Among those arrested were the crew aboard the Catalina, who are also seen in the police footage. As the Aztec dived towards the runway at Jandakot, 20 kilometres south of Perth, Santos' only passenger tattooed 20-something-year-old Australian-Italian Joseph Micalizzi was finally waking up from his 15-hour drug-fuelled slumber. Police arrested a 35-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, both from Victoria, who were inside the vehicle. Our job is to protect this community and well go after whoever seeks to harm us.. Peta Rasdien The West Australian. However, in 2010, as the Australian branch of the syndicate started to unravel, Ayik fled the country. The party rode out in uncomfortable conditions in two vessels, Catalina and Cool Runnings both of which ran into trouble. They paid for the fuel and he built up his hours. A total of 2.4 tonnes of cocaine worth about $1 billion was prevented from reaching WA shores thanks to a secret high-risk operation involving WA Polices new transnational serious and organised crime squad and agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. According to Santos, he was preparing his plane for take-off at Bankstown Airport in the early hours of March 4, 2008, when a car pulled up outside the airfield and a young man dressed in a white shirt and black pants, walked up to shake his hand. 09/10/2022 Two arrested, 300kg in liquid MDMA hidden in wine bottles seized "We're looking at 250-400 dollars a kilo for cocaine, so you can see the benefit in the cartels and offshore syndicates in they don't have to get a great deal through," said WA Deputy Commissioner Tony Longhorn. Live drug news coverage of developments with the latest updates. We then arrested two further individuals with over $2 million in cash in their vehicle., Arrests being made by WA Police as part of a $1 billion cocaine interception.Credit: Police Media. The fire started at Pickles Auctions in Bibra Lake, a suburb in . They are progressing through WAs courts. Now, a man has purchased the same Aztec Piper which brought the drugs to WA.Credit: Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Dozens of charges were laid in the wake of a recent three-day blitz, looking to pick apart Perth's illicit drug trade which is operating on encrypted messaging apps including Telegram. "Turn the engine off and get out of the aircraft.". Footage of the precision raid shows officers gathering out the front of a nondescript apartment in Mordialloc. Stay on top of latest drug news stories and find out what just happened, what is going on with drug. Blanch said this was an extraordinary job by the people involved but said it was not over. The Ontario Provincial Police Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau and Community Street Crime Units of Grey-Bruce and Huron-Perth started an investigation in May after they say there was an increase in drug overdoses across . The vision shows police running towards the boat and three individuals emerging from the vessel before lying on the sandy beach. Now, we did actually split those drugs up, even though they were seized from the United States, we reconstructed them using plaster of Paris. The plane that spurred the downfall of one of Australia's largest drug syndicates was sold at auction in May. We say we go after those who supply these drugs who organise these drugs to be distributed through our entire community, not just Western Australia, he said. By The enormous volume represents half of Australia's annual consumption of the drug, and has an estimated street value of $1 billion. Every year we run public campaigns to highlight different ways that people can keep safe, report crime or be challenged about their own behaviour. "The jury didn't buy it, I was found guilty at trial and got 15 years. Pic: Western Australia Police, How laughing gas addiction 'messed up' man's life, Cocaine worth 35m found on small boat in Sussex, Nitrous oxide is being sold on the streets. Operation Hoffman, a sting designed by Australia's most secretive and powerful law enforcement agency, the Australian Crime Commission, would topple a billion-dollar empire extending across two continents and send a drug lord into hiding. More than a decade later after the sting, drugs continue to slip across Australia's borders from overseas, as the nation's drug users consume more than four tonnes of cocaine every year. Here's what you need to know, 'Bassam is going to call': Brothers 4 Life leader allegedly used lawyer as go-between in drug ring, Alleged gunman accused of holding up Nick Kyrgios's mother and stealing his Tesla refused bail. Pic: Western Australia Police, Money seized from a vehicle on the Great Eastern highway. It also shows police raiding a house in Carlisle where another person alleged to be involved with the syndicate was arrested. Can the town's traditional owners bring it to an end? But after the deal fell through, Mr Pavlinovic, who buys and sells everything from jet engines to power tools, dismantled the plane to sell it for parts to the highest bidder. The 41-year-old Scarborough man was teaching at a Catholic college in the city's northeast when he allegedly recorded four female students in his class. An officer who identified himself as Detective Roy Morrish was standing at the forefront of the unit, motioning officers to unzip the large sports bag Micalizzi had loaded onto the cargo hold 