The Australian Federal Police seized a massive haul of meth from a “black flight” originating in Papua New Guinea when the aircraft stopped to refuel at a small airstrip in rural Queensland.
On Tuesday afternoon, specialist officers from the AFP and Queensland Police Service apprehended the group as the twin-engine Beechcraft plane landed in Monto, which is located two hours west of Bundaberg.
As a result of an investigation led by the AFP, five alleged members of a criminal syndicate accused of organising the flight carrying 52kg of methamphetamine from PNG to Australia have been charged. The methamphetamine had an estimated street value of more than $15 million.
A “black flight” typically refers to a light aircraft that deliberately logs false flight plans or no log at all, flies at a low altitude, or disables flight monitoring systems to evade law enforcement or aviation monitoring systems.
The charged men are believed to be members of a transnational serious organised crime (TSOC) group. They are accused of handling the logistics for importing methamphetamine via a “black flight” from PNG to rural Queensland. Allegedly, once the flight landed in Queensland, the accused arranged for the aircraft to be refuelled and flown to NSW.
According to authorities, three of the men who were arrested allegedly provided ground support for the “black flight” and had been present in Queensland since February, preparing for the operation. The two pilots who allegedly flew the aircraft were also charged.
Yesterday, four out of the five men, who are all from NSW, appeared before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on charges related to their alleged involvement in the “black flight”. The fifth man, aged 54, is scheduled to appear in court today.
Police will allege that over two days, 20 to 21 March, 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 southwest of Sydney, to the town of Bulolo in PNG, which is more than 250km north-west of Port Moresby.
They were being monitored by the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) Transnational Crime Unit from Lae in PNG. Before landing in PNG, the pilots refuelled at an airstrip in the central Queensland town of Monto.
It is alleged that the pilots collected 52kg of methamphetamine in PNG and then flew back to the Monto airstrip. During the return journey, the men allegedly flew at an unauthorised low altitude with the aircraft’s transponder switched off in an attempt to avoid radar detection.
All five men were arrested by specialist AFP and Queensland Police Service members shortly after the plane arrived at the Monto airstrip. Police located and seized five duffle bags concealed in the plane, containing about 52kg of methamphetamine.
Following the arrests in Central Queensland, the AFP and NSW Police officers executed search warrants at four homes and businesses in Wilton and Tahmoor, the Wollongong suburb of Fairy Meadow and the Newcastle suburb of Wallsend.
During the warrants, police seized electronic devices, firearm parts, drug paraphernalia and documentation referencing aircraft parts and travel to PNG. All items will be subject to further forensic examination.
All five men were charged with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), and face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted.
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.
The pilot of that venture is serving an 18-year-prison sentence term in PNG for the attempted import. Other prosecutions, both in PNG and in Australia, relating to that matter are ongoing.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Eastern Command Stephen Dametto said the charges highlighted the lengths alleged criminal syndicates would go to in their bid to get illicit drugs to Australia.
“The way these criminal syndicates allegedly imported this methamphetamine to Australia was dangerous,” Assistant Commissioner Dametto said.
“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.”
Queensland Police Service Assistant Commissioner Katherine Innes, Crime and Intelligence Command, said this impressive result demonstrates how closely the QPS works with the AFP and law enforcement partners in relentlessly pursuing criminal groups involved in serious and organised crime.
“In partnership with AFP and NSW Police, the QPS was involved in critical components in this high-level investigation and coordinated tactical action to disrupt and investigate activities impacting on our communities.”
The following services provide people with access to support and information regarding drugs.
- For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services, call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.
- Access free 24/7 drug and alcohol counselling online at www.counsellingonline.org.au.
- For information about drug and alcohol addiction treatment or support, go to www.turningpoint.org.au.
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