Pubdate: Sun, 17 Sep 2000
Source: Sun Herald (Australia)
Copyright: 2000 John Fairfax Holdings Ltd
Contact:  http://www.sunherald.com.au/
Author: Alex Mitchell

DRUG BUST AT BONDI HOTEL BAR

An alleged principal suspect in Australia's biggest cocaine bust was 
arrested in the bar of a Bondi hotel as the Olympic Opening Ceremony 
was being shown on television.  

Thomas McCaffrey, an English-born alleged illegal immigrant, appeared 
in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court yesterday where he was formally 
refused bail. He was remanded in custody to appear in St James Court on 
October 3.  

McCaffrey, 43, was charged with the importation of illegal drugs, 
possessing the proceeds of crime and making a false statement in a 
passport application.  

His arrest marks the climax of Operation Shard, a joint Australian 
Federal Police and Customs Service task force which carried out the 
seizure of $140 million worth of cocaine near Broken Bay on February 1 
this year.  

They swooped on the Southampton-registered 13m Nicholson-class yacht 
Ngaire Wha arresting the three-man crew and three others waiting on the 
shore and seizing half a tonne of cocaine wrapped in hessian sacks.  

The yacht had been under surveillance for almost 18 months with the 
cooperation of authorities in Britain, New Zealand, South America and 
Interpol.  

McCaffrey was drinking with five friends in the Blue Chip Bar of the 
Swiss Grand Hotel on Bondi's Campbell Parade when Federal Police 
officers made their arrest.  
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