Alleged Drug Syndicate Head Arrested In Australia

29 December 2008


Media Release
Alleged drug syndicate head arrested in Australia


A two-year operation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has ended after the
arrest in Australia, of a man alleged to be the head of a transnational drug
trafficking syndicate spanning three continents.
The man was formally charged on 26 December and is due to face Melbourne
Magistrates Court today, following his extradition from the Netherlands to
Australia.
The man is alleged to have headed a syndicate operating out of Australia, Canada
and the Netherlands by conspiring to import cocaine using a large network of
couriers internally concealing the drugs.
The AFP's National Manager Border International Tim Morris said the effort and
persistence from the AFP and its international law enforcement partners in
Canada, Thailand and the Netherlands had disrupted the activities of a global
drug trafficking syndicate.
"The commitment by these AFP investigators and their international counterparts
led to the arrest of a key player in this global drug syndicate," Assistant
Commissioner Morris said.
"This syndicate targets people who are vulnerable either financially or because of
their own drug dependency, to participate in the extremely risky and dangerous
method of swallowing drug parcels for concealment from authorities."
To date, twelve people have been arrested in Australia and overseas in
connection with this syndicate.
This arrest is another example of the success as a result of the collaborative
approach between the AFP and Customs in protecting Australia's borders.
The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $550,000 and/or 25 years
imprisonment.
Media enquiries
AFP National Media Team
Phone: (02) 6275 7100






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