr Gatenby counter-argued that bail was appropriate and that his client was not a flight risk, would report to police Monday to Friday, surrender his passport and offer $200,000 surety.

Former swimmer and Gold Coast lifeguard Rhys Ferszt (right), now a muscle-bound bodybuilder, was dramatically arrested by federal agents outside a gym in Darwin. Picture: Instagram

“There’s just nothing that suggests that there is an acceptable risk of committing further offences,” Mr Gatenby told the court.

“He demonstrates a pattern of remaining in the community … he’s been a person who’s able to get up in the morning, go to the gym, do those (sporting) things and in my submission who can comply with the rigours of reporting to police.

“He’s offering a surety, he’s handing in his passport, he’s living in a community where he’s got full time employment and he’s in a stable relationship. And he’s offering to submit to fairly significant reporting obligations.”

Justice Kelly said the crown had a “strong” case but decided to grant the bail application, saying he was satisfied with its conditions.

“I've reached the view that I am satisfied with the conditions proposed by the applicant can adequately address the risk with regard to any graduate bail,” Justice Kelly said.

Defence lawyer Michael Gatenby and Mr Ferszt’s mother and partner attend the first court appearance of Rhys Ferszt and Benjamin Williams for cocaine importation at Darwin Local court. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“The circumstances are not satisfied that there is an unacceptable risk posed by the release of the applicant on bail on the conditions which he has proposed.

“I will therefore make an order in terms of the draft.”

Mr Ferszt will be subject to strict bail conditions, including the banning of encrypted apps on his phone and an agreement that he must provide bail officers passwords and full access to his phone at any given time upon request.

A City of Gold Coast spokesperson said: “We do not comment on staffing matters.”