Fijian national charged after 50kg of cocaine worth $17.5m allegedly intercepted

A FIJIAN national has been charged with trying to allegedly smuggle 50kg of cocaine worth $17.5m in shipment of bottled water.

A FIJIAN national who allegedly attempted to import 50kg of cocaine hidden in bottled water will remain behind bars until Wednesday.

John Kaurasi, 29, did not apply for bail in Parramatta Court today after he was charged following a raid in Hurstville last week.

Kaurasi was arrested yesterday and later charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs contrary to section 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The Australian Federal Police will allege Kaurasi was responsible for preparing the shipment allegedly worth $17.5 million for export in Fiji before travelling to Australia to collect it.

The cargo drew the suspicions of Australian Boarder Force (ABF) officers last week who allegedly uncovered the cocaine before alerting the Australian Federal Police.

Officers allegedly discovered 50kg of cocaine concealed in a shipment of bottled water. Picture: Australian Border Force

Officers executed a search warrant on a Hurstville property in Sydney’s south on Wednesday, allegedly seizing “a number of electronic items and other material related to the importation of the consignment”.

“Unfortunately, we continue to see large quantities of drugs being sent to Australia and criminals use all sorts of concealment methods to try and beat our border processes,” ABF Regional Commander Danielle Yannopoulos said.

The cocaine has an alleged street value of $17.5 million.

A 29-year-old Fijian national has been charged over the alleged shipment.

“Using a mix of intelligence, officer skill and intuition, and our recently upgraded x-ray technology, we are more than capable of detecting these drugs long before they can make it into the Australian community.”

AFP investigations are continuing with officers working to identify the drug’s intended recipients.

“This is an example of how Australian law enforcement works to keep illicit drugs off our streets and out of our homes,” the AFP’s Manager of Organised Crime, Commander Bruce Hill said.

“We hope it sends a message that, if you’re thinking of importing illicit drugs to Australia, it’s simply not worth the risk. We will catch you eventually.”

Kaurasi will face court again on Wednesday.