Two Canberra men will face court in Brisbane accused of importing 247kg of cocaine hidden in the hull of a yacht.
The yacht was seized by Border Force and federal police officers when it arrived in Townsville from Vanuatu in April and was later revealed to contain the drugs with a street value of more than $61 million.
It’s alleged the men, aged 55 and 44, travelled to Townsville from Canberra in May intending to recover the drugs from the boat.
The men, both from Griffith in the ACT, were arrested at their apartment on Thursday.
Police say one of the men threw a backpack containing $290,000 cash in a vacuum sealed bag from the apartment balcony when the AFP knocked on the door and announced they had a search warrant.
Both men were due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today charged with importing a commercial quantity of drug and dealing in the proceeds of crime.
They face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
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AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said the cocaine trade fuelled violence on Australian streets and increased the power of organised crime.
“Every time someone buys cocaine they are lining the pockets of organised crime gangs who are responsible for violence here in Australia and around the world,” he said.
“This amount of cocaine has an estimated street value of $61,750,000.
“That’s money which criminal groups would use to buy weapons, corrupt officials and governments overseas and turn the Pacific into an illicit drug superhighway.”
“The AFP and our partners, through the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Task Force (QJOCTF) work to stop drugs, like cocaine, hitting our shores because illicit drugs contribute to the road toll, child neglect and domestic violence.”
He said the investigation is ongoing and police have not ruled out making further arrests.
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