Double Bay man charged over attempted cocaine collection following AFP operation at multimillion-dollar home
The Australian Federal Police had been investigating since March intelligence concerning an alleged transnational drug trafficking syndicate targeting Australia.
The man was the alleged intended recipient of a 30kg cocaine importation into New South Wales from a criminal syndicate offshore.
He allegedly attended a 'dead drop' in Alexandria on Friday, about 5km from the Sydney CBD, where he was expecting the importation, but the AFP executed a "controlled delivery" and placed 30kg of an inert substance in the package.
"The AFP will allege the man removed a sports bag containing the 30kg of the substitute material from a parked van in Alexandria and then returned to his home in Double Bay," the AFP said in a statement.
Later on Friday, police conducted a raid on a multimillion-dollar home in Double Bay and a nearby unit, where he was arrested after a brief pursuit down the road.
The items seized from the two properties allegedly include multiple encrypted mobile devices, a sports bag which contains the substitute material, and an amount of anabolic steroids.
AFP Detective Superintendent Morgen Blunden said anyone connected to drug trafficking activity in any way was committing a crime.
'The AFP has successfully disrupted a significant drug trafficking syndicate's operations thanks to this investigation,' Det Supt Blunden said.
'30kg of cocaine has an estimated street value of $9.7 million and would have equated to about 150,000 street level deals.'.
'This result should serve as a serious warning to potential drug traffickers in Australia – don't get comfortable - because the AFP is constantly working to target and disrupt your criminal operations and bring you to justice.'
The 40-year-old man was set to appear before Parramatta Local Court at some point on Saturday, charged with one count of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported border controlled drugs, contrary to section 307.5 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
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SBS Australia
3 hours ago
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The Advertiser
19 hours ago
- The Advertiser
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Premier Chris Minns said MPs needed to "draw a line in the sand" and criticised Mr Latham for his sustained personal attacks on his political foes under parliamentary privilege. "That's his modus operandi. He goes after anyone who holds him to account ... he's a one-trick pony," he said. Mr Latham also used Tuesday night's debate to level unsubstantiated sexual harassment allegations against the premier, who declined to respond. "I'm not going to detail them one by one as if to give it credence or importance or it has been backed with some shred of evidence or information," Mr Minns said. Labor's motion was first flagged in June after Mr Latham aired information that now-former NSW police commissioner Karen Webb purchased dozens of bottles of gin using taxpayer money to hand out as gifts, and discussed the medical records of independent MP Alex Greenwich. That followed a court ordering Mr Latham to pay $140,000 in damages to Mr Greenwich in September 2024 over a sexually explicit and homophobic social media post that resulted in a defamation case. He had been referred to the privileges committee for an investigation, with a report on matters involving Ms Webb and NSW Police due in October. Mr Latham defended bringing up information about Ms Webb, arguing the public had a right to know because of an "undeclared conflict of interest" and relationship to the gin distillery owners. But he also hinted, without evidence, that the Minns government had covered up a sexual assault that took place in the NSW Parliament. He called several ministers "cowards and curs and quislings". In July, Mr Latham denied sexual abuse allegations levelled against him by a former partner. The woman made a private application for an apprehended domestic violence order at a local court in Sydney. Mr Latham resigned from federal parliament in 2005 and was ejected from the Labor Party before being elected to the NSW upper house in 2019 as a One Nation member. He quit that party in 2023, becoming an independent, with his term expiring in 2031. A high-profile politician known for his brash and outspoken antics has been branded a one-trick pony after fending off a Labor-led censure bid. The failed motion against Mark Latham came after the one-time prime ministerial hopeful used parliamentary privilege in the NSW upper house to reveal details about a police commissioner and an independent MP. He has been embroiled in several scandals, including taking photos of women MPs without their knowledge, for which he has already apologised. But an attempt to have Australia's oldest parliamentary chamber officially censure him has failed, after the coalition opposition, the Greens and minor party MPs voted to adjourn the motion until October. The powerful privileges committee is investigating several complaints about Mr Latham, with some reports due back in October. The NSW government's upper house leader described the 16-to-22 vote loss as disappointing. "Mark Latham is a serial offender," Penny Sharpe told reporters on Wednesday. "There's no one he won't go after (and) there's no one he won't double down on. "We should be a model workplace, not a degenerate workplace." She also noted he called her an "ignorant pig" and her colleagues "disgusting frauds" during the chamber debate on Tuesday. Premier Chris Minns said MPs needed to "draw a line in the sand" and criticised Mr Latham for his sustained personal attacks on his political foes under parliamentary privilege. "That's his modus operandi. He goes after anyone who holds him to account ... he's a one-trick pony," he said. Mr Latham also used Tuesday night's debate to level unsubstantiated sexual harassment allegations against the premier, who declined to respond. "I'm not going to detail them one by one as if to give it credence or importance or it has been backed with some shred of evidence or information," Mr Minns said. Labor's motion was first flagged in June after Mr Latham aired information that now-former NSW police commissioner Karen Webb purchased dozens of bottles of gin using taxpayer money to hand out as gifts, and discussed the medical records of independent MP Alex Greenwich. That followed a court ordering Mr Latham to pay $140,000 in damages to Mr Greenwich in September 2024 over a sexually explicit and homophobic social media post that resulted in a defamation case. He had been referred to the privileges committee for an investigation, with a report on matters