A crime syndicate operating out of the Sydney Fish Market has been busted with 1.1 tonnes of cocaine worth about $360 million seized. Around 500 kgs of cocaine was found in Australia and an additional 600 kgs bound for Australia from Tahiti.
The Australian Federal Police and the NSW Police have charged 15 men with drug importation offences. The arrests, made during a series of Christmas Day raids, come after two-and-a-half-year investigation. Assistant Police Commissioner, Mark Jenkins said a member of the community gave them a tip-off two-and-a-half years ago. The complex investigation was targeted at commercial fisherman who were allegedly using fishing trawler based at Sydney Fish Markets to meet a “mother ship” which moved cocaine from Chile to Australia.
On Christmas night, three men were arrested in Brooklyn, NSW where 500 kgs of cocaine was seized. After search warrants were executed another eight men have been arrested. All mean appeared in Sydney Central court this week and all were refused bail. Then on Tuesday, two men were arrested in Brisbane and Hobart. Both have appeared in court and their extradition to NSW was granted. Yesterday, another two men were arrested in Ulladulla and have since appeared in court where they too were refused bail. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a controlled drug is life imprisonment.
Two of the 15 accused men are former NRL Roosters player, John Tobin and Bondi businessman, Darren Mohr. Police said they were confident all alleged members of the criminal syndicate were in custody.
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