Briton, 34, who is ‘part of global crime syndicate’ is caught aboard yacht laden with millions of pounds worth of methamphetamine off coast of New South Wales
- Unnamed Briton, 34, appeared in court in Sydney alongside New Zealander, 33
- He was arrested after huge haul of suspected methamphetamine found on boat
- Police suspect man attempted to smuggle drugs into Australia amid Covid-19
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
A man alleged to be part of a global crime syndicate could be jailed for life after he was caught onboard a yacht alongside a haul of drugs worth millions.
The 34-year-old Briton, who also carries a South African passport, appeared in court in Sydney on charges relating to a huge amount of suspected methamphetamine found onboard the vessel.
He was arrested when the yacht, Le Fayette, was intercepted near New South Wales after it allegedly sailed across the Pacific Ocean from New Caledonia following a drug transfer at sea with another ship near Norfolk Island.
Police suspect the man, alongside a 33-year-old from New Zealand, had tried to smuggle the drugs into Australia under the cover of strict border security due to coronavirus.
Pictured: New South Wales Police State Crime Commander, Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith speaks to the media at Balmain in Sydney today
Australian Federal Police boarded the yacht near Port Macquarie, north of Sydney and allegedly found 1,000 packages of the drug worth millions.
The men’s alleged plans to sneak the drugs into Australia reportedly hit a road block when New Caledonian authorities advised police about a ‘vessel of interest’ in Pacific waters.
The suspected vessel is believed to have met with the La Fayette which then headed towards Australia where it was intercepted.
Assistant Federal Police Commander Justine Gough said on Sunday that intelligence had shown that British crime syndicates were behind the alleged drug-smuggling operation.
Pictured: Police remove a large amount of suspected methamphetamine from a yacht docked at Balmain in Sydney today
The yacht was intercepted off the NSW coast near Lake Macquarie, leading to two arrests
‘We’re working with the UK national crime authority to investigate cases targeting Australia,’ she said.
The incident showed Australia’s borders remained strong during the pandemic, she said, but global crime networks continued to target the country.
‘Organised crime groups will stop at nothing – not even a global pandemic – to try and flood our communities with drugs for greed and profit,’ she said.
Police ensured that both the arresting officers and the yacht itself underwent an extensive Covid-19 cleansing operation.
New South Wales police assistant commissioner Stuart Smith said that with every drug seizure a syndicate was taken down.
‘It’s evident this criminal network has gone to extreme measures to traffic drugs …with current international travel restrictions.’