Story of drug ship Pong Su like a Hollywood movie

The story of the Pong Su could be a Hollywood movie, but the attempt to smuggle 150kg of heroin ashore from a North Korean freighter was all to real — and it happened on the Surf Coast.

North Korean-owned freighter Pong Su sits rusting away in Sydney Harbour in 2004

The story of the Pong Su could be a Hollywood movie.

An isolated stretch of the Surf Coast was the site of an audacious drug smuggling attempt involving the North Korean freighter.

On April 15, 2003, a group of men who had travelled to Australia from Asia in the preceding weeks tried to smuggle ashore 150kg of heroin from the Pong Su, which was waiting for them offshore at Boggaley Creek, near Wye River.

A dingy was used to transport the illegal cargo from the ship, but rough seas and a fuel problem saw the small vessel capsize, leading to the drowning death of one man who was never identified.

Despite the disaster, most of the drugs made it ashore. However, they would not go much further.

Authorities had been monitoring the smuggling operation for weeks as part of Operation Sorbet after receiving tip-offs from overseas. The intelligence gathered meant authorities were ready to swoop on the men who made up the shore party.

Bringing the crew of the Pong Su into custody proved more difficult. After a four day chase along the coast of Australia, the Pong Su was intercepted by Navy warship HMAS Stuart and brought into port in Sydney.

Frame grabs of the Pong Su being sunk off Jervis Bay. Picture: Channel 10.

The ship’s crew was arrested and detained, but the majority were deported after a judge found there was insufficient evidence against them to stand trial.

The four senior members of the crew, however, were kept in Australia to face court for the heroin importation.

The prosecution argued it was inconceivable that senior crew members didn’t know about the drugs on board considering the value of the haul but was unable to convince the court of the fact.

A handcuffed crew member of the ship Pong Su.

The four men were eventually found not guilty and were later deported back to North Korea. What fate awaited them is unknown.

The men who made up the shore party didn’t have as much luck in the court. They were found guilty for their roles in the operation and were given sentences between 22 and 24 years.

On March 23, 2006, three years after the ship entered Australian waters, the Pong Su was sunk off Jervis Bay in New South Wales.

Missiles fired from four F-111s slammed into the vessel in a none-too-subtle message that Australian authorities would do all they could to protect the country from illegal drug importation.

Originally published as Story of drug ship Pong Su like a Hollywood movie