Coke hoax: traffickers arrested for selling fake cocaine at a whopping price
Police have charged two alleged traffickers for selling fake cocaine to Australian criminal syndicates.
The South American trafficking suspects sold fake cocaine for $90,000 per kilogram to four Sydney-based criminal networks between May and June 2025, police said.
Two men, aged 61 and 27, were arrested after police searched a unit in North Rocks, in Sydney's northwest suburbs, on June 11.
Investigators seized 10 bricks of a white substance, $121,000 in cash, 14 mobile phones, numerous SIM cards, multiple bank cards and documentation relating to foreign money and crypto transfers.
"Testing of the substance confirmed it was not cocaine," NSW Police said.
An investigation, named Strike Force Bookara, was launched into the South American criminal group supplying "large commercial quantities of cocaine in NSW".
Police allege the members of the South American syndicate travelled from Spain to Sydney in May 2025 "with the intention of selling 95 kilograms of cocaine".
They also allegedly "carried out fraudulent activity in London" in early 2025, police said.
Police have charged the 27-year-old and 61-year-old suspects with supplying a prohibited drug in both small and large quantities.
They were refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on June 13.
Three other people, who were arrested at the unit, were released pending further inquiries, police said.
Sydney-siders were the largest consumers of cocaine in Australia, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.
Around 1.9 tonnes of cocaine were consumed in NSW, while the combined total of every other Australian state and territory was 2.1 tonnes, according to 2023 data.
Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis.
Police have charged two alleged traffickers for selling fake cocaine to Australian criminal syndicates.
The South American trafficking suspects sold fake cocaine for $90,000 per kilogram to four Sydney-based criminal networks between May and June 2025, police said.
Two men, aged 61 and 27, were arrested after police searched a unit in North Rocks, in Sydney's northwest suburbs, on June 11.
Investigators seized 10 bricks of a white substance, $121,000 in cash, 14 mobile phones, numerous SIM cards, multiple bank cards and documentation relating to foreign money and crypto transfers.
"Testing of the substance confirmed it was not cocaine," NSW Police said.
An investigation, named Strike Force Bookara, was launched into the South American criminal group supplying "large commercial quantities of cocaine in NSW".
Police allege the members of the South American syndicate travelled from Spain to Sydney in May 2025 "with the intention of selling 95 kilograms of cocaine".
They also allegedly "carried out fraudulent activity in London" in early 2025, police said.
Police have charged the 27-year-old and 61-year-old suspects with supplying a prohibited drug in both small and large quantities.
They were refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on June 13.
Three other people, who were arrested at the unit, were released pending further inquiries, police said.
Sydney-siders were the largest consumers of cocaine in Australia, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.
Around 1.9 tonnes of cocaine were consumed in NSW, while the combined total of every other Australian state and territory was 2.1 tonnes, according to 2023 data.
Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis.
Police have charged two alleged traffickers for selling fake cocaine to Australian criminal syndicates.
The South American trafficking suspects sold fake cocaine for $90,000 per kilogram to four Sydney-based criminal networks between May and June 2025, police said.
Two men, aged 61 and 27, were arrested after police searched a unit in North Rocks, in Sydney's northwest suburbs, on June 11.
Investigators seized 10 bricks of a white substance, $121,000 in cash, 14 mobile phones, numerous SIM cards, multiple bank cards and documentation relating to foreign money and crypto transfers.
"Testing of the substance confirmed it was not cocaine," NSW Police said.
An investigation, named Strike Force Bookara, was launched into the South American criminal group supplying "large commercial quantities of cocaine in NSW".
Police allege the members of the South American syndicate travelled from Spain to Sydney in May 2025 "with the intention of selling 95 kilograms of cocaine".
They also allegedly "carried out fraudulent activity in London" in early 2025, police said.
Police have charged the 27-year-old and 61-year-old suspects with supplying a prohibited drug in both small and large quantities.
They were refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on June 13.
Three other people, who were arrested at the unit, were released pending further inquiries, police said.
Sydney-siders were the largest consumers of cocaine in Australia, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.
Around 1.9 tonnes of cocaine were consumed in NSW, while the combined total of every other Australian state and territory was 2.1 tonnes, according to 2023 data.
Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis.
Police have charged two alleged traffickers for selling fake cocaine to Australian criminal syndicates.
The South American trafficking suspects sold fake cocaine for $90,000 per kilogram to four Sydney-based criminal networks between May and June 2025, police said.
Two men, aged 61 and 27, were arrested after police searched a unit in North Rocks, in Sydney's northwest suburbs, on June 11.
Investigators seized 10 bricks of a white substance, $121,000 in cash, 14 mobile phones, numerous SIM cards, multiple bank cards and documentation relating to foreign money and crypto transfers.
"Testing of the substance confirmed it was not cocaine," NSW Police said.
An investigation, named Strike Force Bookara, was launched into the South American criminal group supplying "large commercial quantities of cocaine in NSW".
Police allege the members of the South American syndicate travelled from Spain to Sydney in May 2025 "with the intention of selling 95 kilograms of cocaine".
They also allegedly "carried out fraudulent activity in London" in early 2025, police said.
Police have charged the 27-year-old and 61-year-old suspects with supplying a prohibited drug in both small and large quantities.
They were refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on June 13.
Three other people, who were arrested at the unit, were released pending further inquiries, police said.
