Seven men charged after cops bust alleged plot to bring in more than 300kg of drugs from overseas – and the shocking discovery in a shipment from Canada

Seven men have been charged after allegedly plotting to bring more than 300kg of illicit drugs into Australia. 

Since September 2023, detectives were investigating a 42-year-old man and his associates for allegedly importing and supplying large amounts of prohibited drugs and illicit tobacco. 

The men were allegedly claiming to have the ability to circumvent border controls with shipments coming in from Canada, the United Arab Emirates and Panama. 

Police allege the 42-year-old man was using a freight forwarding company in Punchbowl, south west of Sydney, to import the drugs. 

More than 280kg of liquid methamphetamine was located in an industrial cooler imported from Vancouver, Canada, in July 2024, allegedly organised by the man. 

On August 5, 2024,  two men – aged 43 and 31 – were allegedly seen trying to access the cooler and preparing to extract the liquid methamphetamine at an address in Riverstone.

Later that same day, police arrested the 43-year-old man at a fast-food restaurant in Londonderry. 

Police allege the man was involved in the preparation to extract the liquid methamphetamine. 

During a search of a property in Londonderry, police located and seized gel blasters, a methamphetamine cookbook and other items used in the manufacturing and supply of drugs. 

The 43-year-old man was charged with 17 offences including attempted possession of a commercial quantity of an unlawful import: border controlled drug, 13 counts of possess unauthorised pistol, firearm etc found at premises-subject to prohibition order, and participate in a criminal group.

Police arrested the 31-year-old man after executing a search warrant at an address in Box Hill and was charged with participate in criminal group. 

Police continued their investigation into the 42-year-old man who allegedly continued to use the freight forwarding company to import illicit drugs.

Over three separate consignments, the man allegedly imported more than 20 million cigarettes from the United Arab Emirates. 

In May, investigators established the man was planning to import 50kg of cocaine concealed in cement bags loaded in a shopping container from Panama.

Police allege the man asked two other men –  who flew to Australia from Canada – for help to retrieve the cocaine from the cement bags and supply it to organised crime groups in NSW. 

Investigators arrested four men at about 2pm on Friday after executing six search warrants in Moorebank, Punchbowl, Smithfield, Doonside and Mt Annan. 

A number of important items were located and seized during the searches, including 243 boxes of tobacco at two storage facilities in Moorebank. 

The 42-year-old man was charged with three counts of importing large quantities of tobacco, two counts of attempted import commercial quantity of border controlled drug and intend as instrument of crime. 

He was also charged with deal with proceeds of indictable crime, knowingly and recklessly direct criminal group and participate in a criminal group.

The man refused bail and is set to face Downing Centre Local Court on July 31. 

Police charged another 42-year-old man with attempt to import commercial quantity of border controlled drug and participate in criminal group. 

He was refused bail and will appear before Downing Centre Local Court on June 5. 

Meanwhile, two Canadian nationals, aged 24 and 31, were also charged with attempt to possess commercial quantity unlawful import: border controlled drug and participate in criminal group.  

The pair were refused bail and will appear at Downing Centre Local Court on June 13. 

Detectives also arrested a 36-year-old man at Sydney Airport at about 6.50pm on Saturday. 

He was charged with importing large quantities of tobacco and participating in a criminal group. He was refused bail. 

The investigation was part of a long police operation which started in September 2023. 

Investigators from MAST (Multi Agency Strike Team) established Strike Force Aulic to investigate the 42-year-old man and his associates. 

MAST is made up of 41 officers from the NSW Police Force, Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, NSW Crime Commission, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre and the Australian Taxation Office. 

MAST has been designed to target trusted insiders who are assisting transnational serious organised crime syndicates impacting NSW.