15 hours prior. A massive blaze erupted at an auction yard in Perth on Friday night, with dozens of cars going up in flames. He said WA Police working with the USs Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) gave officers a skip in their step and experience in tackling high-level crime. Emily Moulton and Shannon Hampton Operation Beech How alleged Mexican cartel-linked syndicate came unstuck Four men from Sydney are sentenced to decades in jail for their roles in a "sophisticated" drug importation that saw 1.2 tonnes of methamphetamine with an estimated worth of up to $1.1 billion . Operation Beech kicked off in November after Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized a record 2.4 tonnes of cocaine allegedly bound for Australia off the South American coast. Tue, 25 April 2023 3:52PM. Auto news:2022 Maserati SUV lineup due by the end of the year - drive.com.au, Your web browser is no longer supported. Police said the rented motorhome was monitored by officers as itentered WA on Thursday, April15 after crossing the border at Eucla from Melbourne. News. As officers searched the black sports bag, they uncovered nearly $8 million worth of drugs. Regular chances to win incredible prizes like luxury getaways and sports tickets with our subscriber exclusive competitions. Police have revealed details of a covert international operation that stopped 2.4 tonnes of cocaine, worth $1 billion, from reaching Western Australia, in what is believed to be the nation's biggest-ever drug bust. The operation took place over three states, including WA and netted more than 20 kilograms of cannabis and 16 kilograms of methylamphetamine. "I saw this aeroplane come up and I just bought it out of curiosity," Nevan Pavlinovic said. The pick-up was witnessed by officers from the ABF, the AFP, and Western Australian police officers who were assisted by Home Affairs and theAustralian Criminal Intelligence Commission. Shit happens.". Sign up to Guardian Australia's Morning Mail, Our Australian morning briefing email breaks down the key national and international stories of the day and why they matter. He said the estimated cost of the drugs entering the West Australian community would have been $22.65 million through crime, increased healthcare and justice costs, and loss of productivity. Police seized 6kg of methylamphetamine and more than $59,000 cash from a vehicle and properties in suburban Perth last Sunday. Were working to restore it. A handcuffed Santos assists police searching the plane at Jandakot Airport. A police investigation into the bust later uncovered more than 100 messages and calls between Micalizzi and two syndicate figures named 'Oz' and 'Bowa', a fake NSW driver's licence, three mobile numbers registered under false names and $9000 in cash. At the same time, he said, another much smaller boat, Cool Runnings, left Hillarys Boat Harbour to help. Youve got young detectives sitting in Perth, Western Australia, and all of a sudden theyre doing a joint international operation with the DEA, he said. Extraordinary footage of the biggest drug bust in Australian history which resulted in WA Police arresting a dozen people with alleged links to a Mexican drug cartel can be seen for the first time. Drugs News: Latest & Breaking Drugs Headlines and Today's News Updates from Australia | 7NEWS Drugs Heartbreaking last photo of teen who died from TikTok challenge By Stephanie Duprey / World News Teen could face death penalty after discovery in luggage at Bali airport By Matheus Meirelles / Drugs "I will say that this is the first time we've done anything of this scale," Blanch said. Officers duped the alleged criminals into believing they had gotten away with the import, police say. READ MORE COMMENTS FROM THE POLICE COMMISSIONER ON THE WEST AUSTRALIAN. Share your story, anyone can enter. Pilots wondered why it sat there, rusting, and told tall stories about where it came from. He was then arrested by the Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime squad.. 'Okay, without being fantastic': Alan Joyce's legacy after 15 years at the helm of Qantas. Police search an area of river in Caversham as part of Operation Kingston Destiny. Campaigns. September 14, 2021 - 7:32PM NCA NewsWire Police have arrested 19 people and seized $7 million in cash in a massive drug sting in Western Australia. Young offenders are 'running amok' in Alice Springs. Police have released CCTV vision in an appeal for information after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted at a bus stop. Theres only so much that will be gained by looking at the mules and the low-level individuals that are, I would say, a dime a dozen, he said. Trusted enough to keep an eye on Santos and ensure the safe delivery of the drugs, Judge Stevenson would describe Micalizzi's role as "likely to have not only included some financial reward but some relationship-building with those he was associated with". Peta Rasdien. Remote landing strips were and still are a hole in Australia's national security network, too isolated and remote to be monitored effectively. They dropped the parcel off about 40 nautical miles west of Perths coast and over three days to 30 December, a shore party allegedly made three trips out to retrieve the package because they could not find it. "WA is an attractive coastline because they think they won't be detected, it's such a large space, with