PNG-Aust drug bust

AUSTRALIAN police seized more than A$15 million (about K35 million) worth of methamphetamine (meth) and arrested five men on Tuesday.
The Australians had flown the drug from Papua New Guinea (PNG)’s Bulolo in the dark and at an unauthorised low altitude with their aircraft’s transponder switched off to avoid radar detection.
Four of the five men are from New South Wales (NSW) and they were charged in a magistrate’s court in Bundaberg on Wednesday with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine and face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, if convicted.
The Australian federal police (AFP), NSW and Queensland police, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary in a joint statement said the methamphetamine had an estimated street value of more than AUD$15 million (about K35 million).
Police alleged that the men were transnational serious organised crime (TSOC) members who handled the practical arrangements for the methamphetamine to be imported on board a black flight from PNG to rural Queensland.
Police alleged that once the flight landed in Queensland, the aircraft would be refuelled and flown to NSW.
Three of those arrested allegedly provided ground support for the flight and had staged themselves in Queensland since February in preparation for the flight.
The two pilots who allegedly flew the black flight were also charged.
The investigation was part of Operation Gepard, which is a joint investigation with the AFP, NSW police Strike Force Redground and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (Operation Nashton).
Police alleged that on Monday the pilot, a 51-year-old Fairy Meadow man, and co-pilot, a 52-year-old Tahmoor man, flew a twin-engine Beechcraft light aircraft from Wilton, a rural area south west of Sydney, to an airstrip in the central Queensland town of Monto where they refuelled.
Police then allege that at about midnight on Tuesday, both pilots flew from Monto to Bulolo in PNG which is more than 250km north-west of Port Moresby.
Police alleged that the pilots flew the aircraft at an unauthorised low altitude with the aircraft’s transponder switched off during the return journey in an effort to avoid radar detection.
Police alleged the pilots collected 52kg of methamphetamine in Bulolo and then returned to the airstrip at Monto on Tuesday when AFP arrested them.
Their actions were monitored by PNG police Transnational Crime Unit from Lae.
All five men were arrested by specialist AFP and Queensland police shortly after the plane arrived at the Monto airstrip on Tuesday afternoon. Police located and seized five duffle bags concealed in the plane, containing the methamphetamine.
The AFP, NSW police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission had been monitoring the alleged NSW-based criminal syndicate which has significant international links for some time.
It will be alleged that the TSOC syndicate were attempting to create a supply chain for delivering illicit drugs to Australia using black flights.
The AFP worked with PNG Police Commissioner David Manning, who on request from the AFP, provided support for the investigation.
PNG police monitored the alleged black flight through PNG air space to Bulolo and its return to Australia on Tuesday.
Investigations into how the drugs originally entered PNG are ongoing.
This black flight is not the first attempt by alleged TSOC members to transport illegal substances from PNG into Australia.
In 2020, an alleged black flight carrying 550kg of cocaine attempted to leave PNG but crashed when trying to take off.
Meanwhile, a Chinese man was arrested at Lae’s Nadzab Airport yesterday after police tracked him from Bulolo to Lae.
Deputy Police Commissioner (Special Operations) Donald Yamasombi said it was alleged that the Chinese national was involved in the transportation of the 52kg of methamphetamine to Australia.
Manning said the seizure and arrests highlighted PNG police’s commitment to keep the country and Pacific free from the scourge of narcotics.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Eastern Command Stephen Dametto said the charges highlighted the lengths alleged criminal syndicates would go to get illicit drugs to Australia.
“The way these criminal syndicates allegedly imported this methamphetamine to Australia was dangerous,” he added.
“These charges are extremely serious, but equally, allegedly flying an unregistered, low-level flight, across thousands of kilometres is dangerous.
“These men have not only allegedly imported a dangerous drug, but flying at a low altitude without proper monitoring systems poses a huge safety risk to other aircraft and to emergency services members in the event of an incident.
“Methamphetamine is a dangerous, illegal drug that causes so much harm to the community and first-line responders, such as paramedics, nurses and police,” he added.