200kg cocaine discovered in Perth hotel bust
44-year-old foreign national Oliver Andreas Herrmann and 48-year-old Victorian Hamish Scott Falconer appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday, following the discovery of 200kg of cocaine in a Perth hotel room.
The two men are allegedly linked to a criminal and face allegations of trafficking a commercial quantity of cocaine into WA.
The pair was arrested by the Australian Federal Police on December 28, following a three-month investigation codenamed Operation Mirkwood.
When police raided the hotel, they found 200kg of cocaine, packaged in 1kg blocks and stored in suitcases.
The accused wore prison greens and appeared separately in court via video-link from Casuarina and Hakea prisons. Each faces a charge of trafficking a commercial quantity of cocaine, while Herrmann also faces four counts of failing to comply with an order.
Falconer faced further charges of possessing a controlled drug, namely cocaine, and failing to comply with an order.
Neither applied for bail and are due to appear for a committal mention on May 9.
The AFP alleges that Herrmann flew from Kojonup to an unknown location, potentially to collect drugs, and returned to Perth on December 21. Falconer returned to Perth on December 26 and was observed transporting the suitcases and jerry cans. The men were then seen purchasing additional suitcases, which were later discarded, along with the jerry cans, in a shopping centre bin.
Herrmann and Falconer were arrested on December 28 in Perth's CBD. A subsequent search of their hotel rooms allegedly uncovered cocaine in Falconer's room, along with night vision goggles, an airband radio, and a receipt for the purchase of suitcases. In Herrmann's room, police allegedly found empty suitcases, aviation navigational equipment, a cryptocurrency wallet, and electronic devices.
AFP Inspector Chris Colley noted the accused drug smugglers were linked to an organised crime syndicate.
“Illicit drug use in Australia bankrolls dangerous and brutal criminals who undermine our national security and our economy, and make our suburbs and roads less safe,” Colley said.
“Cocaine use causes widespread harm, with the negative impacts felt in our hospitals, in the road toll and in associated crime.”
The pair face a maximum of 25 years in jail.
Jonathan Jackson, 22nd January 2024