Pubdate: Wed, 02 Feb 2000
Source: Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Copyright: News Limited 2000
Contact:  http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/
Author: Charles Miranda, Police Reporter

RECORD DRUG HAUL

WITH a drink in one hand and a volleyball in the other, there was
nothing out of place with the young looking men relaxing on Hawkesbury
River's Dangar Island.

But as they socialised about the island's bowling club and picnic
areas, the men - federal police officers - awaited the biggest
shipment of drugs in Australia's history. Half a tonne of South
American cocaine and a cache of weapons were seized yesterday by
officers from the Australian Federal Police and Customs Service as a
lone yacht sailed at dawn into Broken Bay at the mouth of the
Hawkesbury River and the Pittwater.

The officers, who had been followed by The Daily Telegraph on Dangar
Island and surrounds since last Thursday, had been planning the
seizure since they began tracking the yacht and its crew of three
around the world more than 18 months ago.

At 2am yesterday, the Southampton-registered 12m Nicholson-class yacht
Ngaire Wha was tracked turning inland towards Broken Bay when 45
federal agents and Customs officers swooped.

The vessel - with its cargo of 500kg of cocaine worth about $140
million wrapped in hessian sacks - was blocked by the Customs vessel
Holdfast Bay which had been cruising along the Hawkesbury since last
week under direction from Customs' top officer Phil Paraggio.

The surprised crew of three offered no resistance as heavily armed AFP
agents boarded the yacht from all sides.

Another three men were arrested in the Brooklyn area, allegedly
awaiting the drop off of drugs which was to be made in the small
Patonga beach area.

The operation, codenamed Shard, involved not only the AFP and Customs
but authorities in Britain, New Zealand, South America and Interpol.

It also involved a Dash-8 surveillance aircraft, an extensive network
of satellite communications and Customs' new $20 million National
Surveillance Centre in Canberra.

Six men, including a 47-year-old yachtsman alleged to be a knight from
New Zealand, a Bondi carpenter, an ex-pat Briton and a Melbourne man
were charged late last night and are expected to appear in Central
Local Court today in relation to the importation.

The Ngaire Wha was tracked by AFP and Customs sailing to the North
Island of New Zealand late last year.

Police allege a 32-year-old man flew from Sydney to Auckland to greet
the ketch. It left NZ east coast on January 17 before again being
sighted 250 miles off the coast of Sydney on January 29.

AFP general manager Peter Donaldson said inquiries in Australia and
overseas were continuing and further arrests were expected.

AFP Commissioner Mick Palmer and Customs CEO Lionel Woodward
congratulated all involved in the operation which they said
highlighted the benefits of co-operation between crime fighting agencies.
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