Three NSW men who tried to import 100kg of cocaine in the cargo hold of a passenger plane have been sentenced to a combined maximum of 15 years 9 months' imprisonment.
The Downing Centre Local Court sentenced a former airline logistics manager from Mascot, 57, to three years' imprisonment on 21 March, 2025 for his role in the criminal enterprise.
Two co-accused - a Coogee man, 63, and Sydney man, 25 - also appeared before Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, 21 March, 2025, and were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and two years nine months' imprisonment, respectively, for their roles in the import.
An AFP investigation began in October 2022 following a report from an airline about suspicious activity near the cargo area of a Sydney-bound flight from Johannesburg.
The Mascot and Coogee men were identified as trusted insiders using their employment at Sydney Airport to facilitate the importation of drugs from the inbound flight.
The Sydney man's role was to collect the cocaine from the airport precinct for onward distribution in Australia.
The three men were found guilty of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, namely cocaine, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) and possessing a commercial quantity of cocaine, contrary to section 307.5 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
Two further members of the alleged criminal syndicate remain before the courts.
AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty said the AFP and its partners were determined to stop organised crime groups seeking to import illicit substances through our airports
"Transnational serious organised crime groups routinely seek to exploit vulnerabilities at Australia's gateways to the world, and the AFP, alongside our partners, are committed to exposing these syndicates and bringing them before the courts," Det. Supt Fogarty said.
"To anyone lured in by the false promise of shallow riches from drug importations - these offences carry the potential of life in jail.
"You are up against a well-resourced, capable and unrelenting opposition in the AFP and our partners.
"Operation Lucian spared Australians from the violence, addiction and further criminality this shipment of cocaine would have brought to our shores."
