Twelve people have been arrested in connection with a Mexican drug cartel as part of an international operation that prevented $1 billion worth of cocaine from entering the country.
The operation, called Beech, was a joint effort between the WA Police Transnational Serious and Organised Crime Squad, the Sydney Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other policing jurisdictions.
The operation started in November 2022 after the discovery of 2.4 tonnes of cocaine destined for Australia, located off the South American coastline. Intelligence suggested that drug traffickers were unaware of the seizure, believing the drugs were on track to their destination.
The Australian end of the syndicate was preparing to receive the drugs on December 28, so the WA Police substituted the cargo using an inert substance and identical packaging to that used by the cartel.
The covert operation saw Police drop the fake shipment about 40 nautical miles west of Perth, where a shore party allegedly made multiple efforts to locate and retrieve it.
Police will allege that the syndicate’s Australian shore counterparts made three trips out to sea in uncomfortable conditions unable to find the cargo between December 28 -30.
On December 30, officers from the Tactical Response Group arrested three members who were in possession of 1.2 tonnes of the inert substance after their boat had steering issues and washed up on the beach.
Police will further allege that other members of the syndicate retrieved the boat from its location and transferred the inert substances to their vessel.
On December 31, nine men were charged with attempting to possess 1.2 tonnes of cocaine after search warrants were executed across the metropolitan area. Following New Year’s Eve, another man was arrested and charged with attempting to possess 200kg of cocaine. Further intelligence led officers to a vehicle travelling on the Great Eastern Highway, where they discovered more than $2m cash and charged another man and a woman.
WA Commissioner of Police Col Blanch said it was a complex operation involving dozens of specialist officers and detectives. The operation resulted in the arrest of 12 people from America, NSW, and the Northern Territory. They will be processed through the court system in WA.
“This operation has enabled us to draw out those members of the syndicate who were equipped and prepared to receive and distribute a significant amount of illicit drugs within the community, who may have otherwise gone undetected and waited for the next consignment,” Mr Blanch said.
“The operation sends a message to international drug traffickers – your deadly drugs are not welcome here, and we will work closely and innovatively with our onshore and offshore law enforcement partners to dismantle your operations.”
»Police intercepts Mexican drug syndicate trying to smuggle $1bn worth of cocaine into Australia«
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