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After a series of cocaine packages washing ashore on beaches in New South Wales, Australian police have made an arrest in connection with the organized crime network responsible for the smuggling attempt.
Quick Facts
- Multiple packages of cocaine, totaling about 560 pounds, were found on beaches spanning a 60-mile stretch of coastline.
- The arrested 36-year-old man is accused of being the ringleader of the organized crime network behind the smuggling attempt.
- Australia is reported to be the biggest consumer of cocaine worldwide, with over 4 percent of Australian adults reporting use of the substance in the past year.
It all began with the discovery of a plastic-wrapped package containing 39 sealed packages of cocaine on a secluded beach in New South Wales. Subsequently, nine more packages were found across eight beaches and bays in the area. The police collected about 560 pounds of cocaine by mid-April, with packages varying in size and appearance.
On Thursday, the Australian Federal Police announced the arrest of a 36-year-old Queensland man, whom they accused of being the ringleader of the organized crime network. The man is believed to have coordinated a shipment of 900 kilograms of cocaine to be smuggled into the country via a ship in November last year. Additionally, he was responsible for organizing the import of about 1,230 pounds of cocaine into a remote town in Western Australia last year.
The arrested man, who used pseudonyms “Wanted” and John Dillinger, has been charged with drug importation, drug trafficking, and other offenses. Australia, by some metrics, is the biggest consumer of cocaine worldwide, with over 4 percent of Australian adults reporting use of the substance in the past year.
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