Police are putting together a ‘large brief’ of evidence against a man who was allegedly the ringleader of a botched plan to import 900kg of cocaine into Australia.
The Australian Federal Police will allege in court Daniel Wayne John Roberts, 36, is the Australian leader of the transnational organised crime syndicate which had tried to import 900kg cocaine.
However, the botched importation job saw bricks of the drug washing up on NSW beaches in recent months.
The AFP allege Daniel Wayne John Roberts was the Australian leader of a transnational organised crime syndicate
Mr Roberts was allegedly in charge of collecting and distributing the cocaine and other illicit drugs into Australia, primarily using sea routes.
He was arrested on April 17 charged with seven offences relating to the importation of commercial quantities of drugs and dealing in proceeds of crime.
The matter was briefly mentioned on Friday in the Brisbane Magistrates Court.
The court was told there was a ‘large brief’ of evidence being collated by the prosecution.
A partial brief of evidence was ordered to be completed before the next appearance on July 5.
Mr Roberts was arrested as part of Operation Groot – a major joint investigation under the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (QJOCTF), which includes the AFP, Queensland Police Service (QPS), Australian Border Force, the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
Daniel Wayne John Roberts was arrested over the alleged botch drug importation plan
It will further be alleged Mr Roberts went by the names of WANTED and John Dillinger – the same name as the notorious US gangster during the Great Depression – when using dedicated encrypted communication platforms to contract out drug pick-up jobs.
Mr Roberts also allegedly played a significant role in importing almost two tonnes of cocaine in the past year, which have an estimated total street value of $617.5 m.
He was also allegedly failed to collect 900kg of cocaine off the coast of Queensland’s Moreton Island in November 2023.
That failed importation plot resulted in packages of drugs washing up on beaches along the NSW coast in late 2023 and into 2024 after.
So far about 256kg of the suspected 900kg has been seized by NSW Police Force after washing up on the shore.
Up to 213kg of cocaine has been discovered on the shoreline between Sydney and Newcastle, with 90kg of that found in the New Year (pictured are some of the packages)
Police will also allege Mr Roberts facilitated the importation and collection of about 560kg of cocaine into WA’s Mid-West region in August 2023.
Mr Roberts is also charged with a further 12 offences for allegedly using violence and threats to collect debts and intimidate rivals by engaging criminal associates to assault, firebomb, shoot at and extort his customers.
Police have since arrested a second man, Thomas James Pfeffer, in connection to the alleged drug trafficking ring.
The AFP told NCA NewsWire Mr Pfeffer was arrested as part of Operation Groot.
Mr Pfeffer was charged with one count of trafficking a commercial quantity of controlled drugs and one count of associating in support of serious organised criminal activity.
His matters were also briefly mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday, where a bail variation was granted that ordered him to not leave Australia.
Mr Roberts, from Aspley, and Mr Pfeffer will have their matters next mentioned on July 5. They are yet to enter pleas.
