Latest news with #StephenDametto
Perth Now
22-05-2025
- Perth Now
Insiders used to import 6kg cocaine
A man allegedly caught collecting 6kg of cocaine from an international commercial flight in Sydney told police his suitcase was filled with plaster. A foreign law enforcement agency tipped off police in January about trusted insiders being used by a drug trafficking syndicate to hide cocaine on international commercial flights destined for Australia. Six kilograms of cocaine was allegedly found concealed in 1kg packages that had been wrapped in duct tape on a flight searched by Australian Border Force officers on March 17. Police were tipped off by foreign law enforcement agencies about trusted insiders who were being used to traffic cocaine into Australia on commercial flights. NSW Police Credit: Supplied A Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST) allegedly saw a 23-year-old man from Narara collect the cocaine and travel to Gosford where he was stopped by police. He allegedly told officers his suitcase contained plaster. He was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of cocaine and unlawfully import a border controlled drug. Police allege another 34-year old man from Hardys Bay near Gosford was the mastermind behind the failed plot. He was stopped by police near Kempsey on March 27 and charged with unlawfully importing cocaine which carries a penalty of life imprisonment. Two men from The Central Coast have been charged over an alleged foiled plot to import 6kg of cocaine on an international commercial flight into Sydney. NSW Police Credit: Supplied Both men are in custody and are due to appear before the courts over the coming weeks. The MAST is focused on targeting contractors, or public or private officials, who are on the payroll of organised crime. Known as trusted insiders, these employees unlawfully access information such as security or operational details, or use subterfuge, to help organised crime. AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dametto said the strike team was committed to identifying criminals who used trusted insiders to enable the flow of illegal drugs, such as cocaine, into Australia. 'Criminals are motivated by greed and will use any means to import harmful drugs into Australia to make a profit, at the expense of Australians and their health,' he said. Two men from NSW have been charged over an alleged foiled plot to import cocaine on commercial flights from overseas. NSW Police Credit: Supplied 'Illicit drugs cause immense harm to users and their families and make our communities less safe. 'No matter how elaborate or creative the attempts are, the AFP and our partners are working tirelessly to prevent airports and aircraft being used by trusted insiders as part of the criminal supply chain.' NSW Police State Crime Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Jason Weinstein said trusted insiders played a pivotal role in the illicit drug supply chain. 'These individuals abuse their positions to facilitate criminal activity and targeting them through MAST is essential to protecting our communities from the scourge of drugs,' he said.
West Australian
22-05-2025
- West Australian
Trusted insiders allegedly used in foiled plot to smuggle 6kg of cocaine into Sydney on international commercial flights
A man allegedly caught collecting 6kg of cocaine from an international commercial flight in Sydney told police his suitcase was filled with plaster. A foreign law enforcement agency tipped off police in January about trusted insiders being used by a drug trafficking syndicate to hide cocaine on international commercial flights destined for Australia. Six kilograms of cocaine was allegedly found concealed in 1kg packages that had been wrapped in duct tape on a flight searched by Australian Border Force officers on March 17. A Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST) allegedly saw a 23-year-old man from Narara collect the cocaine and travel to Gosford where he was stopped by police. He allegedly told officers his suitcase contained plaster. He was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of cocaine and unlawfully import a border controlled drug. Police allege another 34-year old man from Hardys Bay near Gosford was the mastermind behind the failed plot. He was stopped by police near Kempsey on March 27 and charged with unlawfully importing cocaine which carries a penalty of life imprisonment. Both men are in custody and are due to appear before the courts over the coming weeks. The MAST is focused on targeting contractors, or public or private officials, who are on the payroll of organised crime. Known as trusted insiders, these employees unlawfully access information such as security or operational details, or use subterfuge, to help organised crime. AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dametto said the strike team was committed to identifying criminals who used trusted insiders to enable the flow of illegal drugs, such as cocaine, into Australia. 'Criminals are motivated by greed and will use any means to import harmful drugs into Australia to make a profit, at the expense of Australians and their health,' he said. 'Illicit drugs cause immense harm to users and their families and make our communities less safe. 'No matter how elaborate or creative the attempts are, the AFP and our partners are working tirelessly to prevent airports and aircraft being used by trusted insiders as part of the criminal supply chain.' NSW Police State Crime Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Jason Weinstein said trusted insiders played a pivotal role in the illicit drug supply chain. 'These individuals abuse their positions to facilitate criminal activity and targeting them through MAST is essential to protecting our communities from the scourge of drugs,' he said.
