Gold Coast pilot John Charles White in lockup after his role in alleged bikie drug trafficking ring

GOLD Coast Sports Flying Club members have been left shocked after a member of eight years was charged in relation to a bikie drug trafficking ring.

FOR the past eight years John Charles White was just another member at the Gold Coast Sports Flying Club.

The 67-year-old would go to the Jacobs Well airstrip once a week, “always willing to give a helping hand”, fly his plane and then go home.

But this week his alleged secret life was exposed when detectives intercepted his plane on the tarmac at Deniliquin Airport in southern NSW, where they say they found 45kg of cannabis and 4kg of a precursor to the drug “ice”.

A Jacobs Well pilot was arrested in massive cross border drug raids this week. Photo: Supplied.

White is one of 11 people charged in relation to an ­alleged bikie drug trafficking ring spanning three states.

Police raided White’s Eagleby home, post office box and his hangar at the flying club on Wednesday afternoon, much to the shock of his fellow club members.

Vice-president Malcolm Aldred said White was a “nice bloke” willing to help any fellow member.

“It was a bit of a shock,” Mr Aldred said.

“The police called me late Wednesday afternoon to make sure they had the right hangar to search.”

“He was always just a normal bloke, just like any other member.”

Police raids uncovered 45kg of cannabis in a plane which is usually stored at the Gold Coast Sports Flying Club at Jacobs Well.

Mr Aldred said the Sting plane White flew was modern and lightweight.

“Without a passenger in it you could carry a lot of extra weight load,” he said. White has been charged with two counts of supply large commercial quantities of drugs as part of a cross-border operation involving SA, NSW and Queensland police.

Taskforce Maxima’s Detective Inspector David Cove said the pilot was the only Queensland link to the trafficking ring, which allegedly transported drugs between NSW and South Australia.

Members of the Descendants and Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gangs were also charged.

In the past eight months, police have uncovered links to outlaw motorcycle gang activity in SA as part of the cross-border operation.

The plane which was raided at the Deniliquin Airport. Photo: Supplied NSW Police.

Insp Cove said White was not a bikie, but was alleged to be a business associate who had entered into a commercial arrangement with gang members.

White appeared in the ­Deniliquin Local Court yesterday. He did not apply for bail and will appear again via video link on September 8 at Griffith Local Court.