lake macquarie yacht drug bust

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NSW Cops Uncovered $245M Of Cocaine On A Yacht In Lake Macquarie

Three men were arrested in the multi-agency sting that yielded a haul of cocaine weighing in at a whopping 700kg, making it one of the largest cocaine busts ever recorded, or an average night out in Double Bay, depending on which way you look at it.

The bust was the result of work which began in August as a collaboration between NSW Police, the Organised Crime Squad, the Australian Federal Police, and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission into the importation of cocaine via private vessels. The investigation was also assisted by Australian Border Force.

It won’t be a white Christmas in NSW this year! 700kg of cocaine seized in joint operation with @AusFedPolice @AusBorderForce @ACICgovau Find out more: https://t.co/f0gyCzLiG4 pic.twitter.com/S0iGEygx4F — NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) November 16, 2017

The yacht, sailing through international waters, was identified and located in the South Pacific, and tracked as it approached the New South Wales coast line.

Authorities swooped on the vessel at 3pm yesterday, making three arrests in the process – that of a 68-year-old man on board the boat at Toronto, a 47-year-old man at a hotel in Warners Bay, and a 63-year-old man at a home in Islington.

The large commercial quantity of drugs was found concealed in the hull of the boat.

The AFP’s assistant commissioner  Neil Gaughan  stated that the relatively tiny boat had passed through Tahiti on its way to the eastern Australian seaboard.

It is no surprise that criminal syndicates undertake sophisticated attempts that go to great lengths – even crossing oceans in relatively small craft – to import narcotics. This is nothing more than an attempt to flood our streets with dangerous narcotics to make a profit, with police, health professionals and the community picking up the bill for all the peripheral damage they will cause.

All three men arrested were charged with importing a commercial quantity of border control drugs, and were refused bail after appearing in Newcastle Local Court earlier today. The charges carry a maximum jail sentence of life in prison.

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Breaking News Update: Drug Bust Leads to Court Appearance for Three Men

In a recent development, three individuals faced court charges following an extensive investigation into drug trafficking within the Lake Macquarie region. Initiated in August 2023 by officers from the Hunter Region Enforcement Squad (RES), Strike Force Garafalo aimed to combat the illicit drug trade in both Lake Macquarie and the Hunter regions.

Executing search warrants on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, authorities uncovered significant contraband in residences located in Lake Macquarie and Belmont North. Seized items included a ‘starters’ pistol, cannabis, steroids, fireworks, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), methylamphetamine, gel-blaster pistols, an air rifle, and additional fireworks.

The occupants, three men aged 33, 37, and 55, were promptly arrested and transported to Belmont Police Station for processing. The subsequent charges against them are substantial, ranging from drug supply offenses to possession of unregistered firearms and participating in criminal groups.

Presented at Belmont Local Court on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, all three men were formally denied bail. Their court appearances are scheduled for future dates: the 33-year-old on April 17, 2024, the 55-year-old on March 6, 2024, and the 37-year-old at Newcastle Local Court on April 17, 2024. Stay tuned for further updates on this ongoing investigation.

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Cops smash drug smuggling syndicate as $245m of cocaine found on yacht

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Police seize 700kg of cocaine and arrested three men in international drug trafficking bust

MORE than $245 million of cocaine has been seized by police who stopped a drug-filled yacht in NSW. Three men have been charged.

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A MASSIVE amount of cocaine has been seized in a drug-filled yacht by NSW Police.

More than 700kg of the Class A drug, worth over $245 million, was intercepted in the Lake Macquarie area yesterday.

The strike comes after a multi-agency investigation into international drug-trafficking by sea by NSW Police Force (NSWPF) State Crime Command’s Organised Crime Squad, Australian Federal Police (AFP), and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).

During the operation, three men aged 68, 47 and 63 were arrested — one onboard the vessel at Toronto, another at a hotel at Warners Bay, and the third at a home at Islington.

Police said multiple search warrants were executed across the Lake Macquarie area with the assistance of Strike Force Raptor, and further warrants were executed by AFP in Western Australia and Thailand.

Onboard the vessel, investigators located a large commercial quantity of cocaine concealed within the hull.

Specialist forensic officers were continuing to deconstruct the boat and examine the contents. More forensic testing will be conducted to determine the exact weight and purity of cocaine.

