Brisbane news live: Huge cocaine bust in Brisbane could be linked to wider syndicate
Latest posts
7.10am
Huge cocaine bust in Brisbane could be linked to wider drug syndicate
A quarter-of-a-tonne cocaine shipment into Brisbane could be linked to a larger international drug-running effort, as police flag similarities with a recent bust in Sydney.
Black containers bound for Port Botany in the NSW capital in August were emblazoned with cut-out pictures of lions, panthers and car logos.
The same imagery was found on the 253-kilogram shipment to Brisbane in June.
Combined, the plastic-wrapped drugs could have been worth about $26 million.
Photos of the latest bust have been released, with the Australian Federal Police and Border Force requesting anyone with knowledge of the group responsible come forward.
'If you have information about either seizure and the group behind them, please contact police,' Detective Acting Superintendent Stuart Millen said in a statement.
'The smallest clue could be all it takes to help police identify those involved in this failed plot.'
7.03am
Thursday thunder? Bureau says it's a chance
As thousands of Brisbanites return to work after the Ekka holiday, the bureau has forecast a medium probability of showers and even the chance of a storm with hail this afternoon.
Today is predicted to be the coolest day this week, reaching a maximum of a mere 21 degrees, before the showers clear tomorrow and the weekend is dry and mostly sunny.
Here's the outlook:
7.02am
While you were sleeping
Here's what's making news further afield this morning:
Every year, Petty Georgopoulos would take to social media to honour the birthday of her psixoula, the Greek word for sweetheart and an endearing term she sometimes used to address her daughter. On Wednesday morning, Petty took to social media once again. But this time, it was to express heartbreak and disbelief that someone could have slain her pregnant daughter in Mount Waverley.
Australia must speak more clearly about the threats posed by China, including how it would respond to a regional conflict, or risk the AUKUS submarine agreement, Indo-Pacific experts in the United States are warning.
British television presenter Jeremy Clarkson has joined the Cotswolds backlash against a visit by the US vice president. JD Vance has embarked on a summer holiday in Britain, peppered with formal discussions. In a post on Instagram, Clarkson shared an image showing a no-fly zone, which includes his own Curdle Hill Farm, also known as Diddly Squat Farm.
European leaders have aired a potential deal to halt the war in Ukraine under plans to be put to Russian leader Vladimir Putin in talks with US President Donald Trump on Friday.
6.36am
The top stories this morning
Good morning, welcome to Brisbane Times' news blog for Thursday, August 14. Today we can expect a shower or two and a top temperature of 21 degrees.
In this morning's local headlines:
See how Brisbane insurance premiums have soared in your suburb, how they compare with other suburbs, and where insurers are pricing up the risks of floods and storms.
More families than ever are choosing private schools based on campus appearances and top-end facilities, with new data also showing children are having a greater say in school selections.
In the curious case of the disappearing Queensland Health appointee, minister Tim Nicholls and his department are refusing to say why job ads for a chief health officer have reappeared when the role had already been filled.
A man found dead in a quiet suburban park yesterday has been identified as 29-year-old Logan man Trevor Doyle, whom police believe was murdered during a meeting gone wrong.
And Queensland's Victims' Commissioner has been ordered to attend a ministerial meeting to explain her role in the embattled domestic violence helpline DVConnect following a damning review into the service that she previously helmed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
3 days ago
- West Australian
Russian spy haven Nornickel remains in Australia and spending big via West Perth subsidiary
A Russian miner that harboured convicted spies in Western Australia controls a West Perth shell company inexplicably spending hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. The revelation comes less than three weeks after Australia's chief spy warned that Russia remains a 'persistent and aggressive espionage threat'. Nornickel, formerly Norilsk Nickel, is headquartered in Moscow and run by politician turned oligarch Vladimir Potanain. The billionaire is sanctioned by the Australian Government and is a close ally of Russia's leader Vladimir Putin. Mr Potanain's Nornickel splurged on a $7 billion acquisition of LionOre to begin building a WA nickel empire at the height of the mining boom in 2007. The nickel price soon crashed and following more than a decade of bleeding cash the Russian giant cut off its withered WA arm in June 2020 — declaring a 'strategic exit from Australian operations' with the sale of its remaining assets to BHP's Nickel West. Nornickel's numerous Australian subsidiaries were promptly wound up, except for one. This remaining subsidiary has a small letterbox in the foyer of a West Perth office building, with no other known property presence. Nornickel used to have floor space in the same building as the letterbox but the company abandoned that space at least two years ago, according to other tenants of the building who spoke to The West Australian. The West Perth-registered entity's financial accounts only raise more questions. More than $675,000 was mysteriously spent in 2024, despite there being no debts to pay or no assets to maintain during the year, with just over $467,000 left by December 31. About $800,500 was also mysteriously spent in 2023. East Perth-based Australian Audit received $5000 both years to audit the accounts. Nornickel's West Perth subsidiary was 'primarily involved in holding assets under care and maintenance,' according to commentary in its financial accounts. But WA's Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration confirmed this subsidiary had no assets on care and maintenance or any mining tenements under its control. The West Perth shell company paid $440,205 to 'key management personnel' during each of 2023 and 2024. Its immediate parent company was originally in the Netherlands but two years ago became domiciled on the Greek side of Mediterranean island nation Cyprus. Cypriot banks have been used to manoeuvre around Western World sanctions since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Nornickel and Australian Audit declined to comment. A spokesperson for The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation declined to comment, but they pointed to a recent speech given by ASIO director general Mike Burgess. Mr Burgess called out Russia in this speech on July 31. 