Off the wind‑weathered shoreline near Lancelin, north of Perth, the Indian Ocean laps at fishing boats and family holidaymakers unaware that beneath those same waves lay a story of ambition, risk and law enforcement resolve. In the broad sweep of salt air and horizon, a hidden bundle of hundreds of kilograms of illicit cocaine turned ordinary seas into a quiet battleground between organised crime and vigilant authorities. Today, the latest chapter unfolded as a sixth man was charged in a case that has captured the attention of police and the public alike.
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44‑year‑old man from Myaree, in Perth’s southwest, has been charged by the Western Australia Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (WA JOCTF) over his alleged role in an attempt to retrieve and possess a massive haul of cocaine that had been dumped in the ocean off the coast near Lancelin in November 2025. The drugs — tied to flotation drums and discovered about
30 km offshore — totalled about 525 kg, with an estimated street value exceeding $170 million.
Police allege the group’s plan began when packages were allegedly dropped into the sea from an international livestock carrier as it made its way to Fremantle Harbour on October 31, 2025. Members of the public alerted authorities after fishermen found the bundles, prompting an intensive investigation by the WA JOCTF, which includes officers from the Australian Federal Police, West Australian Police Force, Australian Border Force, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and AUSTRAC.
As the probe unfolded, authorities charged five other people in connection with the incident. These include a Croatian chief officer of the livestock vessel, a 52‑year‑old Perth man, and three Sydney men aged 19, 22 and 36, each accused of heading out to sea on a small boat from Two Rocks Marina in an effort to retrieve the cocaine. The newly charged Perth man faces one count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported cocaine — an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment under Australian law.
Investigators believe the elaborate operation was designed to evade traditional smuggling controls by using a legitimate commercial vessel — a tactic that underlines the evolving methods of organised crime groups targeting Australia’s borders. If the drugs had not been intercepted, police estimate the haul could have fuelled about 2.6 million individual street deals, with profound impacts on communities and public health.
WA JOCTF Detective Inspector Matt Taylor said the taskforce remains committed to identifying all those responsible and disrupting networks that seek to profit at the expense of the Australian community. Authorities emphasise that further arrests have not been ruled out as the investigation continues.
The sixth man is expected to appear in Perth Magistrates Court today, where the charges will be formally read. Police are urging the community to report any information that may assist the ongoing investigation into this alleged attempt to import and distribute a commercial quantity of cocaine.
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Sources ABC News — Sixth man charged in WA cocaine plot WA JOCTF / Australian Federal Police media release — Perth court appearance Australian Border Force joint release — Details of initial seizures Mirage News — Local reporting on sixth man charging ABC News — Background on methods and discovery