Eight men jailed over global crime syndicate’s failed plot to traffic AU$1.7 billion worth of meth into Australia

A New South Wales man, 27, is the final syndicate member to be prosecuted in Australia and was sentenced to four years and six months’ imprisonment in Coffs Harbour District Court today (18 February, 2026). He will serve a non-parole period of two years and six months.

The eight men, arrested across Victoria and New South Wales, have been sentenced to a total of 95 years and seven months’ imprisonment for their roles in the illegal venture, which involved four separate consignments sent from Canada bound for Australia and a clandestine drug laboratory operating in Melbourne.

Operation Parkes was an investigation by the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (VIC JOCTF) – comprised of officers from the AFP, Victoria Police Force and Australian Border Force – along with New South Wales Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency, New Zealand Police and New Zealand Customs Service.

Canadian authorities seized more than six tonnes of liquid and crystal methamphetamine – which would have amounted to almost 19 million individual street deals – hidden in four separate shipments destined for Australia.

Another 700kg of methamphetamine seized in New Zealand by local authorities was suspected to have been linked to the same Canadian distributors.  

The investigation began in December, 2022, when Canadian authorities seized about 200kg of crystal methamphetamine – which had an estimated street value of AU$180 million – hidden in bottles of canola oil to be exported to Australia.

Canadian authorities alerted the AFP – which began Operation Parkes – when they found about 2900kg of liquid methamphetamine in January, 2023, in another consignment of canola oil ready to be transported to Australia. This shipment had an estimated street value of AU$720 million.

The illicit drugs were removed and replaced with an inert substance before the bottles of oil in the second consignment were shipped to Melbourne in March, 2023.  

Under the watch of authorities, two Melbourne men, 41 and 34, collected the shipment and transported it to storage locations across the city using a logistics business.

Victorian JOCTF investigators arrested and charged both men, in June, 2023.

Further investigations identified two New South Wales men, 36 and 27, as being responsible for the collection, delivery and storage of portions of this large consignment when it arrived in Sydney from Melbourne. VIC JOCTF investigators charged the men in February, 2024, following a joint investigation with NSW Police.

Three other Victorian men, 31, 28 and 22, were also arrested and charged in June, 2023. The men operated a clandestine laboratory in Melbourne, where a large quantity of cocaine, methamphetamine and equipment used to manufacture drugs was located. Investigators also seized a large quantity of cash and two imitation firearms.

Canadian authorities seized another two separate shipments of liquid methamphetamine in May, 2023 – about 325kg with an estimated street value of AU$81 million and about 2900kg with an estimated street value of AU$717 million.

In January, 2023, New Zealand Police and New Zealand Customs seized 713kg of crystal methamphetamine and charged six people. The AFP suspects those drugs were sourced from the same organised crime group accused of trying to smuggle methamphetamine to Australia.  

The eight men jailed in Australia under Operation Parkes for their role in the 2900kg liquid methamphetamine seizure in January, 2023, were:

A Hinchinbrook (NSW) man, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.5(1), by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code (Cth).

He was sentenced to four years and six months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of two years and six months.

A Melbourne CBD man, 41, pleaded guilty to:

• One count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.5(1), by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
• One count of traffic 1,4 butanediol, contrary to section 71AA of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic).

He was sentenced to 23 years’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 11 years.

A Melbourne CBD man, 34, pleaded guilty to;

• One count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.5(1), by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
• One count of possession of (or attempt to possess) a drug of dependence, contrary to section 73(1)(c) of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic).

He was sentenced to 17 years and six months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of nine years and 10 months.

A Sunshine North (Victoria) man, 31, pleaded guilty to;

• One count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drugs, contrary to section 307.5(1), by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
• One count of traffic large commercial quantity of cocaine, contrary to section 71 of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic).
• He was sentenced to 22 years and six months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 15 years and nine months.

A United States national, 28, pleaded guilty to;

• One count of possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drugs, contrary to section 307.8(1), by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code (Cth);
• Two counts of trafficking a commercial quantity commercial of methamphetamine, contrary to section 71AA of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic).

He was sentenced to 13 year’s imprisonment, with a non-parole period of seven years and 10 months.

A St Albans (Victoria) man, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drugs, contrary to section 307.5(1), by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code (Cth).  

He was sentenced to six year’s imprisonment, with a non-parole period of three years.

A Canley Heights (NSW) man, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported border controlled drugs, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5, by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code (Cth).

He was sentenced to five years and three months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of three years; and  

A Melbourne CBD man, 54, pleaded guilty to;

• One count of trafficking controlled drugs, contrary to section 302.4(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);  
• One count of possession of (or attempt to possess) a drug of dependence, contrary to section 73(1)(b) of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic); and
• One count of fail to comply with an order under section 3LA(2) of the Crimes Act 1941(Cth), contrary to section 3LA(5) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth).  

He was sentenced to three years and 10 months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of two years and 10 months.

AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Raegan Stewart said importations of large amounts of dangerous drugs threatened Australia’s national security and placed significant burden on the country.

