Organised crime figure jailed over failed 100kg cocaine import plot

A 44 year old man from Padstow with links to organised crime has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for coordinating an attempt to import 100 kilograms of cocaine into Australia via the cargo hold of a passenger aircraft.

The sentence follows earlier penalties handed down to three other men involved in the same operation, including two airport “trusted insiders.” Together, those three received a combined maximum sentence of 15 years and nine months for their roles in the scheme.

The Australian Federal Police began investigating in October 2022 after an airline reported suspicious activity near the cargo section of a Sydney bound flight in Johannesburg, South Africa. Authorities later identified two Sydney Airport workers with access to restricted areas who were suspected of abusing their positions to remove items from an inbound aircraft without standard security screening.

After a year long investigation, police linked the Padstow man to the airport insiders and identified him as the coordinator of the planned importation in October 2023. Officers moved in as the syndicate attempted to unload the drugs, which had an estimated street value of 40 million dollars. The 44 year old was arrested at Rushcutters Bay.

He pleaded guilty in the Downing Centre Local Court on 30 October 2024 to conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of cocaine, an offence under section 307.1 of the Criminal Code. On 13 February 2026, he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and will be eligible for parole after serving five years.

One alleged member of the syndicate is still before the courts.

AFP Acting Inspector Paul Watt said the agency remains focused on preventing organised crime groups from exploiting airport security and insider access.

He warned that those tempted by the promise of quick money through criminal activity face severe penalties, including the possibility of life imprisonment. He said the operation prevented a large shipment of cocaine from entering Australia and causing further harm through addiction, violence and associated criminal activity.

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