Police seize scores of vehicles, tools and other goods believed to be stolen during wide-reaching raids on the Gold Coast this morning.
UPDATE: TWO brothers accused of being ringleaders of a multi-million dollar cannabis smuggling ring will remain behind bars for two weeks before applying for bail.
Police have alleged Terrence Thornbury was the boss of the drug ring and brother Joshua Thornbury was his right hand man.
After a detailed investigation dubbed Operation Kilo Zurich, detectives yesterday swooped on the syndicate and seized more than $1.2 million in cannabis and cash and about $10 million in assets including a Ferrari, eight new buses and a new Queenslander house.
The Thornburys and seven other co-accused were arrested and will face the Southport Magistrates Court today, many also charged under the Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act.
If convicted the brothers are facing a potential 25 year jail sentence on top of a trafficking sentence.
This morning the Thornburys’ solicitor Jodi Allen asked their cases be adjourned for two weeks in order to prepare thorough bail applications.
Magistrate Hogan set their applications for April 29.
EARLIER: TWO Gold Coast drug syndicates that smuggled millions of dollars of cannabis through Queensland airports used perfumed suitcases to throw sniffer dogs off the scent and colluded on price so they did not undercut each other, police have revealed.
State police say they will raise the embarrassing airport security lapse with federal authorities after yesterday smashing the second fly-in, fly-out dope smuggling racket in a month.
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Queensland public servants have been implicated in the latest drug ring, from which police seized more than $1.2 million in cannabis and cash and about $10 million in assets including a Ferrari, eight new buses and a new Queenslander house.
Police supplied picture of drug concealment in a suitcase from Operation Kilo Zurich. Source: Supplied
Police say the two syndicates used drug mules to fly in an estimated 3.5 tonnes of cannabis from Victoria, vacuum-packed in suitcases in 20-25kg blocks. The mules travelled on commercial flights into Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Townsville, making up to four trips a week.
Police revealed the syndicates used perfumes and essential oils to mask the strong smell of cannabis and trick airport sniffer dogs.
They also say the syndicates operated separately but engaged in cartel-like price fixing.
“They worked as separate entities but they talked and discussed between themselves the price they would sell it for so they made sure they weren’t undercutting each other,’’ Major and Organised Crime Squad chief Inspector Scott Knowles said.
The Crime and Misconduct Commission is investigating the alleged role of public servants in the drug racket. At least one State Government employee is suspected of helping the alleged ringleader in a business used as a “front” for his illegal activities.
Police raids on the Gold Coast — Police at s Daintree Drive property at Parkwood. Pic by David Clark Source: News Limited
Police raided 13 Gold Coast addresses yesterday as well as properties in Victoria and NSW as they closed the 12-month investigation, codenamed Operation Kilo Zurich.
They arrested 21 people on 42 charges, including two Victorians and a Queensland man who was nabbed in NSW, and said more arrests were likely. They are being charged under Queensland’s new anti-gang laws as participants in a criminal organisation.
Insp Knowles said the syndicate dismantled yesterday had smuggled an estimated 1.5 tonnes of high-quality hydroponic cannabis, worth an estimated $18 million and grown in Victorian “drug houses”, in eight months.
Police at a property at Fred Astaire Avenue, Maudsland where vehicles where seized and taken away. Pic by David Clark Source: News Limited
Most was brought in through Brisbane Airport but some also came through the Gold Coast and Townsville, Insp Knowles said.
“Given the security at the airport, it is an interesting turn of events that they can bring this amount through,’’ he said.
“Without a doubt, they secreted (the cannabis) quite well to avoid drug detection dogs at the airports, but it is getting through obviously.
Raids across the Gold Coast netted millions in stolen property and cash. Source: GoldCoastBulletin
“It’s something we’re raising with the federal authorities to discuss what they can do and we can do in the airport environment to try and combat this.’’
Airport staff were not suspected of involvement however, Insp Knowles said.
Last month, police from anti-bikie squad Taskforce Maxima smashed another cannabis smuggling syndicate that was also growing marijuana in buried shipping containers converted to underground “drug bunkers”.
Perfumed cases used to smuggle drugs - Gold Coast Bulletin
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