Three charged over one-tonne meth haul on yacht
Three men have been charged after being arrested in Brisbane over a connection to a massive methamphetamine stash found on a yacht. WATCH THE VIDEO AND SEE THE PICS
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Three men charged with attempting to import a tonne of Mexican methamphetamine into Australia by yacht have been remanded in custody in Brisbane.
Two men from the United Kingdom and an American man are alleged to have offloaded the drugs from a yacht onto another boat in waters off Norfolk Island.
Matthew Adam Carter, 37, and Charles James Glenny, 53, from the United Kingdom, and Braeton Hunter Mitchell, 30, from the United States, were before Brisbane Magistrates Court today.
Commonwealth prosecutor, Suki Bloom, said the men were intercepted at Brisbane International Airport on Friday.
Australian Federal Police allege authorities first became suspicious of the men back in April, when their boat, named Mo’Chuisle, was spotted in the Pacific by New Caledonian authorities. The men said they had sailed from Mexico.
Authorities in New Caledonia determined the yacht had been in waters near Norfolk Island prior to sailing to New Caledonia, it is alleged.
Australian Federal Police allege a second yacht - the La Fayette - had met the three men in waters off Norfolk Island, where a tonne of meth was moved from one boat to the other.
It will be alleged Carter, Glenny and Mitchell had sailed the meth from Mexico, before it was transferred to the La Fayette.
The La Fayette, with a crew of two men, then sailed towards Australia, until the yacht was intercepted by a NSW Police vessel near Lake Macquarie.
Police allegedly found hundreds of kilos of drugs on board, separated into blocks that were wrapped in plastic.
The crew of the La Fayette, a New Zealand man, 33, and a man, 35, with dual UK/South African citizenship, were arrested on board in April.
They were charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs.
Carter, Glenny and Mitchell were charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, after their arrest in Brisbane on Friday.
They did not apply for bail in Brisbane Magistrates Court today.
Carter, who appeared via video link from Brisbane Watchhouse, asked for an adjournment shorter than the six weeks proposed by the Commonwealth prosecutor.
“We spent six weeks in New Caledonia and we’ve just spent five weeks in the Solomon Islands,” Carter said.
Ms Bloom told Brisbane Magistrates Court two others had been separately charged in NSW over the alleged drug importation.
She said originally it was thought Carter, Glenny and Mitchell would be extradited to NSW, but Queensland charges were commenced, because of COVID-19 restrictions.
She said their cases could still be heard in NSW. Temporary visas were being arranged for the three men.
The three men were remanded in custody, with their cases adjourned until August 21.
“It will be alleged in court that the three men were responsible for delivering the methamphetamine from Mexico to the crew of the La Fayette for importation into Australia,” an AFP statement said.
“This operation has delivered a significant blow to organised criminal groups attempting to operate in Australia,” AFP Easter Command Commander Investigations Kirsty Schofield said.
“These arrests should serve as yet another warning to these syndicates attempting to import drugs and harm our communities.
“Despite COVID-19, we’re not only onto you, we are two steps ahead of you.”
The investigation was a joint effort between AFP, NSW Police and the Australian Border Force.
ABF Superintendent Garry Low said they would continue to work together to keep drugs out of the country.
“Regardless of how criminal syndicates try to bring illicit substances into Australia, whether it’s through our airports, international mail or by sea, ABF officers will find them,” he said.