Multi-Agency Effort Prevents $147 Million Worth of Cocaine from Hitting Australian Shores
In a high-stakes case, two men received a combined 28-year prison sentence on November 4, 2024, after attempting to smuggle nearly 600kg of cocaine into Australia. The Supreme Court of Brisbane sentenced one man to 15 years and the other to 13 years. Following time served, both are now eligible for parole. The men had initially been found guilty in 2021 but successfully appealed, resulting in a retrial where they pled guilty in October 2024.
The operation, named Operation Solarstrike, involved collaboration between multiple agencies, including the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (QJOCTF) and the Australian Border Force’s Maritime Border Command. The two men were tracked in July 2018 while on a 300km journey offshore in a high-speed inflatable boat. The men attempted to evade capture by throwing packages overboard, but authorities recovered 588kg of cocaine. This amount could have sold for an estimated $147 million in nearly 3 million street deals.
AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer highlighted the operation’s success in keeping dangerous substances away from Australian communities, while Queensland Police’s Detective Acting Superintendent David Briese praised the teamwork among federal and state agencies. Rear Admiral Brett Sonter of the Maritime Border Command noted the event as a reminder of Australia’s vigilant border defenses.
The QJOCTF, comprising several Australian enforcement bodies, played a crucial role in stopping the cocaine smuggling, reinforcing the message that Australian borders are well-protected and criminal activities will be prosecuted.
Source abf.gov.au