The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has made significant progress in a major cocaine seizure investigation, resulting in the charging of two men with importing a commercial quantity of the illicit drug. The investigation led to the seizure of a staggering 247kg of cocaine from a yacht moored in Townsville.
The two men, aged 55 and 44 and both residents of Griffith in the ACT, were apprehended on Thursday, July 20, 2023, at their apartment. According to police reports, one of the men allegedly threw a backpack containing $290,000 in cash, found in a vacuum-sealed bag, from the apartment balcony when the AFP arrived with a search warrant. Authorities suspect the money to be proceeds of crime.
The investigation points to the involvement of the arrested individuals in a scheme to retrieve a substantial quantity of cocaine hidden within the hull of the yacht. The yacht had arrived in Townsville in April after a voyage from Vanuatu. Despite an initial thorough search at sea, officers still perceived the vessel as a potential threat and detained it in port for 90 days to continue investigations.