13-05-2025
Over a ton of cocaine worth nearly half a billion dollars seized off Australian coast
LONDON -- Over a ton of cocaine worth close to nearly half a billion dollars has been seized from a boat off the coast of Australia, officials have confirmed. Detectives from the Organised Crime Squad in Australia have charged five people following the seizure of the drugs from a vessel off the New South Wales coast after police there obtained potential intelligence to the drugs following a 'suspicious purchase' of a 43-foot-long motor cruiser paid for by just cash in Sydney's Sutherland Shire on April 28, according to a joint statement from the New South Wales Police Force and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). 'On Friday (9 May 2025), as the vessel travelled back to shore - towards South West Rocks - it was intercepted by the Marine Area Command about 9.30am.,' the statement said. 'Two men, aged 24 and 26, were arrested on board and escorted to shore by the police vessel. They were taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station.' Approximately 1,110 blocks of cocaine, weighing 1.039 tons were located on the vessel, police confirmed. 'The seized cocaine equates to over a million individual hits, with an estimated potential street value of $623.4 million,' (more than $400 million U.S. dollars) police said. Three other people – aged 28, 29 and 35 - were simultaneously arrested on shore after investigators stopped two vehicles attempting to leave the South West Rocks area and they were taken to Taree Police Station. Forensic specialists are currently examining the seized drugs and will be conducting further testing to determine the exact weight and purity of the drugs. 'The two men at Coffs Harbour were charged with supply prohibited drug - large commercial quantity and participate in criminal group,' Australian officials said. 'The three men at Taree were charged with take part in supply prohibited drug - large commercial quantity and participate in criminal group.' All five of the suspects appeared at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday where they were all formally refused bail and mandated to appear at Coffs Harbour Local Court on July 15, authorities said. 'The AFP and NSW Police Force have a long history of disrupting criminal networks attempting to import drugs that destroy our community. Combining our resources and expertise allows us to get successful outcomes like the one we are announcing today,' AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dametto said. 'Australia's vast coastline is attractive to organised crime groups, who attempt to exploit this by trying to import drugs using boats. The bad news for them is the AFP will continue to work together with our partners to target organised crime syndicates who wrongly believe they can operate with impunity. NSW Police State Crime Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Jason Weinstein said these arrests are testament to how rapidly our policing resources can coordinate and stop significant amounts of drug coming into NSW. 'Whether on land or sea, NSW Police have the investigative capability to disrupt and undermine criminal enterprise,' Weinstein said. "This seizure shows how our continuous monitoring of known organised crime methodologies with industry partners, can be actioned into a successful multi-agency operation with those involved immediately arrested to prevent illicit drugs entering NSW. Our ability to pivot and protect the community is evident in this week's actions. Make no mistake these drugs, if allowed to enter our communities, would have had devastating impacts on people's lives and social cohesion, particularly in regional townships.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Australian authorities intercept over a ton of cocaine worth $400M
More than a ton of cocaine worth nearly $400 million was seized off the coast of Australia during a drug bust that ended with the arrests of five men on Friday, local authorities said. New South Wales (NSW) Police Force investigators obtained intelligence about a suspicious purchase of a boat with a large sum of cash in late April and began following the movements of the vessel and people involved, the NSW and Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a joint news release. Both the NSW and AFP monitored their activities as they traveled north via Nelson Bay and Port Macquarie, according to the agencies. When the vessel came back to shore on Friday, marine authorities launched an interception. 5 Fishermen Rescued At Sea After 55 Days Adrift In Pacific Ocean Authorities discovered approximately 1,110 blocks of cocaine, weighing 1.039 tons, aboard the vessel. The cocaine had an estimated potential street value of nearly $400 million, according to authorities. Read On The Fox News App Two men, aged 24 and 26, were arrested on board the vessel. Three men – aged 28, 29 and 35 – were arrested on shore after investigators stopped two vehicles attempting to leave the area. "Australia's vast coastline is attractive to organized crime groups, who attempt to exploit this by trying to import drugs using boats," AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dametto said. "The bad news for them is the AFP will continue to work together with our partners to target organized crime syndicates who wrongly believe they can operate with impunity." Bondi Announces One Of Largest Fentanyl Seizures In Us History The two men arrested on the boat were charged with supplying a prohibited drug in a large commercial quantity, while the three men arrested on shore were charged with taking part in supplying a prohibited drug in a large commercial quantity. All five face charges of participating in a criminal group. All five men appeared in court and were denied bail. Investigators are working to learn more about the origin of the drugs and the group's alleged article source: Australian authorities intercept over a ton of cocaine worth $400M
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Watch: Australian police seize more than a ton of cocaine from boat, arrest 5 people
Police in Australia seized more than a ton of cocaine and arrested five people in a maritime raid this past Friday. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) stated that the New South Wales (NSW) Police Force first obtained intelligence in relation to a 'suspicious purchase' of a 13-meter motor cruiser that was paid for 'with a large sum of cash' in Sydney's Sutherland Shire on April 28. 1 killed, 32 hospitalized after Mother's Day morning crash involving tour bus on 60 Freeway NSW Police began an investigation that targeted drug supply and money laundering and continued to gather information, including movements of the vessel and people associated with the group. According to the AFP, officers noticed the boat sailing north from the coastal city of Port Macquarie on May 9 and intercepted it as it traveled back to shore toward the town of South West Rocks, about 50 miles north of where it departed. Two men on board the boat, aged 24 and 26, were arrested at sea and escorted via a police boat to shore where they were taken to a local police station. Bodycam footage recorded during the raid shows large bundles of contraband scattered throughout a room on the two-story boat; a picture released by AFP shows that at least one of the bundles was wrapped with a Louis Vuitton label. 'Police allege approximately 1,110 blocks of cocaine, weighing 1.039 tons, were located on the vessel,' an Australian Federal Police release states. 'The seized cocaine equates to over a million individual hits, with an estimated potential street value of $623.4 million AUD.' $623.4 million AUD equates to roughly $400 million USD. Pope Leo XIV calls for peace in Ukraine and Gaza in symbolically rich blessing on Mother's Day While the two men were being arrested on the boat nine nautical miles offshore, three men in two vehicles were arrested after they were stopped while trying to leave the area. None of the five men were identified by name, and footage released by Australian law enforcement had their faces blurred. All of them were charged with supplying a prohibited drug in a large commercial quantity and participating in a criminal group. The investigation into the origin of the drug and the group's alleged associates remains ongoing. 'Australia's vast coastline is attractive to organized crime groups, who attempt to exploit this by trying to import drugs using boats,' Australian Federal Police Commissioner Stephen Dametto said, per the AFP release. 'The bad news for them is the AFP will continue to work together with our partners to target organized crime syndicates who wrongly believe they can operate with impunity.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
