Man charged over cocaine bricks washed up on New South Wales beaches

A Brisbane man has been charged over a botched international drug trafficking plot to import 900kg of cocaine into Australia after the discoveries of bricks of drugs on New South Wales beaches.

Australia federal police (AFP) allege the man is the Australian head of a transnational crime group operating out of Brisbane which had been under police investigation for more than a year.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Speaking to the media from Brisbane on Thursday afternoon, Dep Spt Adrian Telfer, said the man’s arrest would be a “significant disruption” to Australia’s drug trade, including organised crime.

He alleged the failed plot was believed to be linked to a string of cocaine “bricks” that have washed on to NSW beaches since December 2023.

“This has been a very protracted, very complex, very sophisticated investigation involving all agencies in this country,” he said.

“Since November of just last year, we will allege he had an intention of importing drugs into Australia on 20 separate occasions, totalling more than 20 tonnes.”

Telfer alleged that in November last year, the man coordinated the importation of 900kg of cocaine on an international ship into waters off the Brisbane coastline. He alleged the cocaine was intentionally dropped into the ocean.

The drugs had an estimated street value of $617m.

Telfer said adverse weather conditions were believed to be a “significant factor” in why the drugs weren’t recovered.

“When police learned this collection was unsuccessful, a coordinated search was undertaken by all of our partner agencies,” he said. “However, the drugs could not be located.

“Ultimately, as soon as we suspended our search, we notified authorities in New South Wales that the cocaine could wash ashore down there. Approximately six weeks later, that’s exactly what we saw.”

At this stage, 256kg has been washed on to beaches across NSW, suggesting “there is more out there”.

Telfer said more arrests were likely to come, pointing to the alleged continued existence of a “very sophisticated syndicate operating out of Queensland” and alleged links to an outlaw motorcycle group.

“We believe this syndicate was well connected with the global supply chain of prohibited drugs,” he said.

“We had certain intelligence that led us to where he was and that is how we achieved our arrest.”

He alleged as early as March this year, the man conspired to import 450kg of drugs into Queensland via bulk carrier, with a further 565kg of cocaine identified as coming into a remote town in WA.

The man was using a telecommunications network with the intention to commit serious offences, Telfer alleged, including using encrypted message apps to run his illicit ventures, with the handles “Wanted” and “John Dillinger”.

On Wednesday, specialist police intercepted the man after attending a gym, who attempted to flee before being safely apprehended.

“We believe this [alleged] offender was a very serious element of the organised crime network in Queensland, and more broadly across Australia,” Telfer said.

Acting detective superintendent in the Queensland police service, Brad Phelps, said the arrest was a “significant victory” for law enforcement, pointing to a “united front” by multiple agencies.

“We have dismantled a highly sophisticated and organised crime operation,” he claimed. “These crimes … cause considerable and [understandable] community angst.”

Phelps said police allege the arrest also demonstrated a link between drugs, firearms and violence – including arson, robbery and “targeted attacks”.

He alleged between May and August last year, the Brisbane man ordered others to commit arson at a barber shop and florist in Queensland, and for shots to be fired into a house inhabited by two adults and five children in Brisbane’s south.

No one was harmed.

The man will face court with seven commonwealth offences and “numerous” state-based offences, including coordinating the importation of cocaine into Western Australia.