The South African Police Service has arrested five men allegedly responsible for loading 100kg of cocaine in the cargo hold of an aircraft which was seized by the AFP in Sydney in October 2023.
An AFP investigation, codenamed Operation Lucian, began in October 2022 following a report from an airline of suspicious activity near the cargo area of a Sydney-bound flight in Johannesburg.
This AFP investigation resulted in the arrests of five Sydney men on Saturday, 7 October, 2023 - including a significant member of an international organised crime syndicate - after a year-long investigation into the drug importation plot.
Australian Police allege that a Padstow man, 42, acted as the primary Australian facilitator of the criminal enterprise. It will be alleged he liaised with someone in South Africa - or with connections in the country - to source 100kg of cocaine and have it placed on an aircraft.
It will be alleged this man was also responsible for its onward distribution in Australia.
The cocaine haul could have been sold as 100,000 individual street deals, with an estimated street value of $40 million.
Evidence obtained by the AFP during Operation Lucian in Sydney was passed via the AFPs international liaison post in Pretoria to the South African Police Service. This information enabled investigations in South Africa into the circumstances by which the cocaine was loaded into a container on the international flight in October.
On 15 November 2023 SAPS investigators executed search warrants at five locations in Gauteng Province, arresting five men who allegedly had access to airside areas at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg through their employment with aircraft logistics providers.
These five men will now face charges under the South African legal system.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dametto said the arrests highlight the AFP's commitment to investigating, prosecuting and dismantling transnational serious organised crime across the globe.
"The arrest of these men, coupled with recent operational success in Turkiye, highlight the AFP's unique ability to work with international law enforcement and take decisive action against offshore criminal groups targeting Australia," Assistant Commissioner Dametto said.
"Our role as an agency is to combat and disrupt organised crime impacting Australia, in turn keeping Australians safe.
"The arrests in South Africa are a direct result of the commitment, tenacity and agility of the AFP investigators and the International Post in Pretoria, and their hard work continues to deliver results that cripple the ability of organised crime to operate in Australia."
The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Gauteng, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa appreciated the cooperation displayed by the AFP, the HAWKS Organised Crime Investigation and the prosecution team in collaboration to combat transnational drug trafficking.
"The formidable collaboration and partnership between our two law enforcement agencies is generating spectacular and unprecedented operational results in pursuing transnational criminal enterprises involved in trafficking narcotics to Australia and key global markets," Major General Kadwa said.
"The flushing out of airport employees that are key enablers has dealt a severe blow to organised crime.
"The HAWKS remain committed to continue collaborating with our Australian counterparts in dismantling major criminal enterprises."
