Three men have been sentenced to a combined 37 years gaol for their roles in a mid-ocean transfer of almost one tonne of methamphetamine in 2020.
It all began in April 2020 when three men sailed the Mo’Chuisle yacht from Mexico to the vicinity of Norfolk Island laden with 992kg of methamphetamine which had an estimated street value of $495 million.
The methamphetamine was transferred from that yacht to another called the La Fayette.
The Mo’Chuisle was searched by local authorities while it was docked near Norfolk Island – evidence of the drug transfer was found by French Customs and French National Police who passed the information on to the Australian Border Force and AFP who began their own investigations under Operation Romani.
La Fayette was intercepted by the NSW Police Force marine Command on 18 April 2020, about 50 nautical miles east of Lake Macquarie. The two men who were on board, a 34 and 35-year-old, with the drug haul have already been sentenced to a combined 25 years in prison.
On 24 April, the three men who sailed the Mo’Chuisle to near Norfolk Island were arrested and charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug when they arrived at Brisbane International Airport.
All three men pleased guilty in November this year and were sentenced yesterday:
- A 40-year-old United Kingdom man was sentenced to 18 year’s imprisonment with a non-parole period of 11 years.
- Another United Kingdom man, 55, was sentence to 7.5 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 4.5 years.
- A 32-year-old US man was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 7 years.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Luke Wilson said the multi-agency effort demonstrated the AFP’s determination to work with partner agencies, in Australia and abroad, to stop organised crime from sending drugs to Australian shores.
“The AFP and our partners have shown the importance of working together to protect the Australian community and our commitment to dismantling and disrupting organised criminal groups anywhere we find them,” Det-A/Supt Wilson said.
“Because of this joint effort, hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine did not reach Australian streets – stopping enormous harm to our communities and making our streets safer.”