'Russia remains a persistent and aggressive espionage threat. Last year, two Russian-born Australian citizens were arrested and charged with an espionage-related offence,' he said. 'Separately, I can confirm in 2022 a number of undeclared Russian intelligence officers were removed from this country. 'The decision followed a lengthy ASIO investigation that found the Russians recruiting proxies and agents to obtain sensitive information, and employing sophisticated tradecraft to disguise their activities.' Mr Burgess said Russia was 'by no means the only country' Australia's domestic spy agency had to deal with. He said foreign intelligence agencies were aggressively targeting Australia's 'green technology, critical minerals and rare earths extraction and processing'. Nornickel was embroiled in a local spying scandal when The West Australian in 2013 revealed a convicted Russian spy was responsible for shepherding workers into a Goldfields nickel mine. Elena Vavilova was employed as a senior human resources manager at Nornickel, tasked with organising visas and travel for Russian nationals working at the company's WA operations. Just three years prior to this revelation, Ms Vavilova and her husband were involved in one of the biggest spying scandals in decades. They were among 10 agents of the Russian foreign intelligence service arrested in the United States by the FBI in a swoop on deep-cover operatives after an investigation spanning a decade. Ms Vavilova was quickly freed via a prisoner swap and personally awarded a state honour by Mr Putin on her return to Russia. Other ex-Nornickel employees in Australia, like Roman Panov — a director of Nornickel Australia in the 2010s — served as an officer in the former Soviet intelligence agency.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Brisbane news live: Accused wife killer to answer curfew-breach charge
Latest posts Pinned post from 7.22am Accused wife killer to answer curfew-breach charge A man accused of murdering his wife by staging a lawnmower accident in July 2024 will face a hearing into allegations he breached his bail curfew. Former Royal Australian Air Force pilot Robert John Crawford, 47, was not required to appear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday but family members of his alleged victim did attend. Crawford was listed to appear in person on Thursday but his solicitor, Andrew McGinness, appeared by phone instead for the brief mention. Loading He was granted bail in the Queensland Supreme Court in May after almost seven months in custody. In June, he was further charged with breach of bail and entered into a new bail undertaking. Court documents show he is alleged to have breached his 8pm to 8am curfew on June 13 when police knocked on his home's door to check compliance. McGinness told magistrate Mark Howden that he was ready to proceed to a hearing on the breach-of-bail charge on Monday. 'Depending up when it starts, it may be done in half a day,' McGinness said. Police prosecutor Anita Page told the magistrate she was seeking to have an officer give evidence by phone on that day. Howden ordered the breach-of-bail charge be listed for hearing on Monday. The murder charge is due to to be next heard on October 8 at Ipswich Magistrates Court for committal proceedings. 7.20am Weather into the weekend We're set for a warmer day in Brisbane today than we've felt for the past week, with a top of 22 degrees forecast on a partly cloudy day. And the weekend is looking even more pleasant, as the bureau predicts a maximum temperature of 25 on a sunny Saturday, which should make for a bumper attendance at the Ekka. Here's a glance at how the weather should pan out into next week: 7.04am While you were sleeping Here's what's making news further afield this morning: Australian children are flocking to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, with 16 per cent of all six-year-old boys in the country now relying on it, as the government begins designing a new pathway to help families leave the rapidly growing $46 billion program. Government board members and leaders of Commonwealth agencies flying between Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne will be forced to endure economy seats despite the government insisting public servants be permitted to sit in business class. Social media accounts owned by 13-year-old girls amassed hundreds of messages from 'suspicious' accounts in the span of a few weeks, receiving explicit images, sexual messages and requests for personal information. A major law firm is warning the Albanese government it risks court action after a damning finding that hundreds of people were illegally denied income support and dozens more had payments cancelled even after the problem was noticed. A Norwegian politician is at the centre of a media storm over US President Donald Trump after reports the American leader made a surprise phone call to discuss tariffs – and then asked about winning the Nobel Peace Prize. And for years, there was no stopping the Danish drugmaker behind Ozempic. Then, suddenly, its fortunes took a turn. 7.01am The top stories this morning Good morning, welcome to Brisbane Times' news blog for Friday, August 15. Today should be cloudy with a top temperature of 22 degrees. In this morning's local headlines: The top 10 streets for parking fines have been revealed in new Brisbane City Council data, along with how AI is used to ping motorists. The Labor Opposition and former LNP premier Campbell Newman have raised questions for Premier David Crisafulli and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie over why recruitment for the key chief health officer role was restarted after a candidate was dropped. Another corporate childcare chain is under the spotlight after a series of disturbing incidents where children were harmed at two of its centres and parents were not notified. Amber Rielly, 31, was convicted at Caboolture Magistrates Court this week. A popular northside Brisbane pool is earmarked for a multimillion-dollar overhaul, with most facilities in line for upgrade or complete rebuild. The largest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the east coast of Australia wants the federal government to force east coast producers shipping gas overseas to set some aside for local use. The 2025 Brisbane Writers Festival has announced its line-up, which includes actor-authors who starred in some of the most memorable movies of the 1980s. Sadly, the late David Stratton was also going to appear.
