The AFP has charged two men after investigators seized about 200kg of cocaine in a Perth hotel room yesterday (28 December, 2024).
A Victorian man, 48, and a South African national, 44, are expected to appear before Northbridge Magistrates Court today (29 December, 2024) to face drug trafficking offences.
The pair were arrested yesterday (28 December, 2024) as a result of an investigation which began in October.
The AFP will allege the men met at Perth Airport on 17 November, 2024, and drove to Kojonup Airport, about 250km south of Perth. The pair left a short time later and departed Western Australia in the following days.
The South African national returned to Perth on 21 December, 2024. The Victorian man returned to Perth on Boxing Day (26 December, 2024) and hired a utility vehicle, which investigators observed allegedly transporting multiple suitcases and jerry cans.
On 27 December, 2024, the South African man attended the Overlander Airstrip, about 250km north of Geraldton, WA, and met a small aircraft.
The following day (28 December, 2024), the South African man returned to Perth and met with the Victorian man. AFP investigators allege the pair then bought more suitcases, before discarding suitcases and jerry cans in a shopping centre rubbish bin a few hours later. These items were seized by the AFP.
AFP investigators arrested the pair in a car in Perth's CBD about 6pm yesterday (28 December, 2024) then searched the Victorian man's Perth hotel room and seized about 200kg of cocaine, in single one-kilogram blocks, in six suitcases, as well as electronic devices, night vision goggles, an airband VHF radio, and a receipt for the purchase of suitcases.
Investigators then searched the South African man's Perth hotel room, seizing four empty suitcases, aviation navigational equipment, a hardware cryptocurrency wallet, and other electronic devices.
Further investigations are ongoing to identify the link between the seized illicit drugs and the small aircraft which arrived at the Overlander Airstrip.
AFP Inspector Chris Colley said the charges highlighted the lengths criminals would go to in their efforts to traffick illicit drugs into and across Australia.
"Illicit drug use in Australia bankrolls dangerous and brutal criminals who undermine our national security and our economy, and make our suburbs and roads less safe," Inspector Colley said.
"The AFP has prevented these individuals - and an alleged organised crime syndicate that is likely responsible for this endeavour - from profiting from the distribution of this dangerous drug into and across WA.
"Cocaine use causes widespread harm, with the negative impacts felt in our hospitals, in the road toll and in associated crime."
Both men have been charged with one count of trafficking a commercial quantity of a controlled drug, contrary to section 302.2 of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years' imprisonment.
The Victorian man has also been charged with one count of possess a controlled drug, namely cocaine, contrary to section 308.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth) and one count of failing to comply with order under section 3LA(6) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth). The maximum penalty for these offences is two years' imprisonment and 10 years' imprisonment, respectively.
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