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Man arrested over Newcastle cocaine bust while boarding flight to Singapore

| 13.05,22. 06:12 AM |


Man arrested over Newcastle

cocaine bust while boarding

flight to Singapore


Newcastle cocaine drug bust Hunter River dead scuba diver
The dead scuba diver and suspected drugs were found in the vicinity of this large ship berthed in Newcastle. (9News)

Police investigating the death of a diver and the discovery of $20 million worth of cocaine in Newcastle have arrested a man in north Queensland.

The 62-year-old man was arrested as he attempted to board a flight to Singapore at Cairns Airport yesterday afternoon.

The arrest was made by Queensland Police and AFP officers.

A dead scuba diver found near more than 50kg of cocaine at a Newcastle shipping port has been identified as a foreign national.
A dead scuba diver found near more than 50kg of cocaine has been identified as a foreign national. (NSW Police)
He was taken to the Cairns Watch House and charged with the federal crime of importing a large commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, and the New South Wales state crime of large commercial drug supply.
Detectives from the NSW organised crime unit are travelling to Cairns today to seek the man's extradition.
He will appear at Cairns Magistrates Court today.
$20 million worth of cocaine was recovered from the scene.
$20 million worth of cocaine was recovered from the scene. (Nine)
The arrest comes three days after the body of a scuba diver was found in the port of Newcastle next to a South American container ship.
Soon after his body was recovered, 54 kilograms of cocaine was discovered.
The ship, which had travelled from Argentina, arrived in Newcastle on Sunday evening, and later that night a rubber ducky and a tinny were seen travelling to it.
The vessel was carrying soybean powder and police are looking at whether the drugs were attached to the outside of it.
Newcastle cocaine drug bust Hunter River dead scuba diver
The dead scuba diver and suspected drugs were found in the vicinity of this large ship berthed in Newcastle. (9News)
"There's evidently more people involved than the dead man," Superintendent Rob Critchlow said today.
"As most people would realise, people don't scuba dive alone.
"There's obviously safety protocols even with people involved in offending.
"It was quite complicated, some of the devices they used and the presence of two boats indicate at least two other people.
"This man's been left for dead basically, either to die or when he did die, these people fled.
"So it's quite disgusting … regardless of what he was involved in."
The 62-year-old man has not been charged in relation to the diver's death.
The man and suspected drugs were found "in the immediate vicinity". (NSW Police)
Police have given no indication the man arrested yesterday was involved in the scuba dive.
The dead man was wearing highly-technical diving gear including breathing equipment that doesn't emit any bubbles.
Critchlow asked anyone who sold dive gear in the area to contact police.
Inquiries into the death and the cocaine discovery are continuing.
The AFP is also conducting inquiries offshore.

Farah News /9News


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