The three men were charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs. They were remanded in custody and appeared at Newcastle Local Court today, where bail was formally refused and the matter was adjourned to the same court on Tuesday January 30, 2018.

The maximum penalty for importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs is life imprisonment.

Joint investigations are continuing, and further arrests are expected.

NSWPF State Crime Commander, Assistant Commissioner Mal Lanyon, said the results of recent joint agency investigations were indicative of the seriousness of NSW’s thirst for illicit drugs, particularly cocaine.

“As we recently highlighted, the Organised Crime Squad — with the assistance of our law enforcement partners both here and abroad — has seized tonnes of prohibited drugs and precursors destined for the streets of NSW,” Assistant Commissioner Lanyon said.

“With every seizure we make, a syndicate is taken down, but the demand remains high, and another organised criminal syndicate is willing to flip the coin and risk it all to try and exploit that demand for profit.

“NSW Police Force will continue making arrests and seizing drugs — within NSW and offshore — with our partners, including AFP, ACIC, and ABF, but until there’s a reduction in demand, we cannot reduce the harm of organised criminal activity on the community.”

AFP Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan, national manager Organised Crime and Cyber, said the drug-filled vessel had passed through Tahiti before making its way to the East Coast of Australia.

“It is no surprise that criminal syndicates undertake sophisticated attempts that go to great lengths — even crossing oceans in relatively small craft — to import narcotics,” Assistant Commissioner Gaughan said.

“This is nothing more than an attempt to flood our streets with dangerous narcotics to make a profit, with police, health professionals and the community picking up the bill for all the peripheral damage they will cause.”

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Police release pictures of $245 million cocaine haul on board yacht

Investigators seize 700kg of class a drug off new south wales coast, article bookmarked.

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Police uncovered a huge haul of cocaine in the hull of a yacht in New South Wales, Australia , which they valued at £245 million.

The vessel contained 700kg of t he Class A drug when it was i n t ercepted at Toronto ne ar Lake Macquarie , follow ing a multi-agency investigation into drug trafficking by sea.

The force tweeted photos of the drug bust, commenting “it won’t be a white Christmas in NSW this year”.

Three men have been arrested and charged with importing the drugs. They were refused bail at Newcastle Local Court.

Police arrested a 68-year-old man was arrested on board the vessel, while a 47-year-old man was arrested at a hotel. A 63-year-old man was arrested at a home nearby.

Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan said the drug-filled vessel had passed through Tahiti in Hawaii, before making its way to Australia.

“It is no surprise that criminal syndicates undertake sophisticated attempts that go to great lengths – even crossing oceans in relatively small craft – to import narcotics," he said.

“This is nothing more than an attempt to flood our streets with dangerous narcotics to make a profit, with police, health professionals and the community picking up the bill for all the peripheral damage they will cause.”

NSW Police Force state crime commander Mal Lanyon added: “With every seizure we make, a syndicate is taken down, but the demand remains high, and another organised criminal syndicate is willing to flip the coin and risk it all to try and exploit that demand for profit,”

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Lake Macquarie cocaine bust: three arrested after police storm yacht near Toronto

COCAINE with a potential street value of $245 million has been seized from a yacht on Lake Macquarie after police tracked the vessel from the South Pacific.

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The joint agency international drug trafficking sting occurred near Toronto on Wednesday afternoon where state and federal police allegedly uncovered 700kg of cocaine hidden inside the twin hulls of the yacht.

Dennis Malcolm Bath, 68, was arrested on board the vessel at Toronto, while Craig William Lembke, 47, was taken into custody at a Warners Bay hotel and Kent Anthony Jackson, 63, was arrested at Islington.

The men were formally refused bail in Newcastle Local Court on a charge of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

The court heard the prosecution was seeking a longer than usual period to supply the brief of evidence due material needing to be provided from other jurisdictions, including Thailand and Tahiti.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Police said investigators from the NSW Police Force's Organised Crime Squad, Australian Federal Police, and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission commenced a joint investigation into the importation of cocaine by private vessels in August.

They identified the yacht travelling from the South Pacific before monitoring it down the east coast of Australia.

In court, A solicitor for the Commonwealth Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions applied to have the matters moved to Sydney, citing the “significant number” of Australian Federal Police officers involved in the investigation.

