Olympian Nathan Baggaley among those charged in connection to alleged plot to import 600kg of cocaine
A former Olympian has been identified as the 43-year-old man charged over an alleged plot to import nearly 600kgs of cocaine.
QLD News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
OLYMPIC dual silver medallist Nathan Baggaley is facing the possibility of life in prison over a bungled plot to allegedly import more than $150 million of cocaine.
The former kayaking world champion was charged after Queensland Police raided his Byron Bay home and an associated business yesterday.
Police allege the 43-year-old played a key role in arranging the importation and organising payment for a boat too collect nearly 600kg of cocaine.
The boat was intercepted off the coast of Northern NSW in July last year.
Nathan’s younger brother Dru Anthony Baggaley, 37, and Anthony Trevor Draper, 54 were on board when they were spotted by a Navy vessel.
Police allege they began throwing the contraband overboard but were later detained.
A Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce began investigating Nathan following the arrest of his brother.
Police said the raid on Nathan’s home in exclusive Byron Bay netted cash, “white powder” and encrypted mobile phones.
He was charged with aiding or abetting the importation of drugs and a Byron Bay Magistrate ordered his extradition to Queensland. Nathan will appear in Brisbane Magistrate’s Court today.
The allegations continue the fall in grace for the former international kayaking star.
Nathan competed at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 before winning the World Championship in 2002 and 2003.
He scored two silver medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, making him the first Australian to win multiple canoeing medals at one Games.
However in 2005 he was banned from competition for two years after testing positive to steroids.
Detective Superintendent Jon Wacker, from the Drug and Serious Crime Group, yesterday said the taskforce was disrupting serious and organised crime.
“We will leave no stone unturned to stop dangerous drugs impacting on the Australian community,” he said.
The taskforce comprises members of Queensland Police, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Border Force, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre and the Australian Taxation Office.
Originally published as Olympian Nathan Baggaley among those charged in connection to alleged plot to import 600kg of cocaine
The Olympic stadium Palaszczuk didn’t want is back
An Olympic stadium rejected by the Palaszczuk government is back and being spruiked as a cheaper, quicker and “vastly superior” alternative to Victoria Park.
‘Ice cold, eyes wide open’: Hero son’s relentless CPR saved Dad’s life
A Brisbane father has been given a second chance at life after his hero son kept his heart beating with relentless CPR until paramedics arrived after he suffered a heart attack at home.