Ex-stripper Matthew Hodder allegedly lured into ‘parasite smuggling’ scheme

A Melbourne stripper allegedly donned scuba gear to help retrieve a massive cocaine haul as part of a deadly global “parasite” drug smuggling scheme.

The Runabout launching off Newport last September did not seem the kind of boat to be part of any major international drug conspiracy.

But in the age of “parasite smuggling”, hands-off traffickers try to ensure the coast is clear before moving to collect drugs hidden in or on the hulls of big cargo vessels.

Police believe those aboard the unexceptional 5.2m boat sent out from Newport, in Melbourne’s west, were on a special mission.

Their theory is that it was used to check for law enforcement interest in the Spirit of Auckland, docked a few kilometres away, and with 91kg of cocaine in the hull.

For whatever reason – possibly because conspirators were spooked – the drugs were not collected.

Nine days later, the Spirit of Auckland was docked at Port Chalmers, near Dunedin, on the New Zealand South Island.

It was here that the Melbourne interest on what was on board was allegedly renewed.

Matthew Hodder was allegedly trying to retrieve the shipment. Picture: Instagram

Hodder performed under the name ‘Matty Thunder’. Picture: Instagram

A Melbourne stripper by the name of Matthew Hodder, who works under the name Matty Thunder, was arrested near the Spirit.

He and Portuguese national Carlos Davide Ferreira Sampaio were allegedly caught scuba-diving to retrieve the cocaine on behalf of a transnational crime syndicate.

Arrest is not the only risk for those retrieving drugs.

Brazilian national Bruno Borges was flown in to retrieve 50kg of cocaine from the hull of a vessel in Newcastle Harbour in May last year.

The 31-year-old died on the banks of the Hunter River after the assignment went horribly wrong.

Two Norwegian nationals faced court last month after being arrested when they allegedly tried to collect 82kg of cocaine attached to a hull in a pre-dawn scuba operation in Newcastle.

82kg of cocaine was found stuck to the bottom of the Cyprus-flagged bulk carrier Stalo in Newcastle. Supplied AFP

Commander Bjorn Roberts of Australian Border Force said organised crime groups were spending tens of thousands of dollars on the retrieval work, bringing in overseas divers and buying expensive specialist equipment.

They zero in on associates and the vulnerable, use payment or extortion to persuade them to do the heavy lifting.

“Once you’re in, you’re in,” Commander Roberts said.

Commander Kate Ferry of the Australian Federal Police said there were a multitude of potential pitfalls for those involved in retrieval.

They included the threat of repercussions from syndicate masterminds if things turned sour, long prison terms if caught and the danger of trying to make the pick-ups at night in the inky waters of shipping zones.

Commander Ferry said there was peril for even the highly-trained divers with a great level of expertise.

“It (the cargo) is heavy and there are tools involved in taking it out of the vessel. It is really dangerous,” she said.