Police search Cape Schanck for remains of missing Colombian student

Police are searching an area of the Mornington Peninsula in a bid to find the remains of a missing Colombian student suspected of being involved with figures in Melbourne’s cocaine trade.

Police are searching Cape Schanck for a missing Colombian student. Picture: Bruce St Clair

Police are searching an area of Cape Schanck as part of their investigation into the disappearance and alleged murder of Colombian student Sergio Cuesta who went missing in 2023.

The search, taking place over Thursday and Friday, will focus on an area near the Gunnamatta Surf Club in an effort to finally locate the 28-year-old’s remains.

Police said the Missing Persons Squad had conducted a number of searches in the area in an effort to locate Sergio in the past year and a half to no avail.

Missing Colombian man Sergio Cuesta.

Mr Cuesta, who was on drug trafficking charges at the time of his disappearance, was last seen when he was dropped off by a male friend on Jabiru Drive in Chelsea Heights.

A worried female associate reported him missing five days later as her attempts to contact Mr Cuesta were unsuccessful.

Four people were later arrested in 2024 for his alleged murder including Mt Eliza man Michael Frankland along with three Queenslanders, Jared Baker from Logan Reserve and Hubba Paul and Sarah Tilley, both from Flagstone.

Mr Cuesta had been living in a Queens Rd apartment tower before he vanished in September. Picture: Realestate.com.au

A trip Mr Cuesta made to Queensland before vanishing came under scrutiny with subsequent border checks showing he had not fled Australia while on bail.

At the time he vanished, Mr Cuesta, who was on an expired student visa, had been living in an opulent city apartment tower.

The search is focusing on an area near the Gunnamatta Surf Club in an effort to finally locate the 28-year-old’s remains. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

His home, at 83 Queens Rd, had sweeping views of Melbourne and a rooftop pool and commanded a selling price well over $700,000.

He is suspected of being involved with figures involved in Melbourne’s cocaine trade which was a key line of inquiry into why he was murdered.

His family back in South America became concerned at why he had severed contact with them.

Anyone with any other information regarding Sergio’s disappearance and the location of his body is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Originally published as Police search Cape Schanck for remains of missing Colombian student