Authorities in Australia say two Canadians are among seven men facing charges following a months-long investigation into an international organized crime ring believed to have been using “trusted insiders” to help smuggle cocaine, methamphetamine and tobacco into the country.
The Canadian nationals, aged 24 and 31, were not identified by the Australian Federal Police. Both men have been charged with participating in a criminal group and attempting to possess commercial quantities of border-controlled drugs, according to the agency.
A 42-year-old Australian man, the alleged ringleader of the group, came under investigation in September 2023, after investigators say he and his associations were “purporting to have the ability to circumvent border controls” to import large quantities of contraband using a freight transportation company.
Ten months later, in July 2024, Australian police found more than 280 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine inside an industrial cooler that had been imported from Vancouver, allegedly organized by the ringleader.
Two other men, aged 43 and 31, were seen accessing the cooler and “preparing to extract the liquid methamphetamine” in the Sydney suburb of Riverstone, police said.
Both men were arrested and charged after police conducted separate search warrants on Aug. 5, 2024, according to the statement.
Authorities say the ringleader continued to use the freight company to import three separate shipments containing more than 20 million cigarettes from the United Arab Emirates.
Then last month, police allege the man was planning to import a shipping container from Panama containing 50 kilograms of cocaine concealed in cement bags.
Investigators say he sought the assistance of his alleged Canadian accomplices, who flew in from Canada to retrieve the cocaine from the cement bags and move it on to organized crime groups in the eastern Australian state of New South Wales.
Investigators moved in and arrested four men, including the Canadians and the alleged ringleader, on May 30, police said.
The alleged ringleader was charged with multiple counts related to organized crime and importing drugs and tobacco. The fourth man, 42 years old, was charged with attempting to import commercial quantities of border-controlled drugs and participating in a criminal group.
The Canadians were denied bail and are scheduled to appear next in an Australian court on June 13.
Police say one other suspect, a 36-year-old man, was arrested at the Sydney airport on May 31 and was charged with importing large quantities of tobacco and participating in a criminal group.
