Crooked cop ‘person of interest’ in $1m cold case
Police have put up a $1 million reward in a bid to solve the murder mystery of Robert "Jack" Richardson, whose case has deep underworld links.
drug trafficking
Testing shows use of illicit drugs jumps over summer
Illegal drug use has risen in Australia, with certain areas showing a distinct preference for different substances, according to wastewater testing.
Police unearth largest Australian seizure of ketamine
Three men face life in prison after being arrested and charged over the largest seizure of the illicit drug ketamine in Australia's history.
Brothel owner sold cocaine during ‘downward spiral’
Police started surveillance of a former Gold Coast brothel owner after clients complained about drug use at his business.
Man jailed for ‘escalating’ drugs and gun offending
A Queensland man continued to deal drugs and then armed himself with a pump-action rifle despite being repeatedly caught by police.
British national sentenced over $800m drug haul
A British national is set to be deported after admitting supplying and possessing drugs valued at more than $800 million as part of attempts to waiver a debt.
Six charged after meth worth $1.7 billion seized
Methamphetamine worth $1.7 billion has been seized as part of a probe into a global smuggling syndicate bringing the drug from Canada to Australia.
Brisbane police bust drug lab, seize cash, firearm
A Brisbane man has been charged with a string of drug offences following a police raid on a drug lab in Brisbane's north.
Boat breakdown helps cops bust 800kg cocaine shipment
The discovery of a huge haul of cocaine on a vessel off the West Australian coast appears to be an example of how cartels have changed their distribution plans.
Truck driver found not guilty over 400kg cocaine plot
Osman El-Houli has been found not guilty after being accused of driving 3000km to collect $141 million worth of cocaine in far north Queensland in July 2020.
Man may have been ‘tricked into being drug courier’
Osman El-Houli may have been tricked into being a drug courier by a syndicate hoping to collect $141 million worth of cocaine in Queensland, a court has heard.
Man details ‘scary’ arrest with accused drug courier
A man has described the "scary" moment heavily armed police arrested Osman El-Houli, who has been accused of attempting to pick up drugs set to arrive from PNG.
Rural Queensland farm raid sparks $23.1m cannabis bust
A raid on an isolated rural Queensland farm has unearthed $23.1 million of cannabis linked to a nationwide drugs syndicate.
Hynes’ mum to move from prison to his granny flat
Julie Hynes, mother of the NRL's 2022 Dally M Medallist Nicho Hynes, will be released from jail after being found guilty of drug supply.
$30m meth stuffed into duffel bags seized in NSW
Twenty kilograms of meth have been seized during a vehicle stop following a joint NSW and Queensland police investigation into cross-border drug trafficking.
Huge heroin haul hidden in concrete before record bust
A shipment of heroin with an estimated street value of almost $270 million has been detected at the Australian border, with the drugs hidden in concrete blocks.
Gold Coast pair charged after cocaine discovered in stone benchtop
A man and a woman are accused of being part of criminal syndicate that attempted to import $12 million of drugs hidden inside machinery and a stone benchtop.
Plane loaded with drugs ‘tried to fly under the radar’
A plane allegedly loaded with $15 million worth of meth has been intercepted in rural Queensland while trying to fly undetected from Papua New Guinea to NSW.
Man jailed for ‘serious’ drug dealing in hotel rooms
Queensland man Trinidy Clifford Smith used names of associates to hire cars and book hotel rooms across Brisbane to use for his drug trafficking operation.
Police foil plan to bring $1b of cocaine into Australia
Police have stopped 2.4 tonnes of cocaine worth $1 billion from coming into Western Australia and have arrested 12 people over the alleged shipment.
Killer’s jail time extended for ‘outrageous’ drug plot
Convicted killer George Marrogi and his girlfriend Antonietta Mannella have been sentenced for running a drug empire while the underworld figure is behind bars.
Qld to decriminalise possession of most illicit drugs
Queensland will move to decriminalise drug possession with police to refer people caught with illicit substances or utensils to diversion programs.
Construction boss on trial over excavator drug haul
The alleged sound of Tony Maaz's "frustration" was picked up by devices planted by police who earlier removed hundreds of kilos of MDMA from an excavator.
Army vet in need of mental health in prison, judge says
Christopher James Finn is in urgent need of mental health treatment in prison after suffering complex post traumatic stress disorder as a soldier, a judge says.
‘Sophisticated’ Brisbane meth syndicate smashed
An alleged drug syndicate has been dealt a "knockout blow" by police who seized kilos of meth and hundreds of thousands of dollars over a 14-month operation.
Jail over plan to import cocaine for ‘ridiculous’ cash
Two business owners aged in their 50s have been jailed for attempting to possess 33 kilograms of cocaine in Brisbane while being tracked by police.
Superyacht owner’s son bailed in drug plot
A bailed 21-year-old is bound for Queensland after a failed alleged drug importation left a Brazilian diver dead and bricks of cocaine floating in a NSW port.
Drug dealer now ‘not same man’
A Queensland judge heard a drug dealer has made a "really impressive" start to turning his life around after ordering a shooting and assault over unpaid debts.
Police discover crime spree at car crash
A Queensland mother has appeared in court after police inadvertently uncovered her drug crime spree when they attended a single vehicle accident in Brisbane.
Global drug kingpin accused brought to Vic
An alleged global drug kingpin accused of conspiring to traffic up to $4.4 million worth of methamphetamine has been extradited to Melbourne.
Accused global drug kingpin faces court
A man alleged to have run one of the world's biggest drug cartels has been taken to jail after appearing in a Melbourne court charged with drug trafficking.