How criminals smuggle cocaine across Australian borders

Former law enforcement officers have spoken out about how crime syndicates are getting cocaine through Australian borders.

Crooked customs officers, baggage handlers and waterfront workers are enabling the movement of cocaine through Australian borders, especially at Sydney’s Port Botany terminal according to a number of former law enforcement bosses.

Organised crime syndicates have so much information flowing to them they often know when their shipments have been detected by authorities and will write the shipment off as the cost of doing businesses.

Former law enforcement bosses said corrupt customs officers, baggage handlers and waterfront workers are enabling the movement of cocaine through Australian borders, especially at Sydney’s Port Botany terminal. Picture: AFP

Look-outs and wharfies are employed to watch if containers are targeted by Australian Border Officials or moved to be X-rayed.

“The crooks know the way the ports work and law enforcement methods,’’ said Roman Quaedvlieg, former boss of the Australian Border Force.

“At Port Botany it is common knowledge that there are ‘cockatoos’ looking to see if containers, after being unloaded, are moved to the x-ray facility.”

The practise was so blatant authorities erected boarding to block any line of sight into the wharf.

“There is an entire ecosystem on the wharf where there are many people who are vulnerable and open to being corrupted,’’ Mr Quaedvlieg said.

Former Australian Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg. Picture: AAP

Workers in customs clearing houses, stevedore employees all have access to information which can be used by crime syndicates to facilitate the movement of cocaine through the ports.

Anyone who can facilitate the safe passage of drugs through cargo ports, airports and mail exchanges are referred to as “doors’’.

There is currently a major investigation into a NSW-based unit of the Australian Border Force with fears it has been compromised by criminals.

Mr Quaedvlieg said many of these people were approached or became known to crime syndicates through social settings and then targeted.

“It can creep up on them and before they know it they are part of the syndicate,’’ he said.

The problem is rife at Sydney Airport and mail exchanges where cocaine is also smuggled in.

In 2011, the NSW Police and the federal police set up a joint task force called Polaris. It concentrated exclusively on targeting the importation of drugs through the ports and airports.

Nick Bingham was the former boss of the joint task force, Polaris. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

In five years it uncovered systematic corruption including crooked customs officers, waterfront workers as well as confiscating millions of dollars in drugs.

“The movements of large amounts of cocaine is still done mainly through the ports,’’ former Polaris boss Nick Bingham said.

“For years corruption has facilitated the movement of tonnes of drugs and the joint task force made inroads into that corruption.”

Powderkeg is a groundbreaking investigation into the nation’s cocaine fixation.

Despite increased automation and anti-corruption measures drug importations are going on unabated and in increasing amounts.

“It will go on forever, but you need to have a joint task force to have any chance of reducing it,’’ Mr Bingham said.

“As soon as you take off the scrutiny, which Polaris applied, corruption will re-occur.”

* Watch Australia’s Cocaine Crisis Sunday 7.30pm on Sky News.