Eighth Aussie arrested in importation of AUD$1.12 billion worth of methyl amphetamine
An eighth man has been found guilty after the 2017 importation of AUD$1.12 billion worth of methyl amphetamine into Geraldton (Western Australia) by boat, in what was Australia’s biggest ever methyl amphetamine seizure.
The verdict was issued by the West Australian supreme Court yesterday (Monday, April 3, 2023), against a 53-year-old man who was accused of co-ordinating the collection of 1.2 tonnes of illicit drugs from a ‘mothership’ in international waters.
Eight men from two states have now been found guilty, including two members of the boat crew, three members of the offshore party and three men considered to be “high-level Australian facilitators”, whilst a ninth man was acquitted and a tenth man had his charge withdrawn.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner, Pryce Scanlan, said the large-scale importation involved multiple criminal groups in New South Wales and South Australia, as well as international outlaw motorcycle gangs and triad criminal groups.
“This successful joint agency investigation prevented these criminal groups from profiting at the expense of the Australian community,” Assistant Commissioner Scanlan said.
“Methamphetamine continues to ravage our communities and remains the drug of most concern to Australian law enforcement.
“This amount of meth could have been sold as at least 12 million street-level deals (of 0.1g). However, because tests showed this meth was of such high purity – between 79.4 and 80 per cent purity, which is regarded as ‘pure’ meth - it is feasible that distributors would have diluted it with other substances to create at least double that amount of individual hits. We cannot overstate the community harm this would have caused if it had not been intercepted.”
In July 2017, the AFP, West Australian Police Force (WAPF), Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), launched Operation Ligar, after suspicions about a previous successful drug importation into Geraldton.
After six months of observing syndicate members in Bangkok, Sydney, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Perth, on December 21, 2017, authorities intercepted 16-metre cruiser, the Valkolista, as it attempted to enter Geraldton jetty with 59 bags containing methyl amphetamine.
Six men were subsequently arrested in Geraldton, two were arrested in Perth and a further two were apprehended in Sydney, with three pleading guilty and five others convicted after trials in WA.
This outcome showed the damage that law enforcement and intelligence agencies can inflict on these groups by working together across borders,” said Assistant Commissioner Scanlan.
“The AFP will not rest in our efforts both domestically and offshore to detect, disrupt and deter organised crime, who harm the Australian community through this vile trade.”.
Under the Australian Customs Act 1901, the Valkolista was forfeited for being used to smuggle illicit substances, and sold for AUD$217,000.
Proceeds of the sale were deposited into the Confiscated Assets Account (CAA) managed by the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA), with the funds to benefit the Australian community through crime prevention, intervention or diversion programs, or other law enforcement initiatives.