very few people but they do not understand the capability of WA police," Blanch said. The drugs had a street value of around 562.9m ($1bn Australian dollars), and were equivalent to half of Australia's estimated annual consumption, according to police. "The people who bought those drugs into this believed there was another 1.2 tonnes sitting in a warehouse in WA - so we waited and we watched," Blanch said. However, police continued their operation, knowing the cartel believed another 1.2 tonnes of drugs was sitting in a WA warehouse. The force said on Tuesday 52 charges were laid as part of the operation, and six guns and 3000 rounds of ammunition seized. Eight men and one woman have been charged with serious drug offences and were refused bail. This was an opportunity to catch the syndicate, the group of people that were capable of receiving it, landing it and then distributing it across Australia. It was the biggest drug bust in WA history and a day law enforcement officers would remember for years to come. Inert Cocaine is dropped in the ccean by WA Police. Teen loses appeal against sentence for hit-and-run killing of Queensland couple and their unborn baby, Endurance swimmer known as 'King of the Channel' dies during triathlon, German zoo welcomes first polar bear cub in 21 years, Natascha Lechner died minutes after using frog poison in 'Kambo' vomiting ritual, inquest told, Households tally rising grocery bills as interest rates climb again, Police officer in hospital after being hit by garbage truck in Launceston, Sick 4yo boy left without pillow at Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital, opposition says, ACT cycling group suggests lowering speed limit to 30kph in Canberra's suburbs. Six men will be charged over the importation of nearly $50 million of cocaine supplied by a Mexican drug cartel. Codenamed Operation Beech, the sophisticated police sting managed to fool the Australian leg of the cartel into believing their illegal cargo was safely on its way to Australia. The footage then switches to the operational centre before moving to the dramatic moment tactical response group officers storm the beach at Moore River to arrest the three men aboard the vessel Cool Runnings. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. In late November, US authorities intercepted the shipment off the South American coast - alerting WA police. As the plane finally stopped on the apron, the Lycoming O-540 engines idling away, he heard a knock on the door. WA PoliceCommissioner Chris Dawson said another 45-year-old Victorian man, Mohammed Charif Oueida, was"the principal person behind this particular importation into Western Australia". Man charged after alleged sexual assault in Melbourne park. The operation sends a message to international drug traffickers: Your deadly drugs are not welcome here and we will work closely and innovatively with our on-shore and off-shore law enforcement partners to dismantle your operations.. In 2008, police busted $8 million worth of drugs in a light plane flying to Jandakot Airport from NSW, kick-starting the largest police operation in history. Border Force officers were first alerted to the delivery when a 550kg shipment of latex pillows arrived in Fremantle on a container ship on December 17. So we waited and we watched, Blanch said. Mohammed Charif Oueida caught up in huge drug bust as WA police seize 33kg of methamphetamine at border, Keep up with the latest ASX and business news. With his eyes glued to the yoke, dials and switches, Santos hadn't spotted the small army of uniformed officers. As Bankstown pilot Jamieson Santos was preparing to land his twin-engined 1970s Piper Aztec at a busy airport on the outskirts of Perth a dozen grim-faced police officers were waiting on the hot tarmac. March 4, 2023 9.59am Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The biggest drug bust in Australian history has been pulled off by WA Police after an undercover operation led to the seizure of 2.4 tonnes of cocaine worth about $1 billion dollars. A further nine arrests were made through to 13 January, including on the Great Eastern highway, roughly 373 miles (600km) east of Perth, where officers found more than 1.2m ($2m) in cash. The comments below have not been moderated, By It wasnt an unusual occurrence. It was a sweet deal for somebody living off the generosity of friends and family. On New Years Eve police made a series of further arrests, charging nine other people in East Perth, Scarborough, West Perth and Rivervale. They had taken 15 vacuum-sealed bags filled with 30,000 MDMA tablets and more than 20 plastic bags containing almost 22 kilograms of methylamphetamine off the streets and, although they did not know it at the time, they had kick-started one of the largest law enforcement operations in Australian history. The gear would then be cooked or cut if needed and distributed across the country using light planes like Santos', all while the Comancheros ensured the drugs and the syndicate's main actors would be protected as the enterprise's de-facto security arm. Best Perth pubs for pre-footy beers or a cheeky cocktail, West Australian Newspapers Limited 2023. All rights reserved. How much extra could mortgage repayments be, now the cash rate is 3.85 per cent? queensland 12:17pm Apr 29, 2023 120kg of cocaine found inside shipping container by ABF I say that its a magnificent effort to defend our shores, to defend our country from the threat of organised crime, Blanch said. 26 Apr 2023 2:37 pm AEST. "Joseph Micalizzi," he said, a large sports bag hanging from his shoulder. Sign up for Guardian Australias free morning and afternoon, email newsletters for your daily news roundup. Credit:Nine News. