Police charge John Nikolic over Fijian drug bust

FORMER Melbourne horse trainer John Nikolic has made his first appearance in court in Fiji, facing drug and weapons charges that arose from the June 22 police bust on his luxury yacht.

John and Yvette Nikolic sailed the world on their yacht Shenanigans. Picture: Mark Stewart/ News Corp Australia

FORMER Melbourne horse trainer John Nikolic has faced Nadi Magistrates Court this afternoon on drug and weapons charges.

Just a day after he was discharged from Lautoka Hospital — where he was treated in intensive care after reportedly downing a toxic cocktail of liquid cocaine and methamphetamine — and following interrogation by Fiji police, Nikolic looked tired and weak.

John Nikolic being escorted to the Magistrates Court in Nadi. Picture: Gary Ramage

The 45 year old has been charged with one count of importation of illicit drugs, one count of unlawful possession of illicit drugs and one count of failure to declare arms and ammunitions to a customs officer.

On Wednesday of this week his wife Yvette Nikolic, 42, faced the Lautoka High Court on the same charges.

It is alleged drugs, arms and ammunitions were found on the Australian couple’s yacht Shenanigans when it was raided by Fiji authorities in Denarau Marina on June 22.

John Nikolic pictured leaving the Magistrates Court in Nadi. Picture: Gary Ramage

According to the Fiji Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) it is alleged the pair imported 12.9 kilograms of cocaine and 34.4 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine tablets, worth an estimated value of between $20 and $30 million.

It is also alleged they failed to declare one nine millimetre Smith and Wesson pistol with 62 rounds of ammunition and one revolver with 41 rounds of ammunition to customs officials.

Both John and Yvette are in custody and will face Latouka High court on July 17.

John Nikolic left the Nadi Magistrates Court, handcuffed, in an open-back truck.

Nikolic was handcuffed as he was taken in to the Magistrates Court in Nadi. Picture: Gary Ramag

MORE: John Nikolic’s miracle recovery from overdose

MORE: John and Yvette’s emotional goodbye

Last night he was grilled by police after leaving hospital following his remarkable medical recovery. The 45-year-old walked from Lautoka Hospital, a fortnight after being rushed to its intensive care unit in a coma.

His wife Yvette was charged with drug possession and importation after the raid on their luxury boat Shenanigans on June 22. She appeared in court earlier this week, where her lawyer indicated she would be applying for bail. She remains in custody in Lautoka Women’s Corrections Centre.

Drugs, including 13 bars of cocaine, 65 ecstasy tablets, and $20,000 of undeclared cash was found on board.

Meanwhile, News Corp can reveal Fijian authorities tracked the Nikolics’ yacht through the Pacific and to Denarau Marina in Fiji because it was suspicious of the sailing patterns of the vessel.

MORE: Crew member on Nikolics’ drug yacht says he ‘dodged a bullet’

MORE: Danny and Karen Nikolic at marina where seized yacht was moored

MORE: Stash allegedly found on Nikolics’ yacht revealed

John Nokolic sails through the Panama Canal on his yacht Shenanigans. Picture Facebook

Yvette Nikolic onboard the newly purchased yacht No Name, which was renamed Shenanigans.

The couple sailed the world on Shenanigans, pictured at the Denarau Marina in Fiji. The yacht has since been moved to a different location. Picture: Mark Stewart

Fiji Border Police Commanding Officer Pita Keni said the amount of time Yvette and John Nikolic were spending in each port on the journey from Colombia, through Panama, to Bora Bora and continuing through the Pacific to Fiji, aroused suspicion.

He said both the route used and the amount of time spent in ports were similar to that used by drug smugglers making their way to Australia in the past.

Fiji Customs had the ability to track vessels in waters surrounding the island nation, Mr Keni said.

“Customs monitored this boat and (took note of) clearances from other ports, and how long it was spending in other ports and the route they followed,” he said.

“Likewise … they were looking at the time they spent in those destinations. Why only two weeks in Fiji and why only a month or so in other areas and destinations they have visited? Customs have the capability to track the yachts wherever they go.”

Yvette Nikolic is being held at the Lautoka Women’s Corrections Centre in Fiji. Picture: Mark Stewart

News Corp was told by a Customs source that while the route was different, the sailing patterns of Shenanigans were similar to drug smugglers busted in Australia in 2011.

The source did not specify which drug bust.

In late 2011, Australian authorities seized nearly 300 kilograms of cocaine from a yacht on the

Queensland coast which had been tracked from Vanuatu to Australia in October.

The drugs on the yacht — called Friday Freedom — had a street value of up to $79 million and were found stashed in the hull of the yacht.

The yacht had been under close investigation by Australian Federal Police for some time because of its links to organised crime.

Yvette Nikolic at the Lautoka High Court complex. Picture: Mark Stewart

Three men were imprisoned as a result of Operation Avalon, which ultimately led to the demise of on an international drug syndicate.

That investigation spanned several countries including Vanuatu, Brazil, Spain and Australia.

News Corp is not suggesting John or Yvette Nikolic are in any way associated with this or other organised crime syndicates.

Lautoka-based human rights lawyer and high-ranking Labour Party politician Aman Ravinda-Singh said his “sources on the inside” informed him the tip-off that there could be drugs hidden on board Shenanigans came to Fiji authorities via Australian Federal Police.

The amount of time Yvette and John Nikolic were spending in each port during their journey aroused suspicion.

The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) told News Corp last week customs had “assisted with intelligence information” in finding and seizing the drugs on the Shenanigans.

“Through the profiling and targeting done by Customs Drug Enforcement Unit, it was determined that Customs needed to carry out a rummage of the yacht,” FRCS CEO Visvanath Das said.

“The search was headed by FRCS …. we extended an invitation to the Fiji police force, Biosecurity Authority of Fiji and the Ministry of Health to join us on the rummage.”

He said FRCS had dutifully exposed “a smuggling attempt”.

Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho said after the Shenanigans raid, and a seizure of a large quantity of ammunition on a New Zealand-based yacht in Savasuvu just a few days later, Fiji was quashing any notion that “a small Pacific island nation” could not effectively police its borders.

“The latest joint operation is bringing to the forefront the effectiveness of the interagency

collaboration between law enforcement agencies both here in Fiji and with international law

enforcement partner,” Gen. Qiliho said.

“The latest seizures and interceptions made at our points of entry shows the increased level of

collaboration between all agencies involved and we continue to look at ways to improve the status quo so that those involved in these illegal trades will know that our borders are being monitored.”