Nine charged over alleged conspiracy to import tonnes of cocaine and meth via ‘mother ship’ in Australian waters

Police allege drugs were to be collected from a drop-zone in Bass Strait and distributed across the nation using trucking connections

When a commercial trawler sank off Victoria with four crew members needing rescuing, police became suspicious about an alleged drug trafficking operation.

Nine men are accused over a conspiracy to import tonnes of cocaine and methamphetamine before distributing the drugs across Australia using trucking connections.