Qld cocaine conspiracy suspects remanded

Two men accused of conspiring to import 300kg of South American cocaine have been remanded in custody.

The alleged organisers of a foiled plot to import 300kg of South American cocaine into Australia have been remanded in custody.

Paul Smith, 58, and Jeffrey Sagar, 63, appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday following their extradition from NSW on Friday.

Both are expected to apply for bail at their next appearance on July 6.

The two men were charged with conspiring to import a commercial quantity of cocaine after Australian Federal Police swooped on houses in the Sydney suburbs of Rozelle and Maroubra on Thursday.

A 34-year-old woman was charged following a raid at Logan, south of Brisbane, while a fourth search was carried out on a property at Airlie Beach in North Queensland.

The AFP allege Smith and Sagar were the "key organisers" of a criminal syndicate that was planning to import 300kg of cocaine into the country.

It had an estimated street value of $105 million.

Queensland state manager Commander Sharon Cowden said officers got wind that Australian and PNG-based groups were allegedly planning to bring in drugs from Peru on a cargo ship container in late 2017.

"The cocaine wasn't where it should have been, to the syndicate's dismay," she said on Friday.

"It appeared ... that it was actually some sort of rip-off internally."

Cmdr Cowden alleged the Australian syndicate then liaised with the Peruvians to arrange a second importation, which led to the arrests.

The AFP claims the cocaine was going to be imported via Singapore and Papua New Guinea.

It would then go in small craft via the Torres Strait into Queensland.

A Peruvian businessman who allegedly consulted with the Australian syndicate was also arrested, while searches are continuing in Papua New Guinea.


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Source: AAP



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