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Were working to restore it. Police charged a 39-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman who were allegedly connected to the syndicate, according to ABC. A bankrupt and former nightclub bouncer from Bankstown well into his 30s, Santos had spent a few months before the bust flying passengers across the country in his Aztec in a bid to meet the minimum flying hours required to obtain a commercial pilot's licence. WA Police Minister Paul Papalia said the methamphetamine was the equivalent of 330,000 "hits". On December the 28th we observed nine men come into Western Australia, some were from WA, he said. A covert police operation has foiled a billion dollars worth of cocaine entering Western Australia, with officers duping the alleged criminals into believing they had gotten away with the import. Those packages were then dropped in the ocean, 80 kilometres off WA. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Fatal crash - Durack Published on April 23, 2023 Officers from the Major Crash Investigations Unit are investigating an incident that occurred in Durack today, Sunday 23 April 2023. Sooner or later, they will receive a knock on the door from police and at this point, the realisation quickly dawns that they have made a decision that has ruined their life. The drugs had been seized, so the risk of 2.4 tonnes coming to our shores had been mitigated, he said. Sign up here. The Turkish-Australian holds dual citizenship, and despite being included in the NSW police most wanted persons list and having an Interpol arrest warrant against his name, Turkey does not extradite its citizens. WA police are working with their overseas partners to track down the people who organised the shipment. Police have raided nearly 50 homes and businesses across Perth, smashing a criminal empire allegedly run by a 24-year-old man believed to have links to South American drug cartels. Our detectives are working closely with their State and Commonwealth law enforcement and intelligence partners to track down the source of these drugs, with a clear intent of bringing those involved in the drug trafficking syndicates to face justice here in Western Australia.. Just last month, 365 kilograms of cocaine was found stashed in an overturned boat off the coast of Esperance following the dramatic rescue of three men found clinging to an esky. The men face a potential life sentence if convicted. Acting deputy police commissioner Tony Longhorn said Australia was an attractive proposition for would-be drug dealers. 365 kilograms of cocaine was found stashed in an overturned boat off the coast of Esperance. The nets are so heavy that at one point officers can be seen kicking them into the ocean, 80km off the WA coast on December 28, 2022. The body of MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo was found at 2am at a hotel in one of Melbournes most famous streets. 'We believe it is also no coincidence that the drugs had arrived in Perth just in time for New Year's Eve celebrations one of the busiest nights of the year for drug and alcohol fuelled harm.'. On the morning of December 29, two men arrived to allegedly pick up the boxes of pillows and take them back to a house in Maddington. Qantas has announced a new CEO to take over from Alan Joyce. 395 talking about this. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Pilots wondered why it sat there, rusting, and told tall stories about where it came from. Six more men were then arrested at a popular family boat harbour in Perth. Biggest drug bust in Australian history: Cocaine worth $1 billion seized in WA sting. "Someone told me there was a story behind it, and then I sort of had an idea that that was the one that I vaguely remembered.". Organised crime squad detectives charged two men aged 44 and another aged 38 in connection with cash and drugs. Santos reckons airport workers tipped off the police during one of the fuel stops, when Micalizzi refused to leave the aircraft despite airport protocol. Police said the 99kg ofmeth - estimated to be worth about $100million - could have been sold to a million people in individual street deals. Then the Catalina sank. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Australian Border Force Acting Assistant Commissioner West James Copeman said this had been a 'significant detection' by officers using 'sophisticated technology'. Border officers found substance stuffed inside pillows shipped to Australia. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. Inert cocaine being dropped into the ocean by WA Police in a sting operation to target drug smugglers. Confused by the 'sustainability' label on your favourite can of tuna? The operation, which has been ongoing since November 2022, led to the arrest of 12 individuals. Officers also found a loaded handgun, firearm parts, ammunition and $26,000 cash. This comp is for you! In a joint collaboration with the US, dubbed "Operation Beech", 2.4 tonnes of cocaine - with alleged links to a Mexican drug cartel - was seized by officers after it had travelled from South America. The substance was sent to police for . Santos is eight years into a 15-year sentence and will tell anyone who listens he is innocent. It was mostly unknown clients like the one bound for Jandakot who had booked the trips. Western Australias new police commissioner has used his first press conference to provide details about an alleged organised-crime drugs sting, which included the seizure of cars and gold bullion. