Ahmed Haouchar pleads guilty to $35m cocaine smuggling charge, drugs hidden in Qantas cargo

It was an audacious plan, set to bring 100kg of cocaine onto the streets of Sydney. When the drugs touched down on the tarmac at Sydney Airport, Ahmed Haouchar thought he was home and hosed. Then the cops showed up.

The brother of alleged international drug kingpin Bilal Haouchar has sensationally confessed to heading a criminal syndicate that smuggled 100kg of cocaine into Australia via cargo plane.

Crime figure Ahmed Haouchar is now facing up to life behind bars after pleading guilty to a commercial drug trafficking charge following the bungled import plan, which collapsed in spectacular style on the tarmac at Sydney Airport one fateful day in October 2023.

Court documents reveal Haouchar organised for the drugs, estimated to be worth up to $35m on the streets of Sydney, to be placed inside mail bags and loaded onto a Qantas cargo plane in South Africa.

They were flown to Sydney, where they were collected by baggage handlers Darren Bragg and Michael McPherson immediately after being removed from the plane.

The duo transferred the bags to a van being driven by Ziad El-Mustapha, whose job was to drive the drugs to an agreed pick-up point outside the terminal.

Sydney Airport worker Darren Bragg will spend at least six years and six months behind bars for his role in the importation syndicate. Picture: Facebook

Fellow airport worker Michael McPherson received a suspended jail term and will be released from custody immediately. Picture: Supplied

However, the team was unaware their every movements was being watched by federal police, who swooped on the trio, confiscating the drugs and placing each man under arrest.

Haouchar was subsequently arrested as well and all four men were charged.

Haouchar and Bragg ultimately pleaded guilty to conspiring to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug; McPherson pleaded guilty to importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug; and El-Mustapha pleaded guilty to possessing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

While Haouchar will not face sentencing until next month, his co-offenders all learned their fates in the NSW District Court on Friday.

Bragg, who Judge Penny Wass found was an “enthusiastic” and “integral” member of the syndicate, was jailed for a decade for his role in the importation.

Federal police make an arrest after swooping on the syndicate at Sydney Airport in October 2023. Picture: Australian Federal Police.

“Together with McPherson, Bragg provided the syndicate with critical, safe and seamless access to areas of Sydney Airport that would otherwise have been inaccessible and which were vital to the success of the operation,” she said.

“Bragg abused a position of significant trust … (and) played an integral role in facilitating the movement of tens of millions of dollars worth of cocaine into Australia.”

Judge Wass found Bragg was motivated by cash windfalls, noting he told a psychologist he was behind on mortgage repayments and struggling to make ends meet at the time.

Bragg will be eligible to apply for parole after serving six years and six months of his sentence.

The package containing some of the cocaine. Picture: Australian Federal Police

Meanwhile, McPherson secured a suspended jail sentence of three years, which resulted in his immediate release from custody on a recognisance bond on Friday.

Judge Wass found although McPherson was promised payment of $150,000 and a bag of cocaine, to which he was addicted at the time, his role in the syndicate had been limited and carried out under duress, with Bragg repeatedly bullying and threatening McPherson to secure his participation.

“I am satisfied that but for the lure of cocaine accompanied by the significant threats from Mr Bragg, Mr McPherson would have been much less likely to commit this offence,” she said.

El-Mustapha was also given a reduced penalty, with Judge Wass handing him an overall jail sentence of two years and nine months, which will become a suspended sentence from April 6, paving the way for his release back into the community.

Ahmed Haouchar will face sentencing in the NSW District Court next month over his role in the importation plot. Picture: Supplied

Bilal Haouchar is wanted by Australian authorities on allegations he is an international drug kingpin. Picture: Supplied

The court heard El-Mustafa was young, unemployed and had a $4000 drug debt when he was recruited to drive for the syndicate.

Judge Wass accepted his role had been very limited and he had no prior knowledge of the type of drug that was being imported, or the quantity.

“He was brought in at the last moment to carry out unloading and transportation duties,” she said.

The court heard El-Mustapha had expressed remorse over his involvement in the importation, telling a psychologist he had learned his lesson.

“If those drugs came through, it would have wrecked the community,” he said.

“I’m so sorry for my involvement. Every time I sleep, I remember what I’ve done.”

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