Freedom for the original coke king

ONE of Sydney's first major cocaine kingpins has been released from jail after serving 18 years for his part in a 200kg importation of the drug.

Former pro-surfer Shayne Hatfield, 57, headed a $30m drug syndicate that used baggage handlers to smuggle cocaine into the country from South America.

The drug racket also included former rugby league star Les Mara and “Prince of thieves’’ Michael Hurley – considered one of Sydney’s greatest criminal masterminds.

Hatfield walked free on parole on December 20, six years before the end of his sentence.

The syndicate had paid drug mules known as “walkers” to fly into Sydney Airport with cocaine hidden in marked black briefcases. Baggage handlers, also paid off by the drug ring, would remove the briefcases before they got to Customs for inspection. The operation was uncovered in 2004 when one of Hatfield’s most

trusted lieutenants turned informer and showed police photos of himself and Hatfield wearing balaclavas in front of $10m in cash.

After an eight-month police operation, Hatfield was one of 13 people arrested when it became clear the informant’s life was in danger after the group discovered they had a mole.

Mara and Hurley fled before police could arrest them, with suspicions they were tipped off by a corrupt cop. They were on the run for a year before they were caught.

It was later revealed in court that during the police operation, officers allowed the informant, codenamed Tom, to sell more than 7kg of cocaine on the streets of Sydney – a tactic that was heavily criticised.

“This was the first time NSW and Australia really saw such an organised method of importation and on such a large scale,” former head of the NSW Drug Squad Nick Bingham said.

“They certainly knew what they were doing. In those days if we got a few kilos we were excited, so 200kg was a major deal. Now it’s commonplace with tonnes being imported.”

During his trial Hatfield claimed he was coerced to stay in the drug syndicate because a Bandido bikie called Rodney Monk had threatened to kill him or his girlfriend if he did not go along with the plan. In 2007 Monk was later shot dead in a city laneway near Stanley St by a fellow bikie.

In 2009 Hatfield was sentenced to a minimum 14 years’ prison and a maximum of 26 years by District Court Judge Helen Morgan.

Mara was jailed for a minimum of 13 years and has since been released.

Hurley was in prison awaiting trial when he died from cancer in 2007.