Cocaine death, manhunt

SYDNEY: Police have released CCTV images of two people they are looking for in relation to the death of a mystery diver found near bricks of cocaine at a NSW port.

Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow yesterday said the pair were likely in the Newcastle region between May 1 and 11.

One is a man described as South American in appearance, 178cm tall and of an athletic build. The other is a woman, who is described as thin, tanned, about 150cm160cm tall and with blonde or grey hair.

Critchlow said the man could be dangerous roaming in the community and said they both entered the country illegally via ship.

He also estimated that another 50kg of cocaine had hit the streets already.

Police on Tuesday revealed the dead diver, identified as a foreign national, was found unconscious in the water at the

Port of Newcastle and was unable to be revived.

The dead man was found near 54kg of cocaine and it is believed he was diving to retrieve them.

The diver had sophisticated equipment, including a ‘‘rebreather’’ apparatus that allows the user to breathe underwater without any telltale bubbles rising to the surface.

‘‘This really is a high level, very organised, highly sophisticated operation directly bringing large amounts of dangerous drugs . . . across the oceans into Australia,’’ Critchlow said.

Indonesian authorities on Sunday said four packages of cocaine weighing 180kg were discovered near Java’s Merak Port after being dumped in the ocean.

‘‘The logistics of this operation were huge with many moving parts and we’re also looking at Indonesia and what may have happened there,’’ Critchlow said.

Earlier this week police in north Queensland arrested foreign national James Blee (62), believed to be linked to the drug find.

Police have also docked a Marshall Islandsregistered cargo ship, nearby at the time, after it arrived from Argentina on Sunday.

Authorities searched the ship, investigating theories the drugs may have been thrown from the ship or attached to its hull, and the diver may have drowned while trying to retrieve them. — AAP

❛ ‘This really is a high level, very organised, highly sophisticated operation directly bringing large amounts of dangerous drugs . . .