Five men accused of carrying out a ‘black flight’ that could not be detected by radar to collect drugs in Papua New Guinea and take them to Australia have been arrested by police awaiting their arrival.
Australian Federal Police officers were in position when the light aircraft touched down on a remote airstrip in Monto, Queenslandon Tuesday afternoon.
Police allege the men staged a “black flight” — a trip on a light aircraft that records false flight plans, or no flight plans at all, and flies at a very low altitude to evade law enforcement and aircraft surveillance systems.
It is alleged that the five men – two pilots and three men providing ground support – orchestrated the plan to retrieve 52 kg of methamphetamine from the Papua New Guinea town of Bulolo and return it to Queensland.
Police allege the two pilots, Bernard Hamilton-Alexander, aged 51, and his co-pilot, John Horvath, aged 52, took off from Wilton, a rural area south of Sydney, on Monday in a twin-engine Beechcraft light aircraft.
Australian Federal Police have arrested five men after they reportedly carried out a ‘black flight’ to retrieve drugs from Papua New Guinea (pictured, police at the men’s alleged filling station in Monto, Queensland)
Police allege the men collected five duffel bags containing 52 kg of methamphetamine, worth about $15 million (pictured, the duffel bags next to the men’s plane)
The small plane landed in Monto – 100 kilometers inland from Bundaberg – for a quick refuel before taking off again for Bulolo in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, 250km north of the capital Port Moresby.
Police said the plane landed at dawn on Tuesday and the two pilots reportedly picked up five duffel bags containing 52 kg of methamphetamine.
‘Their [alleged] actions were followed by members of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary from Lae in PNG,” the AFP said.
The pilots allegedly hid the duffel bags on the plane before disabling the plane’s transponder to avoid radar detection on the way home.
The plane was jumped by police when it stopped in Monto for refueling just after 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
The pilots were arrested along with three men – Brian Pracey, Peter Payne and Nathan Bailey – who police say acted as the ground crew.
It is understood that the crew had been living in Monto since February and reportedly delivered more than 1,000 gallons of jet fuel to the runway to facilitate the plan.
All five were charged with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine and face life in prison if found guilty.
Only one of them has been released on bail.
The methamphetamine recovered from the plane had an estimated street value of $15 million.
Police allege the pilot and copilot flew from a small airfield south of Sydney and met the three ground crew men, who they say have been stationed in Monto since February (pictured, one of the arrests)
The five men were charged with importing a commercial amount of methamphetamine and only one was granted bail (the photo allegedly found methamphetamine from the plane)
One of the arrested men is said to have 17 telephone bills to his name.
“The syndicate also allegedly used encrypted telephones and messaging systems to communicate with other members of the marine supply chain,” said AFP Assistant Eastern Command Commissioner Stephen Dametto.
“Further investigations are underway into how this syndicate obtained the drugs, and to identify others responsible for planning these imports.”
AFP and NSW police officers later seized electronics, firearms parts, drug paraphernalia and aircraft parts documents and traveled to Papua New Guinea from four homes and businesses in Wilton, Tahmoor, Fairy Meadow and Wallsend.
All seized items will undergo forensic examination.
Police claim this week’s black flight wasn’t the first time a criminal gang has attempted the method of bringing drugs into Australia.
The AFP said alleged transnational members of serious organized crime attempted to fly 550kg of cocaine into Australia from Papua New Guinea in 2020.
However, the plane crashed when it tried to take off.
“The pilot of that company is serving an 18-year prison sentence in Papua New Guinea for the attempted import,” the AFP said.
“Other prosecutions, both in PNG and Australia, related to that case are ongoing.”