A Queensland man who collected about 560kg of cocaine from the ocean off Western Australia's Mid-West region in 2023 has been sentenced today (25 August, 2025) to 22 years' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 13 years and 10 months.
The man, 51, is the second person sentenced by the Perth District Court over the failed plot to import the cocaine in August 2023, when the drugs were allegedly dropped from a bulk cargo carrier into the water off Kalbarri, about 580km north of Perth.
Another Queensland man, 34, was sentenced on 23 August, 2024, to 22 years' imprisonment with a non-parole period of 14 years for his role in the scheme, which was thwarted by a joint AFP, Australian Border Force (ABF), Western Australia Police and Department of Home Affairs operation.
Authorities launched the investigation in August 2023 after receiving intelligence that a transnational criminal syndicate was planning a large-scale cocaine importation via the WA coast.
Inquiries identified the two Queensland men flew to Perth on 9 August, 2023, where they purchased a seven-metre fibreglass boat, a four-wheel-drive, a GPS and other items, and then drove to the coastal town of Kalbarri.
Launching the boat the next morning, the men initially struck a sandbar before managing to push the vessel free and head out to sea. About 4.30am on 11 August, the men returned to shore, re-trailered the boat and returned to the short-term rental accommodation where they were staying.
A short time later police arrested the men as they were unloading plastic-wrapped bags of cocaine from the boat into the house.
The two men were each charged with, and later pleaded guilty to, one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely cocaine, into Australia, contrary to section 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
Forensic testing of the seized drugs found they had a purity of more than 86 per cent, amounting to about 488kg of pure cocaine.
AFP Inspector Chris Colley said the investigation stopped a substantial quantity of illicit drugs reaching the Australian community and prevented a transnational crime syndicate from profiting at the public's expense.
"This amount of cocaine could have been broken down into about 2.8 million individual deals of 0.2 grams*, putting at least $182 million into the pockets of criminals," Insp Colley said.
"Examination of the two convicted men's phones found they were promised $300,000 for their involvement in this drug smuggling syndicate; instead, they will both be spending years in a jail cell.
"While greedy criminals go to extreme lengths to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia to make money, the AFP and our law enforcement and intelligence partners are working tirelessly to protect the community and disrupt these illegal ventures.
"The WA coastline is vast, but this matter highlights the results that law enforcement achieves when we share intelligence and resources across Australia and overseas, and we encourage the community to also report any suspicious activity."
The courts have ordered the forfeiture of the seven-metre boat, the four-wheel-drive and almost $5000 cash found in the 51-year-old man's possession.
Four other Queensland men remain before the WA courts for their alleged involvement in the trafficking plot.
*Source: ACIC Illicit Drug Calculator
