Border officials are said to have received bribery including cash and valuables to ensure the safe passage of cocaine.
Following a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police and the New South Wales State Police, Australian Border Forces (ABF) employees and suspected criminals have been charged with multiple crimes related to drug trafficking and bribery.
The charge comes after a pair allegedly conspiring to smuggle illegal drugs into Australia.
The 50-year-old ABF employee is scheduled to appear in Downing Centre District Court on March 12 and faces several serious charges.
These include receiving bribery as a federal official, abuse of civil servants, and fraudulent disclosure of information.
Additionally, she is accused of supporting the import of border extermination drugs, a crime that carries a potential life sentence.
The suspect in the crime is a 67-year-old Pritchard man suspected of having a connection to organized crime and faces similar charges, including helping federal officials with bribery and importing illegal drugs.
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Two other men, ages 25 and 48, are also charged with attempting to own drugs across the border.
All four are connected to Operation Proctor. This is an investigation launched by the Multi-Agency Strike Team (MAST), which has since November 2024, in which seven offenders have been arrested under three MAST investigations.
Conspiracy to bypass customs exams
This fee comes from alleged conspiracy to ensure that a parcel containing 6.9 kilograms of cocaine will bypass ABF testing.
ABF employees working as supervisors have access to the ABF system, allowing them to search for cargo and identify parcels that have been flagged for inspection.
It is said that they received a bribe containing cash and high value items to promote the safe passage of cocaine parcels and provide information on the individual shipping of cosmetics arriving from Malaysia.
Suspicious operations were deployed to conspire to destroy the testing process and operate the system to avoid detection.
Mast targets vulnerable points in Australia’s border security
Operation Proctor, launched in November 2024, aims to uncover and dismantle criminal activities that exploit vulnerability within Australia’s border security.
New South Wales, particularly Sydney, is a major gateway for illegal drugs, with up to 59% of drug trafficking to Australia being routed through the state.
In past fiscal years, nearly 20 tons of illegal material have been intercepted in New South Wales on the way or inside.
Tim Fitzgerald, a deputy commissioner for the Australian Border Force, sent a message to anyone willing to test border control.
“You will not succeed. You will be exposed and you will face the full power of the law,” Fitzgerald said.
