AFP thwart plot to import 100 kilograms of cocaine to Sydney

The drugs, seized on October 7, have an estimated street value of $40 million.

Two workers at the Sydney International Airport, a 55-year-old Mascot man and 61-year-old Coogee man, allegedly used their access to the cargo hold to unload the drugs.

AFP allege a 42-year-old Padstow man liaised with international organised crime figures to import the drugs.

A 62-year-old Hillsdale man allegedly coordinated the airport worker's role in the plot.

The two airport workers allegedly removed five large bags containing cocaine from the plane.

The insiders then transferred the bags to a car driven by a 24-year-old Sydney man outside the terminal.

Each of the five bags found in the car contained bricks of a white substance wrapped in black plastic which was confirmed by forensic testing to be cocaine.

All three men at the airport were arrested shortly after the handover on the afternoon of October 7 while the two others were arrested later that evening.

The men appeared at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday and will remain in custody until their next court appearance on November 30.

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"The group has been the subject of a 12-month AFP investigation to determine the extent of any criminal activity," an AFP spokesperson said.

The police investigation was sparked in October 2022 after an airline reported suspicious activity near the cargo area of a Sydney-bound flight in Johannesburg.

Investigations in Australia identified the two airport workers as being in the vicinity of that inbound flight upon arrival in Sydney and removing items from the cargo hold.

AFP detective superintendent Kristie Cressy said people with trusted access in an airport precinct were critical to Australia's tourism and trade sectors.

But police would not hesitate to investigate and prosecute those who abused that trust to assist organised crime, she said.

"Transnational serious organised crime groups actively try to corrupt people working at our airports because their access to airside operations is an active and efficient way to facilitate the importation of illicit drugs," she said.

"The AFP and its partners, including airport operators, airlines and service providers, treat matters such as this as a priority because of the damage this type of corruption can cause to our communities and businesses."

With Australian Associated Press