Authorities in Australia say two Canadians are among seven men facing charges following a months-long investigation into an international organized crime ring believed to have been using “trusted insiders” to help smuggle cocaine, methamphetamine and tobacco into the country.
Australia’s Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST) was investigating a 42 year old man importing illicit drugs into Sydney.
The investigation began in 2023 into the importation and supply of large quantities of prohibited drugs and illicit tobacco by a 42-year-old man and his associates, who were allegedly purporting to have the ability to circumvent border controls, Australia Federal Police said in a press release.
In July 2024, police located more than 280kg of liquid methamphetamine in an industrial cooler imported from Vancouver, Canada, allegedly organised by the 42-year-old man, the identity of this man has not been revealed yet.
Two other men, aged 43 and 31, were seen accessing the cooler and “preparing to extract the liquid methamphetamine” in the Sydney suburb of Riverstone, police said.
Both men were arrested and charged after police conducted separate search warrants on Aug. 5, 2024, according to the statement.
Authorities say the ringleader continued to use the freight company to import three separate shipments containing more than 20 million cigarettes from the United Arab Emirates.
Then last month, police allege the man was planning to import a shipping container from Panama containing 50 kilograms of cocaine concealed in cement bags.
The investigators further alleged the 42-year-old sought the assistance from two men – who flew in from Canada – to retrieve the cocaine from the cement bags and onward supply it to organised crime groups in New South Wales, Australia.
Investigators moved in and arrested four men, including the Canadians and the alleged ringleader, on May 30, police said.
The two Canadian nationals, aged 24 and 31, were both charged with attempt to possess commercial quantity unlawful import: border controlled drug, and participate in a criminal group. They were refused bail. During the searches, police located and seized a number of significant items, including 243 boxes of tobacco at two storage facilities at Moorebank.
