Police have uncovered 70kg of cocaine on a luxury yacht moored at Coomera overnight
POLICE have swooped on a Coomera marina overnight where 70kg of cocaine was found during a raid of a moored yacht.
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UPDATE: Three men applying for bail over their alleged involvement in the cocaine bust will have their matter heard tomorrow.
The men, charged with attempt to possess an imported drug, remain in custody.
EARLIER: POLICE have swooped on a Coomera marina this overnight where 70kg of cocaine was found during a raid of a moored yacht.
Australian Federal Police conducted the targeted raid with help the Australian Bordering Force and Queensland Police teams, including the Major Organised Crime Squad.
Crews raided ‘The Solay’ last night which was allegedly involved in transporting large quantities of cocaine from South America to Australia.
It’s alleged an Estonian skipper departed Vanuatu aboard the cocaine-packed vessel on August 15 en route to Queensland.
Police say he docked nine days later in Coomera on the Gold Coast and met with a 58-year-old UK national, before the pair bought tools and cracked open the concealed drug haul.
They then allegedly met with three Australian men in the Dreamworld car park where police busted them with 40kg of cocaine.
A further 30kg was later found concealed in the yacht’s cavities.
The UK and Estonian men are now facing drug importation charges and the three Australians possession of a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border controlled drug.
“I believe it is the largest cocaine seizure we’ve had in Queensland,” Detective Superintendent Jon Wacker said.
He said the cocaine was likely intended for a high-end clientele, given its purity level of more than 80 per cent.
The drugs have an estimated street value of more than $17 million, he said.
AFP Manager Organised Crime Commander David Stewart said the bust would be a “huge setback” for the international syndicate and likely curb the supply of cocaine throughout the east coast of Australia.
“Organised crime is actually a global enterprise,” he said.
Retired boatie John Duncan, 60, watched from the deck of his house boat as federal police and biosecurity officers stormed ‘The Solay’ around 6pm in Coomera last night.
Authorities recovered 70kg of cocaine from the yacht at Boat Works marina after an extensive joint investigation between Australian Federal Police and the Queensland Police Service.
It is understood authorities were watching the men for more than a day and set up a roadblock to catch them moving the cocaine.
Mr Duncan said he became suspicious of the men yesterday when he noticed they were “pretending” to work.
“The older well dressed guy would tell the others to clean but I noticed they were just pretending.
“They didn’t look like boaties either, it was really suss.
“I wasn’t surprised when all the police came by. They asked me to move my boat but this is where I live.”
Five people have been arrested and will appear in Southport Magistrates Court today.
More information to come.
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