“The criminal activities of organised crime networks have devastating effects on our financial and health systems,” a/Assistant Commissioner Stewart said.

“We also know the profits of illicit importations can be used to fund politically-motivated crimes or terrorism, which can also cause political and societal instability in our region.

“Members of criminal networks give little thought to the widespread suffering they inflict by peddling illicit drugs such as methamphetamine into our country.

“These hideous substances destroy individuals, families, and communities, so the seizures under Operation Parkes have saved lives.

“The AFP’s partnerships with international and domestic law enforcement agencies remain crucial to being able to arrest and prosecute Australia’s most significant organised criminal actors, removing their criminal influence and disrupting their networks.”  

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Martin O’Brien said importing these types of insidious drugs on an industrial scale ruins lives while destroying communities and families. 

“Make no mistake: the impact these illicit substances have on human behaviour translates to road trauma, family violence, homicides, fatal shootings and other violent offending intrinsically linked to illicit drug trafficking,” Assistant Commissioner O’Brien said. 

“We are simply not prepared to allow this to happen. Alongside our partners, we will continue to target and disrupt the top-level organised crime syndicates to take illicit drugs out of circulation at the source.   

“Seizing six tonnes of methylamphetamine – or AU$1.7B worth – is a significant blow to organised crime. We will continue the fight as our community demands.”

Acting Regional Commander, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Federal Policing Pacific Region, Stephen Lee, said the investigation was an excellent example of international policing cooperation at its best.  

“Our officers worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the Canada Border Services Agency and our international law enforcement partners and helped build a case that has led to serious charges being laid overseas,” Acting Regional Commander Lee said.

“While the individuals arrested were not from Canada, this investigation shows that transnational crime networks are far-reaching, and our commitment to disrupting them does not stop at our borders.”  

Regional Director General, Canada Border Services Agency, Pacific Region, Nina Patel, said the fight to disrupt transnational organized crime remains a global effort.  

 “The Canada Border Services Agency works alongside the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and our international law enforcement partners to dismantle crime networks that threaten the safety of our communities,” Regional Director General Patel said.  

 “This collaboration makes one thing clear, those who attempt to exploit our communities will be confronted through strong, unified action.”  

New South Wales Police Detective Superintendent Peter Faux said the results of this operation highlighted the shared determination of law enforcement agencies to safeguard the Australian public.

 “The successful prosecution of these offenders reflects the ongoing commitment of the NSW Police Force to collaborate with our partner agencies in tackling transnational organised crime,” Det Supt Faux said.

“These results are only possible through sustained cooperation, information sharing and a collective determination to protect the Australian community.

 “Criminal syndicates do not respect borders, which is why our response cannot stop at them either. The NSW Police Force will continue to work closely with our state, federal and international partners to disrupt the networks that profit from illicit drugs.”

 “This operation demonstrates the effectiveness of shared intelligence and joint capability. By working together, we can strike at the heart of these networks and prevent enormous quantities of harmful substances from reaching Australian streets.”

ABF Acting Commander Eleanor Grigg said her message to organised crime groups is that they’re being closely watched and that any threat to Australia’s border will be swiftly acted upon.

“Transnational and serious organised crime groups are relentless in their pursuit to smuggle vast amounts of illicit drugs into Australia,” Acting Commander Grigg said.

“However, the outcome of this investigation should serve as a strong deterrent for anyone thinking they can bypass our border controls.

“Together with the ongoing joint cooperation of our domestic and international partner agencies, the ABF stand united and remain committed to facing down the dangers that organised crime pose to our community.”

New Zealand Police Assistant Commissioner Investigations Corrie Parnell said five New Zealand men had received significant jail sentences – under NZ Police Operation Regis – following the significant seizure of methamphetamine at the country’s border in 2023.  

“Transnational criminal and drug networks continue to try and use new means of concealing illicit drugs, and in this case they poorly attempted to use food products by way of maple syrup containers,” Assistant Commissioner Parnell said.

 “Law enforcement agencies are working together closer than ever on targeting and shutting down these networks around the world, who exist to profit off addiction and suffering that methamphetamine causes to so many vulnerable communities.  

 “The National Organised Crime Group here in New Zealand worked closely with partner agencies here in New Zealand, Australia and Canada to shut down this large shipment of methamphetamine which would have gone on to create suffering.

 “I would like to acknowledge the investigation team here in New Zealand, as well as our counterparts at New Zealand Customs, Australian law enforcement and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for their countless hours of work to bring about this result.”

New Zealand Customs Group Manager Intelligence, Investigations and Enforcement Terry Brown said the operation shows how strong international partnerships amplify the impact of law enforcement.

“Collectively, our agencies were able to stop billions of dollars' worth of methamphetamine at our borders, including a local interception of 713 kilograms concealed in bottles of maple syrup,” Brown said.

“This prevented a significant amount of harm from reaching New Zealand’s communities.”

This is a joint media release by the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police, New South Wales Police, Australian Border Force, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency, New Zealand Police and New Zealand Customs Service.