Solicitor Mark Hanlon, who represented Mr Lembke, solicitor Paul O’Sullivan, who appeared for Mr Bath, and solicitor Brett Wiggins, for Mr Jackson, all opposed that course and Magistrate Robert Stone said that could be determined on the next occasion. 

The matter was adjourned to January 30 with the three men to appear via audio-visual link.

Specialist forensic officers recovered the cocaine from the yacht while the men appeared in court.

Police said the 700kg of cocaine had an estimated potential street value of $245 million.

Further forensic testing will be conducted to determine the exact weight and purity.

Multiple search warrants were also executed across the Lake Macquarie area with the assistance of Strike Force Raptor, and further warrants were executed by AFP in Western Australia and Thailand.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan said the vessel had passed through Tahiti en route to Australia.

"It is no surprise that criminal syndicates undertake sophisticated attempts that go to great lengths – even crossing oceans in relatively small craft – to import narcotics," Assistant Commissioner Gaughan said.

"This is nothing more than an attempt to flood our streets with dangerous narcotics to make a profit, with police, health professionals and the community picking up the bill for all the peripheral damage they will cause."

State crime commander Assistant Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the results of recent joint agency investigations are indicative of the seriousness of NSW's thirst for illicit drugs, particularly cocaine.

"As we recently highlighted, the Organised Crime Squad – with the assistance of our law enforcement partners both here and abroad – has seized tonnes of prohibited drugs and precursors destined for the streets of NSW," Assistant Commissioner Lanyon said.

"With every seizure we make, a syndicate is taken down, but the demand remains high, and another organised criminal syndicate is willing to flip the coin and risk it all to try and exploit that demand for profit.

"NSW Police Force will continue making arrests and seizing drugs - within NSW and offshore – with our partners, including AFP, ACIC, and ABF, but until there's a reduction in demand, we cannot reduce the harm of organised criminal activity on the community," Assistant Commissioner Lanyon said.

Australian Border Force acting Assistant Commissioner James Watson said the seizure was "a huge win not only for our law enforcement partners, but for the Australian community".

"It is no secret that cocaine is an extremely harmful and addictive drug that can rip apart and destroy Australian families," Acting Assistant Commissioner Watson said.

"No matter how you criminal syndicates attempt to try to circumvent the border – the ABF are there and ready to stop them. We will continue to work with our partners to smash this criminal activity – every seizure no matter how big or small can save lives and put a dent into organised crime."

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Three men who were part of a $495 million drug shipment near Lake Macquarie are now behind bars

Three men have been sentenced to a combined 37 years gaol for their roles in a mid-ocean transfer of almost one tonne of methamphetamine in 2020.

It all began in April 2020 when three men sailed the Mo’Chuisle yacht from Mexico to the vicinity of Norfolk Island laden with 992kg of methamphetamine which had an estimated street value of $495 million.

The methamphetamine was transferred from that yacht to another called the La Fayette.

The Mo’Chuisle was searched by local authorities while it was docked near Norfolk Island – evidence of the drug transfer was found by French Customs and French National Police who passed the information on to the Australian Border Force and AFP who began their own investigations under Operation Romani.

La Fayette was intercepted by the NSW Police Force marine Command on 18 April 2020, about 50 nautical miles east of Lake Macquarie. The two men who were on board, a 34 and 35-year-old, with the drug haul have already been sentenced to a combined 25 years in prison.

On 24 April, the three men who sailed the Mo’Chuisle to near Norfolk Island were arrested and charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug when they arrived at Brisbane International Airport.

All three men pleased guilty in November this year and were sentenced yesterday:

• A 40-year-old United Kingdom man was sentenced to 18 year’s imprisonment with a non-parole period of 11 years.
• Another United Kingdom man, 55, was sentence to 7.5 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 4.5 years.
• A 32-year-old US man was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 7 years.

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Luke Wilson said the multi-agency effort demonstrated the AFP’s determination to work with partner agencies, in Australia and abroad, to stop organised crime from sending drugs to Australian shores.

“The AFP and our partners have shown the importance of working together to protect the Australian community and our commitment to dismantling and disrupting organised criminal groups anywhere we find them,” Det-A/Supt Wilson said.

“Because of this joint effort, hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine did not reach Australian streets – stopping enormous harm to our communities and making our streets safer.”