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. He had done the trip a handful of times before. "That's $33 million worth of drugs that have been taken out of play," Mr Papalia said. In the latest move, nine people have been arrested in relation to two separate drug operations targeting alleged organised crime networks in Perth. We had members from New South Wales, Northern Territory and one from the United States and we will allege that they were here to retrieve that 2.4 tonnes of cocaine and distribute it amongst our country. Twenty-six people, including six from Perth County, are facing numerous charges after a massive drug bust earlier this week. Those aboard Cool Runnings allegedly found what they thought was the cocaine before they ran into mechanical difficulties, with the vessel eventually beaching itself south of Moore River. Eight-week-old puppy's leg amputated after being thrown against wall. Australian police have intercepted $1bn Australian dollars worth of cocaine from entering the west of the country, in what is believed to be the nation's biggest-ever drug bust. A homeless man who allegedly launched a brutal, unprovoked attack on a retail employee as she made her way to work has been arrested. Footage of the precision raid shows officers gathering out the front of a nondescript apartment in Mordialloc. Its bits and bobs are now scattered across his verandah and the tail and fuselage sit in a backyard in Perth's north, a dire reminder of the plane that once sat in the middle of Australia's own war on drugs and that changed law enforcement forever. The next part of the footage shows officers speaking with two of the suspects before it switches to police airwing vision of the Catalina towing Cool Runnings away from the shore. He said catching those that dispensed of the drugs was only part of the ongoing war against drug distribution in the country. Credit:Nine News. 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RBT and Booze Bus Locations - for all other road stuff, speed, handhelds etc, Perth Revenue Raisers Sign up for Guardian Australias free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup. While we have seized the drugs and cash from these established criminal networks our job is not yet done and we will continue to pursue the source of these drugs, Mr Blanch said. Please try again later. They charged a 39-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman they say are connected to the syndicate. Footage of a dawn raid in Melbournes suburbs shows officers seize large quantity of drugs and a loaded handgun. 'Criminal syndicates are looking to exploit this demand and sell methamphetamine in WA to maximise their profits, they do not care about the immense harm that this drug causes,' Acting Assistant Commissioner Tanti said. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. The consignment was loaded onto the ship in Asia, however investigations will continue into the source of the drugs. Its buyer, a former 747 Qantas pilot and mining, military and medical industries surplus trader, planned to donate it to a Jandakot-based tertiary education centre to train prospective engineers in disassembling aeroplanes. Officers from the Drug and Firearm Squad stopped the vehicle near Kellerberrin, in WA's Wheatbelt, at about7:30pm on Friday. To improve your experience, The population of 'world's most criticised prison' just doubled. It was March 5, 2008. A 62-year-old man was arrested and charged over the stash. The Aztec landed at Jandakot Airport just before 4pm. Authorities sensationally carried out Australia's biggest ever organised crime bust on Tuesday. A Perth DJ and self-proclaimed upcoming producer is among five people facing serious charges after detectives seized more than 12kg of drugs in Perths north-eastern suburbs. Cool Runnings then sank. The successful operation led to 12 arrests. Six men and one woman were charged following. The force will continue to aggressively target drug traffickers and their criminal networks, Commissioner Col Blanch said on Sunday. Assistant Commissioner Copeman said ABF officers had seized about 5.2 tonnes of meth at Australian borders through 1,745 detections in the 2020-21 financial year. Micalizzi, who claimed he was threatened into flying to Perth by Oz and Bowa over a $20,000 drug debt and had no knowledge of the drugs, would later say he "took a gamble in court". to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox. The two men were met then met another group, who then allegedly helped to unload the boxes of latex pillows into a shipping container at the property. It is alleged more than $2 million cash was found in the vehicle. The twin-engine plane, which miraculously survived a cyclone in Darwin in 1974, had been used to operate a freight charter service in Central Queensland and sight-seeing tours over the Great Barrier Reef until 1990.
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