South African man charged with importing 68kg of cocaine into Sydney
A South African company director is accused of trying to import nearly 70kg of cocaine in packages emblazoned with the image of South American communist icon and guerrilla leader Che Guevera.
A South African company director is accused of trying to import nearly 70kg of cocaine in packages emblazoned with the image of South American communist icon and guerrilla leader Che Guevera.
Prima Bella Australia director Paul Finlayson, 45, was arrested on Tuesday at a Campbelltown industrial complex allegedly trying to flee after realising that a crate laden with $34 million worth of cocaine had been tampered with.
“It look line (sic) thos (sic) have been opened (sic),” he allegedly texted a friend.
Australian Border Protection intercepted the drugs at Port Botany, concealed inside crates carrying wooden furniture, which arrived from South Africa on April 8.
Officers found 61 packages of cocaine inside the shipment with Guevera’s image on them.
On April 16, police delivered the crates to Prima Bella Australia’s Campbelltown warehouse.
Police are investigating whether there were previous drug imports as the Department of Foreign Affairs importation list reveals Prima Bella Australia had 15 shipments since January 16 — 13 of which were listed as wooden furniture.
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Police facts allege Finlayson flew back into Australia on Monday.
The following day he allegedly went to Bunnings and bought a power saw, gloves and screwdriver.
After midday he went to the Campbelltown warehouse, which is listed as the place of business for Prima Bella Australia, court documents allege.
He allegedly spent 70 minutes trying to open the crates.
“He removed the screws from the side and using a crowbar he lifted a corner of the crate floor,” the police facts allege.
“He then sent a text to an unknown person which stated ‘it look line (sic) thos (sic) have been opned (sic)’.” The facts allege he left the warehouse, hopped in his car and tried to leave before being arrested at the gate of the industrial complex, on Tuesday.
Yesterday Finlayson did not appear in the dock or apply for bail in Campbelltown Local Court. He will remain behind bars until he reappears tomorrow.
He is facing the possibility of life in prison if convicted of importing commercial quantity of border controlled drug and possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawful import.
Detective Chief Inspector Damian Beaufils said police were investigating whether there were previous imports.
“We have evidence that he was coming in and out of the country over a period of time, since 2016,” he said.
“We are not sure if there were previous imports.
“There were a number of crates at the site, which indicated they had imported a number of times.
“We did brief this person at length and he has given us a couple of leads.”
Det Insp Beaufils said pasting images of the South American communist icon and guerrilla leader to some of the cocaine blocks was a marketing tool.
“They can print anything on it that makes it look better or worse than it is,” he said.
Border Force superintendent Garry Low said the concealment was sophisticated, with more workmanship going into the wooden crates than the furniture inside.
“South Africa is not known for cocaine manufacturing so that forms part of our investigation,” he said.
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