The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has charged six crewmembers of a merchant vessel following a joint investigation into a sophisticated organised crime syndicate that allegedly imported one tonne of cocaine into Australia. The suspects, which included Honduran and Ecuadorian nationals, operated a specially modified 40-metre vessel found to contain three professionally built and installed smuggling hides. Police have alleged that these hides were constructed in Central America for the sole purpose of hiding illicit goods in case maritime or law enforcement officials checked the vessel while at sea.An investigation into the vessel began in January 2026, after French authorities intercepted the ship in international waters. During this interception, the French Navy located, seized and disposed of 4.8 tonnes of cocaine before the ship, identified as the supply vessel Raider, and its crew were released in accordance with the laws of French Polynesia.Police suspected an Australian-based crew operating on behalf of a larger criminal syndicate was looking to rendezvous with Raider to conduct an at-sea transfer within Australia's economic exclusion zone.Australian Border Force (ABF) officers, with the support of the NSW Police Marine Area Command, met Raider 180 nautical miles off the New South Wales coast in late February. The ship's crew were interviewed in relation to their intentions and discussed their rights to enter Australia, before they were advised they would not be permitted entry into an Australian port. On March 12, 2026, Raider placed a distress call to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The vessel was escorted into Sydney Harbour on March 13 by NSW Police after the crew reported that they had mechanical issues and they had run low on critical supplies.The crew of the vessel was detained by ABF officials as unlawful maritime arrivals and transported to Villawood Immigration Detention Centre. A subsequent examination of the crew's electronic devices by the ABF allegedly found evidence consistent with the allegation that Raider had further drugs on board.AFP investigators, with the assistance of ABF Maritime Operations NSW, executed a search warrant on the ship while it was anchored in Snails Bay, in Sydney Harbour on Wednesday, March 25.During the warrant, the AFP seized a number of documents as well as a range of electronic devices allegedly used by the crew to coordinate the distribute of cocaine within Australian waters. The AFP also seized a satellite phone which was allegedly used by senior members of Raider's crew to communicate with the syndicate's bosses based offshore. During the comprehensive search of the vessel, officers located what are alleged to be three professionally installed smuggler hides suspected of previously containing up to six tonnes of cocaine.A search warrant was also executed on the ship's crew at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre where a number of items of clothing were seized for forensic examination.Further evidence seized has allegedly linked six members of the ship's crew to at least one drop-off of drugs within Australia's territorial waters.On Saturday, March 28, AFP officers arrested and charged: five Honduran men between the ages of 26 and 63 and a 43-year-old Ecuadorian man.The group was charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs, contrary to section 307.1 (by virtue of section 11.1) of the Criminal Code. The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment. The men are expected to appear before the NSW Bail Division Courts on Monday, March 30.Inquiries into this matter remain ongoing.
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