Surfers arrest for alleged coke haul

POLICE have charged a Gold Coaster, 35, in an ongoing probe into the alleged importation of 115kg of cocaine from South Africa to Sydney, hidden in a large generator.

The man appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

It came after the Australian Federal Police-led Gold Coast Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF) arrested the man at his residence in Surfers Paradise late on Monday.

He is the fourth man charged as part of Operation Razorclaw, an Eastern Command investigation which began in 2018. The operation is targeting the activities of a Sydney crime syndicate allegedly importing illicit drugs into Australia.

Police will allege in court that a business linked to the Gold Coast man was used to import the 115kg of cocaine, which was hidden inside a large generator, an AFP statement said.

The cocaine had a street value of $115m.

The generator was delivered to a Gold Coast business premises in late 2018. Investigators executed search warrants at the man’s home and business premises in October 2018, where they seized several mobile phones and laptops.

Police will allege that new evidence identified on the man’s phone has revealed his involvement in the cocaine importation.

Taskforce investigators charged the man on Monday with one count of unlawfully importing a border controlled drug, namely cocaine.

The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

He has been bailed to next appear in Southport Magistrates Court in February 2020.

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Jeremy Staunton said there were no passengers when it came to the importation of illicit drugs into Australia.