The AFP has charged two men after investigators uncovered about 200kg of cocaine in a Perth hotel room on 28 December 2024.
The Victorian man, aged 48, and a 44-year-old South African national are set to appear before Northbridge Magistrates Court today, facing drug trafficking charges.
The arrests follow an investigation that began in October, during which the AFP tracked the movements of the accused across Western Australia. The pair allegedly met at Perth Airport on 17 November before travelling south to Kojonup Airport. Both men left the state soon after, but returned in late December, allegedly preparing for the transportation of the illicit cargo.
On 27 December, the South African man was seen meeting a small aircraft at the Overlander Airstrip, about 250km north of Geraldton. Investigators allege the following day, the pair disposed of items, including suitcases and jerry cans, at a shopping centre before being arrested in Perth’s CBD around 6pm.
During the operation, police searched a Perth hotel room linked to the Victorian man and seized approximately 200kg of cocaine packed in six suitcases, along with night vision goggles, electronic devices, and an airband VHF radio. A second hotel room linked to the South African man contained aviation equipment, four empty suitcases, and a hardware cryptocurrency wallet.
Further investigations are underway to determine the connection between the seized cocaine and the small aircraft.
AFP Inspector Chris Colley emphasised the harm caused by cocaine use and the efforts of criminal syndicates to profit from it. “Illicit drug use in Australia bankrolls dangerous and brutal criminals who undermine our national security and our economy, and make our suburbs and roads less safe,” he said.
Both men face a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment for trafficking a commercial quantity of a controlled drug. Additional charges against the Victorian man include possession of cocaine and failing to comply with an order under federal law, carrying penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment
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