Tweed Heads, NSW - Authorities have intercepted a catamaran bearing what is alleged to be 200 kilograms of cocaine near the Queensland-New South Wales border. A 41-year-old man, identified as a resident of Tweed Heads, faces charges related to importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. He was refused bail on Friday, April 17, and is slated to reappear in court on June 12.
The bust, a collaborative effort involving the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Queensland Police Service, NSW Police Force, and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, targeted the vessel as it entered the Tweed River. Investigators allege the catamaran had previously sailed north from the Tweed River on April 14, with its tracking transponder deactivated at sea – a maneuver they suggest was to pick up the illicit cargo. The transponder was reportedly reactivated as the boat approached the coast.
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The operation highlights a coordinated, multi-agency approach to disrupting organized crime, with officials emphasizing their commitment to dismantling drug syndicates aiming to introduce illegal substances into Australia.
Further arrests have not been ruled out as the investigation into the alleged international syndicate’s plot unfolds. The offence of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Search warrants have reportedly been executed across southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales.
