Ex-Olympian Nathan Baggaley faces cocaine charge

Nathan Baggaley faces life imprisonment after being charged over an attempt to import­ almost 600kg of cocaine into Australia.

Olympic kayaker Nathan Baggaley has been charged over an attempt to import nearly 600kg of cocaine. Picture: Queensland Police

Olympic kayaker Nathan Baggaley faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment after being charged over an attempt to import­ almost 600kg of cocaine into Australia.

The 43-year-old Olympic dual silver medallist was arrested by members of the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce at his home in Byron Bay yesterday and charged with aiding and abetting the importation.

It comes after his younger brother, Dru Baggaley, and co-­accused Anthony Draper were arrested after trying to outrun a Navy patrol vessel in a six-metre inflatable boat east of Byron Bay in July last year.

Police allege Dru Baggaley and Draper threw the stash of drugs — estimated to be worth up to $176 million — overboard. The retrieved packages contained just over 587kg of cocaine, police say.

Nathan Baggaley had his leg in a cast and was using crutches when he was escorted from his home by police yesterday.

He appeared in the Byron Bay Local Court, where magistrate Geoff Dunlevy ordered he be extradited to Queensland to face court today.

The taskforce includes officers from the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Queensland Police Service and the Australian Criminal Intellig­ence Commission.

“We are proud to have stopped 587kg of cocaine from hitting Australian streets, and we remain determined to bring everyone involved­ in this plot to account,” AFP acting Detective Superintendent Melissa Northam said in a statement.

Baggaley won two silver medals at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 and was a three-time world champion.

Detective Superintendent Jon Wacker from the Queensland Police Service’s Drug and Serious­ Crime Group said law-enforcement agencies would “leave no stone unturned to stop dangerous drugs impacting on the Aust­ralian community”.