AFP investigate Qld links in massive 2.5 tonne cocaine seizure

The AFP have confirmed it is investigating Queensland links to a massive 2.5 tonnes of cocaine seizure off New Caledonia that would have been Australia’s largest ever seizure.

The AFP are investigating Queensland links to a cocaine seizure.

The Australian Federal Police has confirmed it is investigating Queensland links to a massive 2.5 tonnes of cocaine seizure off New Caledonia that would have been Australia’s largest ever seizure.

The Noumea-based French Navy seized the cocaine on June 25 about 400 nautical miles off Noumea, on a boat that left Peru in May that was en route to Australia.

Drugs were allegedly packed in 51 individual bags and authorities allege the bags were destined to go to small outboard vessels near the coast of Australia.

Seven people, two from Portugal and five from Ecuador, have been arrested and remanded in custody in New Caledonia.

AFP Commander of Investigations Northern Command, Stephen Jay, told The Courier-Mail there was a “lot of people who have lost a lot of money” relating to the shipment and the French navy and law enforcement had eliminated 2.5 tonnes of cocaine that would have otherwise hit the Australian community.

“What we’re aware is that, based on the proximity and other material, that it was likely that this shipment of cocaine was intended to make its way across on to the Queensland coast,” Commander Jay said.

“From an AFP perspective, I’m sure I speak for partner agencies, Queensland Police, ACIC (Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission), the Australian Border Force, we’re very keen to understand the Australian side of this, and that’s something obviously we’ll continue to have a close look at.

“From an organised crime perspective, there will be a lot of people who have lost a lot of money as a result of this. So we’re very keen to understand more about who organised it, and I guess look to work on that moving forward and make the most of it.”

The AFP and partner agencies in November last year seized 2.3 tonnes of cocaine off Hervey Bay, which is Australia’s largest cocaine seizure, as part of Operation Tyrrendor, resulting in the arrest of 13 people including one man they allege is a high-ranking Comanchero bikie member.

The AFP then shared intelligence on what they allege was the mother ship and French authorities in French Polynesia in December intercepted the vessel and arrested a further 14 people and seized more than 500kg of cocaine.

“What this says in relation to these two matters (from last year and this year): one’s a French matter, one was an AFP matter, there are two investigations over the course of less than 10 months, which is over five tonnes of cocaine seized either intended for the Queensland coast or seized in French Polynesia. And over 30 arrests across Australia and the French territories in the Pacific,” he said.

“So the takeaway is that is obviously that we’re very joined up with our partners in the Pacific. And the chance of people getting caught, it’s never been higher.”

Commander Jay said it was too early to say if the recent seizure off New Caledonia was linked to the November cocaine shipment.

“But we’re still keen to understand that (and) that’s definitely going to be an avenue of inquiry for us,” he said.

“The chances are that they are, they are linked, but we’re just going to have to keep an open mind at this stage, we don’t have anything definitive to say that at this point.”

In relation to the seizure off New Caledonia, Commander Jay said authorities were trying to establish the location of the landing points for the drugs in Queensland.

“I think it’s fair to say that perhaps there’s a perception that Queensland is vulnerable,” he said of transnational groups attempting to ship cocaine through coastal ports.

“I think what we would say is the results with Operation Tyrrendor has shown that we’re very joined up here, and ultimately, we’re pretty aware of what’s going on.

“It’s a big piece of coastline, but we’re pretty, pretty much across what’s coming towards our country. And although this operation was a French-led, French-executed operation, we’re very aware of boats coming to our country.

“And although the coastline of Queensland is big, an organisation like the Australian Border Force has the capability to see who’s approaching and if we see something coming, we’ll certainly be looking at it.”

Commander Jay said police were “very keen” to engage and speak with people who knew anything about the shipment.

“I mean these types of operations to procure and send that body of cocaine across the ocean, and then to have a ready, available market on the other end, you know, that is a significant operation which may have taken upwards of 12 to 18 months to pull together. So it’s a significant undertaking by the criminal networks to arrange it.

“And like I said, there will be people who have invested a lot of money, illicit funds, into this who now basically their net result is no return on their investment.”

Commander Jay said the AFP would be in contact with French authorities relating to the arrests.

“It’s a French investigation, but we will certainly reach out through our partners to get what we can because obviously we know that the cocaine was intended for Australia.

“I’m confident in due course, once the French legal system allows us to do so, we’ll get some more information in relation to that, which hopefully will help point us to who was responsible for organising it from an Australian perspective, because there will definitely be an Australian organiser.”

Originally published as AFP investigate Qld links in massive 2.5 tonne cocaine seizure