Sydney-siders were the largest consumers of cocaine in Australia, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.
Around 1.9 tonnes of cocaine were consumed in NSW, while the combined total of every other Australian state and territory was 2.1 tonnes, according to 2023 data.
Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Man hospitalised for nine days after he was hit by former professional boxer during a rock gig
A night of dancing at a rock gig ended in disaster when a man was left on the ground for nine minutes after a former professional boxer hit him in the head. The victim spent nine days in hospital with amnesia and skull fractures following the incident at the Label nightclub in Sydney's Northern Beaches on March 9 last year. A 55-year-old man had gone with a group to watch an old friend play in one of the three rock bands, while former professional boxer Kerry Foley, 37, also headed to the venue with his friends. While the older man recognised Mr Foley from his boxing career, having watched him at Hordern Pavilion 15 years prior, the pair hadn't met before. But by the end of the night, Mr Foley landed a hit to the 55-year-old's head, sending him to the ground where he remained for nine minutes. The former boxer buried his head in his hands and was spotted asking himself 'F*** f*** f***, what have I done?' in the aftermath. Mr Foley has pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Court documents seen by NewsWire say the 55-year-old victim and Mr Foley both appeared intoxicated at the venue, appearing to embrace and talk with one another multiple times over the course of the night. The victim can be seen interacting with Mr Foley and his two friends on CCTV from 8.44pm, the pair seen 'regularly embracing and talking' together between 9.05pm and 9.09pm. The victim appeared to knee Mr Foley from behind at this point, prompting him to turn around and shadow-box him before the 55-year-old walked away. He only returned when he saw Mr Foley begin to shadow-box one of his friends. The victim's friend hugs Mr Foley, telling him 'It's okay bro, it's just dancing. I don't want to fight', and the former boxer agreed they were just dancing. But after the 55-year-old walked away, Mr Foley 'looks around' and assumes a boxing stance, once again facing the victim's friend, who was dancing by himself. The victim went back and talked to the former boxer, hugging him before he then flicked the younger man from behind with a T-shirt he was holding while Mr Foley was hugging the victim's friend. Mr Foley again went into a boxing stance, following the victim through the venue before they shook hands and hugged. Minutes later, at 9.15pm, they were both on the dance floor, with the agreed statement of facts stating they began 'jostling and dancing with each other' before Mr Foley extended his left arm towards the 55-year-old's upper chest and face, pushing him backwards before jabbing at him with his left fist. While the older man was bent down to pick up his cap from the ground, Mr Foley swung his right arm down on the man, who then pushed the former boxer away. The older man feigned a lunge at Mr Foley, who then began 'windmilling' his arms and advancing towards him. The pair grappled together for a few seconds before they stood face-to-face. Mr Foley then suddenly swung his left arm at the man, hitting him on the head. The older man fell backwards, making no attempt to break his fall on his way down. He remained on the ground for nine minutes, with Mr Foley's friend rushing in to help as the former boxer immediately put his hands to his head and moved away. The 37-year-old was heard saying 'What have I done?' and 'I didn't even hit him', with the victim's friend telling Mr Foley 'You need to f*** off'. He was described as 'screaming at himself' in the aftermath, with someone hearing him say 'F*** f*** f*** what have I done?' A registered nurse and trained first responder assisted the 55-year-old until paramedics arrived about half an hour later at 9.44pm. 'Barely conscious' and unable to walk by himself, the victim was helped down the stairs to the ambulance before he was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital. Mr Foley had left the venue just minutes after the assault – head buried in his hands – after one of the victim's friends told him he should go home. The victim suffered amnesia after he passed out, only recalling getting to the nightclub and then arriving at the hospital, according to hospital records. He spent nine days in hospital, having suffered fractures to both of his petrous temporal bones, an acute extra-axial subarachnoid haemorrhage over both frontal lobes, and a large occipital scalp haematoma. Ongoing headache pain, vertigo and dizziness, and hearing loss in his left ear were among his other injuries, and he continues to see a physiotherapist to assist with his imbalance. He gave a statement to police a week after he was discharged from hospital, and Mr Foley was arrested on April 10 after he presented to the police station. Mr Foley's lawyer on Friday told Sydney's District Court that his client had been dancing with the victim on the night, and that there was no malice intended. 'This is a situation which my client and the victim were at a rock concert – they were dancing with each other, sparring with each other at one stage,' the barrister told the court. 'One single punch connects with the victim … (there) wasn't malice intended, they were dancing with each other.' Mr Foley's lawyer said medical issues would need to be put before the court, given his history as a professional boxer.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
NSW Police investigate Petersham house fire
A woman has died after a blaze engulfed a home in Sydney's Inner West late last night. Emergency services rushed to the address on Westbourne Street in Petersham about 11.50pm. Firefighters extinguished the blaze as police officers evacuated neighbouring homes. A body, believed to be that of an 82-year-old woman, was located inside the building, the police said. The police have not yet formally identified the woman. A second occupant of the home, a 57-year-old man, was treated at the scene by paramedics for smoke inhalation and then taken to hospital in a stable condition. The police have established a crime scene and are investigating the fire. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Intruder grabs DCE, gets decked by security
A Manly fan ran onto the field and grabbed Daly Cherry-Evans after the loss to the Titans, before getting tackled by security.
