The AFP has charged a father and son from Sydney's northern beaches for their alleged roles in jointly attempting to possess 50kg of cocaine concealed in industrial machinery.
The men, 48 and 23, are expected to appear before the Downing Centre Local Court today (1 October, 2024) after they were arrested and charged by AFP officers yesterday (30 September, 2024).
An investigation started in August, 2024, after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers at Port Botany identified anomalies in an industrial generator during a routine inspection of sea cargo from Vietnam.
Upon further examination of the machinery, ABF officers identified a powdered substance which returned a presumptive reading for cocaine. ABF then alerted the AFP.
AFP forensic members deconstructed the generator and allegedly found 50kg worth of cocaine concealed inside the machine.
This consignment could have been sold as 250,000 individual street deals, with an estimated street value of $16,250,000.
The AFP removed the illegal drugs and enabled the machinery to be delivered, monitoring the consignment as it was transported to an industrial complex on Sydney's Northern beaches.
Investigations by the AFP allegedly identified the 48-year-old who had leased the industrial complex. Police also allegedly found evidence the man made overseas cash transfers to a known criminal facilitator, and recently travelled to Vietnam.
On Monday, 30 September, 2024, AFP officers allegedly observed the 48-year-old and his son, 23, attempt to access a compartment in the generator where the drugs had been hidden.
It will be alleged the men departed the industrial property on two occasions to purchase separate angle grinders and associated materials from a local hardware store.
The AFP arrested and charged both men with jointly attempting to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported border controlled drug, contrary to section 11.1(1) and 307.5(1) with 11.2A(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
AFP Acting Inspector Alex Drummond said the arrests were a testament to the relentless work of the AFP and its partners.
"Criminals, no matter their relationships will go to great lengths to smuggle drugs into Australia, and this matter is an example of that," A/Insp Drummond said.
"Those people involved drug importations do not care about the harm they cause to Australian communities - from the violence between rival dealers that put innocent communities at risk, to the drug-driving crashes and the thousands of drug-related hospital admissions.
"The AFP is focused on preventing the drug from entering the Australian community and causing widespread harm."
ABF Inspector Marc Rea said the joint work of the federal agencies has continued to disrupt and dismantle these criminal syndicate's business models.
"Criminal actors will attempt to circumvent border controls in whatever way possible, they do not care about the Australian lives they are risking when doing so. It is all about profit, no matter the fallout onshore," Insp Rea said.
"ABF officers continue to detect and disrupt these plots to smuggle drugs into Australia with the assistance of our federal and state law enforcement counterparts.
"Our officers at any of our sea, air, or mail facilities work daily to ensure we are stopping the scourge of illicit drugs reaching our shores."
Enquiries into the syndicate offshore are continuing.
