UPDATE:
A multi-agency investigation into international drug trafficking by sea has uncovered 700kg of cocaine in a yacht at Lake Macquarie.
Investigations started in August by officers from NSW Police, the State Crime Command's Organised Crime Squad, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to investigate the importation of cocaine by private vessels.
The vessel travelling from the South Pacific had been tracked by the Australian Border Force, the National Gendarmeie, Tahiti as well as NSW Police's Marine Area Command and PolAir.
At about 3pm yesterday afternoon the vessel was intercepted at Toronto.
A 68-year-old man was arrested on board the vessel, a 47-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Warners Bay and a 63-year-old man was arrested at a home in Islington - all three were charged with import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs and formally refused bail in Newcastle Local Court this morning.
They will all appear back in the same court on January 30.
Mulitple search warrants were carried out across Lake Macquarie as well.
The yacht is still being examined and dismantled at Toronto this afternoon by specialist forensic officers.
The estimated street value of the haul is $245 million.
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| 700kg of cocaine that was found in the hull of the yacht. Image supplied. |
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| Officers dismantling the yacht. Image supplied. |
EARLIER:
BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE
Detectives and forensic officers are working to get a massive haul of cocaine off a yacht in Lake Macquarie.
At least half a tonne of cocaine bound for Australia from Tahiti was intercepted on a yacht at Toronto yesterday.
A multi-agency investigation comprising officers from the NSW Police Force, Federal Police, the Organised Crime Squad, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the Australian Border Force began in August, targeting the importation of cocaine by private vessels.
As a result of inquiries, officers commenced a joint resolution operation in Lake Macquarie on Wednesday, intercepting a yacht at Toronto.
It's alleged the massive drug haul was found concealed in the hull of the vessel.
The drugs have an estimated street value of at least $107 million.
Three men, a 47, 63 and a 68-year-old were arrested and charged over the alleged importation - they've been formally refused bail in Newcastle Local Court today.
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