The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
Brisbane news live: Accused wife killer to answer curfew-breach charge
Latest posts Pinned post from 7.22am Accused wife killer to answer curfew-breach charge A man accused of murdering his wife by staging a lawnmower accident in July 2024 will face a hearing into allegations he breached his bail curfew. Former Royal Australian Air Force pilot Robert John Crawford, 47, was not required to appear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday but family members of his alleged victim did attend. Crawford was listed to appear in person on Thursday but his solicitor, Andrew McGinness, appeared by phone instead for the brief mention. Loading He was granted bail in the Queensland Supreme Court in May after almost seven months in custody. In June, he was further charged with breach of bail and entered into a new bail undertaking. Court documents show he is alleged to have breached his 8pm to 8am curfew on June 13 when police knocked on his home's door to check compliance. McGinness told magistrate Mark Howden that he was ready to proceed to a hearing on the breach-of-bail charge on Monday. 'Depending up when it starts, it may be done in half a day,' McGinness said. Police prosecutor Anita Page told the magistrate she was seeking to have an officer give evidence by phone on that day. Howden ordered the breach-of-bail charge be listed for hearing on Monday. The murder charge is due to to be next heard on October 8 at Ipswich Magistrates Court for committal proceedings. 7.20am Weather into the weekend We're set for a warmer day in Brisbane today than we've felt for the past week, with a top of 22 degrees forecast on a partly cloudy day. And the weekend is looking even more pleasant, as the bureau predicts a maximum temperature of 25 on a sunny Saturday, which should make for a bumper attendance at the Ekka. Here's a glance at how the weather should pan out into next week: 7.04am While you were sleeping Here's what's making news further afield this morning: Australian children are flocking to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, with 16 per cent of all six-year-old boys in the country now relying on it, as the government begins designing a new pathway to help families leave the rapidly growing $46 billion program. Government board members and leaders of Commonwealth agencies flying between Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne will be forced to endure economy seats despite the government insisting public servants be permitted to sit in business class. Social media accounts owned by 13-year-old girls amassed hundreds of messages from 'suspicious' accounts in the span of a few weeks, receiving explicit images, sexual messages and requests for personal information. A major law firm is warning the Albanese government it risks court action after a damning finding that hundreds of people were illegally denied income support and dozens more had payments cancelled even after the problem was noticed. A Norwegian politician is at the centre of a media storm over US President Donald Trump after reports the American leader made a surprise phone call to discuss tariffs – and then asked about winning the Nobel Peace Prize. And for years, there was no stopping the Danish drugmaker behind Ozempic. Then, suddenly, its fortunes took a turn. 7.01am The top stories this morning Good morning, welcome to Brisbane Times' news blog for Friday, August 15. Today should be cloudy with a top temperature of 22 degrees. In this morning's local headlines: The top 10 streets for parking fines have been revealed in new Brisbane City Council data, along with how AI is used to ping motorists. The Labor Opposition and former LNP premier Campbell Newman have raised questions for Premier David Crisafulli and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie over why recruitment for the key chief health officer role was restarted after a candidate was dropped. Another corporate childcare chain is under the spotlight after a series of disturbing incidents where children were harmed at two of its centres and parents were not notified. Amber Rielly, 31, was convicted at Caboolture Magistrates Court this week. A popular northside Brisbane pool is earmarked for a multimillion-dollar overhaul, with most facilities in line for upgrade or complete rebuild. The largest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the east coast of Australia wants the federal government to force east coast producers shipping gas overseas to set some aside for local use. The 2025 Brisbane Writers Festival has announced its line-up, which includes actor-authors who starred in some of the most memorable movies of the 1980s. Sadly, the late David Stratton was also going to appear.