involving Ms Webb and NSW Police due in October. Mr Latham defended bringing up information about Ms Webb, arguing the public had a right to know because of an "undeclared conflict of interest" and relationship to the gin distillery owners. But he also hinted, without evidence, that the Minns government had covered up a sexual assault that took place in the NSW Parliament. He called several ministers "cowards and curs and quislings". In July, Mr Latham denied sexual abuse allegations levelled against him by a former partner. The woman made a private application for an apprehended domestic violence order at a local court in Sydney. Mr Latham resigned from federal parliament in 2005 and was ejected from the Labor Party before being elected to the NSW upper house in 2019 as a One Nation member. He quit that party in 2023, becoming an independent, with his term expiring in 2031. A high-profile politician known for his brash and outspoken antics has been branded a one-trick pony after fending off a Labor-led censure bid. The failed motion against Mark Latham came after the one-time prime ministerial hopeful used parliamentary privilege in the NSW upper house to reveal details about a police commissioner and an independent MP. He has been embroiled in several scandals, including taking photos of women MPs without their knowledge, for which he has already apologised. But an attempt to have Australia's oldest parliamentary chamber officially censure him has failed, after the coalition opposition, the Greens and minor party MPs voted to adjourn the motion until October. The powerful privileges committee is investigating several complaints about Mr Latham, with some reports due back in October. The NSW government's upper house leader described the 16-to-22 vote loss as disappointing. "Mark Latham is a serial offender," Penny Sharpe told reporters on Wednesday. "There's no one he won't go after (and) there's no one he won't double down on. "We should be a model workplace, not a degenerate workplace." She also noted he called her an "ignorant pig" and her colleagues "disgusting frauds" during the chamber debate on Tuesday. Premier Chris Minns said MPs needed to "draw a line in the sand" and criticised Mr Latham for his sustained personal attacks on his political foes under parliamentary privilege. "That's his modus operandi. He goes after anyone who holds him to account ... he's a one-trick pony," he said. Mr Latham also used Tuesday night's debate to level unsubstantiated sexual harassment allegations against the premier, who declined to respond. "I'm not going to detail them one by one as if to give it credence or importance or it has been backed with some shred of evidence or information," Mr Minns said. Labor's motion was first flagged in June after Mr Latham aired information that now-former NSW police commissioner Karen Webb purchased dozens of bottles of gin using taxpayer money to hand out as gifts, and discussed the medical records of independent MP Alex Greenwich. That followed a court ordering Mr Latham to pay $140,000 in damages to Mr Greenwich in September 2024 over a sexually explicit and homophobic social media post that resulted in a defamation case. He had been referred to the privileges committee for an investigation, with a report on matters involving Ms Webb and NSW Police due in October. Mr Latham defended bringing up information about Ms Webb, arguing the public had a right to know because of an "undeclared conflict of interest" and relationship to the gin distillery owners. But he also hinted, without evidence, that the Minns government had covered up a sexual assault that took place in the NSW Parliament. He called several ministers "cowards and curs and quislings". In July, Mr Latham denied sexual abuse allegations levelled against him by a former partner. The woman made a private application for an apprehended domestic violence order at a local court in Sydney. Mr Latham resigned from federal parliament in 2005 and was ejected from the Labor Party before being elected to the NSW upper house in 2019 as a One Nation member. He quit that party in 2023, becoming an independent, with his term expiring in 2031.
Perth Now
20 hours ago
- Perth Now
AFP lays spying charges, China denies claims
China does not interfere with other countries, a state-controlled newspaper has claimed, after a woman was alleged to have been sent by Beijing to spy on a Canberra Buddhist group. The alleged agent, a permanent resident of Australia, is accused of covertly collecting information about an association banned in China, the Australian Federal Police said. The AFP alleges the woman, who is also an Australian permanent resident, was tasked by China's Public Security Bureau to covertly gather information about the Canberra branch of Guan Yin Citta, a Buddhist association. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said overnight his government was 'not familiar with the specifics' of the case. 'Let me say more that as a principle, China develops relations with other countries, including Australia, on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of others,' he said, as cited by the state-controlled Global Times. 'China never interferes in other countries' internal affairs, and, meanwhile, firmly opposes any disruption to the normal people-to-people interactions, exchanges, and co-operation between China and relevant countries under the pretext of foreign interference. 'China will follow this case closely and protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese nationals.' The Global Times is a mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP has a history of exerting its influence in Australia to keep the Chinese diaspora in line. Analysts have long warned of the party's efforts to undermine key industries and suppress free speech on university campuses, with Chinese students dobbing in fellow students who voice views that rub Beijing up the wrong way. The Albanese government, which has sought to gloss over touchy topics with China in the pursuit of better economic ties, has responded cautiously to news of the suspected agent in Canberra. Though, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has vowed the Albanese government 'will safeguard our democracy'. 'Our democracy is about who we are,' Senator Wong told the ABC on Tuesday. 'And that means we will stand together against any foreign interference. 'We have strong frameworks in place. 'We will not tolerate collectively, or as a government, Australians being harassed or surveilled. We will continue to safeguard the democracy.' On relations with Beijing, she said 'dialogue matters'. 'Dialogue is important. Dialogue enables us to manage difference, but it doesn't eliminate it,' Senator Wong said.
