Ex-Bronco Jamil Hopoate free from prison after Irish cartel-linked crime

Former NRL player Jamil Hopoate has been reunited with his children after he served jail time for his part in a 514kg cocaine haul.

Former NRL player Jamil Hopoate has been reunited with his children after he was released from jail for his part in a 514kg cocaine haul linked to a notorious Irish crime clan. Picture: Richard Dobson

Former NRL player Jamil Hopoate has been reunited with his children after he was released from jail for his part in a 514kg cocaine haul linked to a notorious Irish crime clan.

The son of controversial Manly Sea Eagles premiership player John Hopoate is now living with his dad.

But he has been seeing his two children that he shares with Shae Beathe, who visited him while he was inside.

John Hopoate confirmed this week his son was living with him but declined an interview.

“He’s good,” he said.

Jamil Hopoate with his partner Shae Beathe with his children after his release from jail over a cocaine importation. Picture: Supplied.

Jamil Hopoate with his children after his release from jail over a cocaine importation. Picture: Supplied.

Sources claim the $154 million drug shipment involved in Jamil’s case were linked to the notorious Kinahan crime clan.

They were previously based in Ireland but now control the movement of tons of cocaine across the globe from their base in Dubai.

A married British couple, Arti Dhir, 59, and Kavaljitsinh Raijada, 35, were found guilty of 12 counts of drug smuggling and 18 charges of money laundering in Southwark Crown Court in London in January.

Jamil Hopoate, Shae Beathe and their children in Sydney after his release from jail. Picture: Supplied.

The court heard that the “ruthless and greedy” couple, whose actions were compared to the characters in the Netflix series “Ozark”, supplied the Australian shipment.

They were also wanted in India for a plot to kill their 11-year-old adopted son Gopal Sejani in India for an insurance payout, the court heard.

He was snatched by two men riding a motorbike and was later found with fatal stab wounds to his stomach.

Jamil Hopoate and his family on a prison visit while he was serving time for a cocaine importation. Picture: Supplied.

Jamil was compared to a “dial-a-dealer” in his court hearing in 2022, where he was found to have been paid $10,000 to pick up eight kilograms of cocaine.

However, police had intercepted the shipment and replaced the drugs, which were in 1kg bricks labelled with designer names such as Bugatti and Boss, and installed surveillance devices.

They were watching when he collected the dummy parcels and led police on a short chase before he was arrested wearing a high-visibility work shirt.

Jamil told Sydney’s Darlinghurst Court House in 2022 that he was remorseful and had let “everyone down, particularly his family”.

But he has been starting to rebuild his life, with Ms Beathe shared images of the family together on a trip around Sydney to celebrate Father’s Day last month.

The photographs of the family in a hotel, having dinner and visiting an arcade and the Sea Life Aquarium in Darling Harbour were set to the song Unconditionally, by JKING.

“Celebrating our guy. So grateful, we love you,” Ms Beathe wrote on social media.

Jamil, a former Brisbane Broncos player, who turns 30 next month, was nabbed when police in Sydney intercepted 514kg of cocaine sent from London in May 2021.

Arti Dhir, 59, and Kavaljitsinh Raijada, 35, supplied the shipment that Jamil Hopoate was convicted for collecting.

Judge Sharron Norton sentenced him to two years and three months jail, saying Jamil’s involvement was “not a minor role”, but he was eligible for parole in July.

He has previously spoken of alcohol, cocaine and gambling problems.

“I drink until I drop; alcohol is the devil to me, I get black outs, I’m either zero or one hundred, sober or pissed,” he told The Daily Telegraph in 2022 shortly before he went inside.

“When I’m on the piss, I sometimes take charlie (cocaine) too, I never crave it when I’m sober, I spend whatever money I have on me on the day, it could be hundreds of dollars or thousands.

“Drink turns me into an asshole.”

Jamil Hopoate (centre) in action during Brisbane Broncos training.

John Hopoate made global headlines in 2001 when he stuck his finger up three North Queensland Cowboys players’ bottoms while playing for the West Tigers in the NRL.

He was suspended for 12 weeks.

John faced court last month when he failed in his bid to appeal the severity of a 12-month driving ban.

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Originally published as Ex-Bronco Jamil Hopoate free from prison after Irish cartel-linked crime