VIDEO: Ton of Meth Seized off Yacht in Australian Waters

Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: Sydney MorningHerald / rnz.co.nz

Thanks to BB Commenter !
A tonne of drugs worth up to $750 million that was destined for Australia has been seized after police and immigration officers swooped on a yacht just off the NSW, ie New South Wales,  coast without two men on board knowing what was happening.

The large seizure of methamphetamine has prompted state and federal police to warn that international drug syndicates continue to target Australia despite severe restrictions on movements imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

The La Fayette yacht crewed by two foreigners was intercepted at 4am on Saturday, about 50 nautical miles east of Lake Macquarie, just south of Newcastle.

A 33-year-old New Zealand man, and a 34-year-old man who has both British and South African nationality, have been charged with importing a commercial quantity of drugs, the maximum penalty for which is life imprisonment.

After the yacht was towed to Sydney, NSW Police State Crime Commander Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said the two men and officers involved in the operation were decontaminated and tested for COVID-19 as a safety precaution.

Two men were arrested after a drug-filled yacht was intercepted off coast near Lake Macquarie. 

Police found just over 1000 kilograms of methamphetamine, wrapped in plastic in bags and crates, on the La Fayette.

A tonne of methamphetamine has a potential estimated street value of up to $750 million.

Police and Border Force launched operation Romani on Thursday after New Caledonian authorities advised them about a vessel of interest the previous day, which had allegedly been in waters near Norfolk Island and then had travelled to the French territory.

The crew declared to New Caledonian authorities they had travelled from Mexico. After receiving the intelligence, Australian authorities identified the La Fayette as a second vessel of interest. Police will allege the La Fayette had been loaded with border controlled drugs in waters around Norfolk Island.

Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said the original intelligence from New Caledonian authorities had shown "some irregularities on the hull of the vessel" in its waters, indicating it might have rubbed against another vessel in high seas elsewhere.

"We alleged the transfer took place to the second vessel, the yacht La Fayette, somewhere off the coast of Norfolk Island," she said.

She said investigations indicated British organized crime groups were actively targeting Australia due to the lucrative nature of the Australian drug market.

"Organized crime groups, notwithstanding that it is a global pandemic, continue to target Australia to flood illicit drugs into the Australian market," she said.

             

NSW Police said the joint operation involved deciding on an "intersecting point" at sea where officers could speed towards the rear of the yacht, and board it so those on the vessel were unaware of what was happening.

"In essence, they were caught by surprise," Assistant Commissioner Smith said of the two men on the yacht. "It was a very excellent piece of work."

He agreed the restrictions sparked by coronavirus had not reduced the demand for drugs in Australia, citing the police seizure of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine last week.

"It is suggesting to us there has been no easing up," he said.

New Zealander has been arrested in a major methamphetamine bust in Australia that began in the waters off New Caledonia:

Australian Federal Police say the 33-year-old man is one of two men arrested on board a yacht carrying a tonne of the illicit drug also known as P.

Police say the haul has an estimated street value of up to $A750 million ($NZ789m).

The yacht was intercepted off the New South Wales coast near Lake Macquarie, after an international sting involving agencies from Australia, New Caledonia and the United Kingdom.

The man, along with his alleged 35-year-old accomplice who holds dual British and South African citizenship, has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs under Australian law. If convicted they face life imprisonment.

The operation began after New Caledonian authorities took an interest in a vessel whose crew told them they had sailed to New Caledonia from Mexico, Australian federal police said in a statement.

This led to Australian police tracking the movements of a second vessel, the La Fayette, which was intercepted off the coast of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales on Saturday. The two crew members, including the New Zealander, were arrested on board.

The pair appeared via a video link in the Parramatta Bail Court yesterday. They did not apply for bail and were remanded in custody until their next hearing on 28 April. See Video above.

Police allege they found blocks of methamphetmine wrapped in plastic on board the vessel.

AFP assistant commissioner eastern command Justine Gough said even though national borders were closed in many countries to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, police remained alert to the risk of illicit drugs being brought in.

"Organized crime groups will stop at nothing - not even a global pandemic - to try and flood our communities with drugs for greed and profit," assistant commissioner Gough said.

"Our cross-border collaboration remains strong in these times, and through our relationships worldwide, we will not stop in our efforts to protect our communities from the destruction of illicit drugs."

Joint investigations are continuing, and further arrests have not been ruled out, the police statement said.