Drug smugglers arrested - PNG to Australia in Beech Baron
 

News is just breaking on TV,

Five people arrested so far in connection with a Beechcraft Baron aircraft used to transport drugs from a "jungle airstrip" in PNG to Australia

The aircraft departed Sydney for PNG and on the return was intercepted at a remote Queensland country airstrip refuelling.

Investigation so far; it appears the aircraft did the pickup was at Bulolo

Courier Mail 23 March 2023

‘Black flight’: Feds intercept plane carrying $15m meth under the radar

A “black flight” carrying a massive haul of meth from Papua New Guinea was pounced on by the Australian Federal Police when it stopped to refuel at a tiny Queensland airstrip.

Five men – including a pilot and co-pilot – allegedly moved $15 million worth of methamphetamine from PNG into Queensland on a stealth mission flying at low altitude with the plane’s transponder turned off.

Specialist officers from the AFP and Queensland Police Service pounced on the group when the twin-engine Beechcraft plane touched down in Monto, two hours west of Bundaberg, on Tuesday afternoon.

The men, who police allege were involved in an organised crime syndicate, are all from New South Wales and have been charged with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine.

“These charges are extremely serious, but equally, allegedly flying an unregistered, low-level flight across thousands of kilometres is dangerous,” AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dametto said.

“These men have not only allegedly imported a dangerous drug, but flying at a low altitude without proper monitoring systems poses a huge safety risk to other aircraft and to emergency services members in the event of an incident.”

Police will allege the stealth flight began its journey from Wilton, a rural town an hour south west of Sydney, on March 20.

Bernard Hamilton Alexander, a 51-year-old pilot from Fairy Meadow, and his co-pilot, 52-year-old Tahmoor man John Horvath, flew the plane to Monto, where a truck carrying hundreds of litres of aviation fuel was waiting at the remote air strip.

The tank of fuel had allegedly been brought in with the help of 54-year-old Newcastle man Peter David Payne.

After refuelling, the pilot and co-pilot allegedly took off under the cover of darkness, landing in Bulolo, 250km northwest of Port Moresby.

In PNG, the men were watched by the local constabulary as they allegedly loaded the nose of the light plane with 52kg of meth stuffed into five large duffel bags.

The men were arrested after landing back in Monto and had allegedly planned to fly the plane back into NSW.

Police are still investigating, with the help of authorities in South East Asia, how the meth was sourced and brought into PNG.

The AFP will allege the three accomplices, 40-year-old Wilton man Mark Brian Pracy, 40-year-old Nathan Bailey, of no fixed address, and Payne acted as a “ground crew”, basing themselves in Queensland since February.

Police will allege Pracy was the “main facilitator” of the drug importation and was working on behalf of “other people funding” the mission.

Police will allege it was Pracy who communicated with the people storing the drugs in PNG.

It will be alleged the group used encrypted phones and messaging systems to talk with other members of the supply chain, based overseas.

Police in NSW raided houses and businesses in Wilton and Tahmoor, Fairy Meadow in Wollongong and Wallsend in Newcastle.

They allegedly found and seized electronic devices, gun parts, drug paraphernalia and paperwork referencing aircraft parts and travel to PNG.

Unbelievable .

To think they would land at Bulolo and not be watched. There is a thousand eyes watching you everywhere in PNG. And despite all the problems in PNG with corruption and poor living conditions, some members of the PNG Constabulary are exceptional and dedicated.

Bulolo is one of those airstrips where weather can be a major factor; so possibly the druggies had some prior info on how and when best to try a Bulolo landing. Well done PNG Police. [one of their mob took K100 of me for a minor traffic issue in POM the other day; that's life!]

TV reports are suggesting the aircraft was 'unregistered' and 'borrowed'; read what you like into that ...

Sounds a lot like the same Pilot involved in this incident.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...b949279b013b7f

Will anyone be charged with operating a Private cost sharing flight with too many seats?

Just like the other bunch who loaded the ‘load’ in the public apron at Mareeba in broad daylight, meanwhile the AFP sat in the bananas across the runway watching the whole thing.

Pity they weren’t arrested in PNG. The prospect of 20 years in Bomana would soon concentrate the minds of any ambitious pilots in the future. The Aussie judicial system will see them out on parole inside 2 years.

And besides, David Cutmore is probably lonely and could use some company.

It would appear the police had been watching these people for a while. Monto is not the sort of place you hang out, on the off chance a Baron drops in.

And therein lies their biggest mistake.

The 'official' plan to land in Monto should have been changed at the last minute as a 'just in case' measure by whoever was orchestrating the whole thing to somewhere a thousand km away. The authorities would have been left waiting for a flight that never arrived...

Not to mention the fact that other traffic may have been coming and going in perhaps marginal weather, increasing the risk of a mid-air.

The ABC is reporting that this is the same syndicate that were involved in the Cutmore C402 saga; very slow learners. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-...inea/102133566
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Maybe, or maybe they've got away with doing 15 of these PNG runs since the C402 incident.

There may be other syndicates managing to 'slip under the radar' (no pun intended) doing the exact same thing. Australia is a big place and it wouldn't be hard to go unnoticed in a small aircraft flying at low level with a transponder switched off.

I just hope they have the book thrown at them for not wearing their ASIC!

without making any accusations…it is very easy to change your name. I know for a fact the Merlin pilot had changed his name and continued on. Let’s wait and see.

Years ago I used to fly Coastal Surveillance. Nomad N-22S, with the APS-504 radar on the nose a good day maybe 130 KIAS. On task around Murray Islands one day we spotted a low flying twin with no visible markings. Called up Canberra on the HF link.
Turned out to be a USA registered Beech Baron A-56TC. Beech only made a few for wealthy Texan's but the Lycoming TIO-541 engines pumped out 380hp each. A very very fast Beech Baron.

Footage of the aircraft and "the bust"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-australia-65047848


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a661b3ff9b.jpg

The things you have to do to turn a profit in GA these days...

Absolutely promise you it is the same guy as the Merlin bust in 2014.

I am sure we all remember that last time, Bernie got a non-custodial sentence on account of his tragic and terminal Cancer diagnosis.

I, for one, thank the kind magistrate for allowing Bernie the opportunity to live what remains of his life to the full. I wonder what medical practitioner provided the diagnosis to the court on the Merlin event, and what AHPRA have to say?

Interesting. Similar christian name and age. VH-BCY and LIW registered to the guy named in post #3 and previously registered to the Merlin pilots business, all at the same address. I thought CASA only allowed fit and proper persons to register aircraft.

Owners/Operators VH-LIW

25/8/06 Bernhard Stevermuer, 55 Meadow St Tarrawanna NSW 2518

11/07 Bernhard Stevermuer, 12 McLean Ave Fairy Meadow NSW 2519

9/5/14 Always Airborne Pty Ltd, 12 McLean Ave Fairy Meadow NSW 2519

29/9/22 Bernard Alexander, 12 McLean Ave Fairy Meadow NSW 2519
https://www.austairdata.com.au/compo...25262:vh-liw-1

This would have to make a great news story if we have any decent investigative journalists left.
Interesting story of the Merlin ( and Bernie) here. https://www.madcowprod.com/2014/09/1...was-cia-plane/