Keenan Mickley and Taj Mickley charged with attempting to import 50kg of cocaine

The award-winning boss of a northern beaches mortgage brokerage and his son have been charged over an alleged attempt to import $16m of cocaine from Vietnam.

The home loan principal of an LJ Hooker real estate franchise has been charged, alongside his son, over an alleged attempt to import cocaine worth more than $16m from Vietnam hidden inside an industrial generator.

The Australian Federal Police charged Keenan Mickley, 48, and his son Taj Mickley, 23, with attempting to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled substance over the alleged discovery in August 2024.

“Officers at Port Botany identified anomalies in an industrial generator during a routine inspection of sea cargo from Vietnam,” an AFP spokeswoman said.

“Upon further examination of the machinery, Australian Border Force officers identified a powdered substance which returned a presumptive reading for cocaine.”

AFP forensic investigators deconstructed the generator, where they allegedly found 50kg of cocaine which could have been sold as 250,000 individual street deals for an estimated value of $16.25m.

Keenan Mickley, 48.

Taj Mickley, 23.

The AFP conducted a controlled delivery of the machinery to an industrial complex on Sydney’s northern beaches, having allegedly identified Keenan Mickley as the lessee.

“Police also allegedly found evidence the man made overseas cash transfers to a known criminal facilitator, and recently travelled to Vietnam,” the AFP spokeswoman said.

The machinery allegedly bought to dismantle the generator. Picture: AFP

“On September 30, AFP officers allegedly observed the 48-year-old and his son, 23, attempting to access a compartment in the generator where the drugs had been hidden.”

Police will further allege the men departed the industrial complex twice to buy angle grinders and associated materials from a nearby hardware store.

The pair were subsequently arrested and charged.

The drugs allegedly found in the generator. Picture: AFP

Neither appeared on screen at Downing Centre Local Court yesterday, with solicitor Abbas Soukie confirming they would remain in custody on remand prior to an anticipated bail application on October 8.

Keenan Mickley is the principal of LJ Hooker Home Loans Northern Beaches, describing himself as a “long term area local” with “a strong understanding of the Northern Beaches property market”.

The pair were arrested. Picture: AFP

He is also a registered player agent, under the NRL accredited agents’ scheme, through his business, Beaches Sports Management.

Taj Mickley describes himself online as a rugby league player, with the high point of his career appearing to be a stint with the Wests Tigers’ Jersey Flegg side in 2020.

AFP Acting Inspector Alex Drummond said the arrests testified to the relentless work of the AFP and its partners.

“Criminals, no matter their relationships, will go to great lengths to smuggle drugs into Australia, and this matter is an example of that,” Acting Insp Drummond said, speaking generally.

“Those people involved in drug importations do not care about the harm they cause to

“Those people involved drug importations do not care about the harm they cause to Australian

communities – from the violence between rival dealers that put innocent communities at risk, to the drug-driving crashes and the thousands of drug-related hospital admissions.”

ABF Inspector Marc Rea said federal agency collaboration has continued to disrupt these criminal syndicate’s business models.

“Criminal actors will attempt to circumvent border controls in whatever way possible, they do not care about the Australian lives they are risking when doing so,” Insp Rea said.

“Our officers at any of our sea, air, or mail facilities work daily to ensure we are stopping the

scourge of illicit drugs reaching our shores.”

Inquiries into the syndicate offshore are continuing.

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