News Centre

This is a joint media release between the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (QJOCTF) agencies.

Editor’s Note: Vision of arrest and photos are available on Hightail

A Brisbane man and a Sydney man have been charged with drug and firearms offences as part of the ongoing investigation into Australia's largest cocaine seizure.

The Brisbane man, 41, was charged yesterday (20 August, 2026) after AFP and Queensland Police officers executed a search warrant at a Kangaroo Point home, seizing $80,000 in cash and electronic devices, as part of Operation Minjiang, which has resulted in the seizure of almost three tonnes of cocaine and 142kg of methamphetamine.

Officers seized several electronic devices which will undergo further digital forensic analysis.

It will be alleged other syndicates members moved 2.78 tonnes of cocaine from a suspected safehouse in the northern Brisbane suburb of Petrie to another location in Loganholme, south of Brisbane. 

The Kangaroo Point man allegedly facilitated the interstate shipment of the cocaine from Loganholme to New South Wales and Victoria through a legitimate transport/trucking business, before the drugs were subsequently moved to Londonderry in Sydney’s west. The logistics business is not believed to have any involvement or knowledge of the offending.

He was arrested at Brisbane Airport and charged with:

• One count of possessing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, contrary to section 307.5 of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
• One count of contravening a requirement in a section 3LA order, contrary to section 3LA(6) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years' imprisonment.
• One count of dealing with property reasonable suspected of being proceeds of crime, contrary to section 400.9(1A) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is two years' imprisonment.

He is expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today (21 August, 2026).

A search warrant was executed yesterday (20 August, 2026) at the Loganholme residence allegedly used to store the cocaine before it was transported interstate, with investigators seizing residual packaging alleged to have been used during the interstate trafficking.

A search warrant was also executed yesterday (20 August, 2026) at an Erskine Park, NSW, residence of an individual alleged to be part of the criminal syndicate.

AFP officers seized about 28g of cocaine, a semi-automatic 9mm pistol, a single barrel break action sawn off shot gun loaded with one round, other loose ammunition, a suppressor and about $10,000 in cash suspected of being proceeds of crime. 

An Erskine Park man, 23, was charged yesterday (20 August, 2026) with:

• One count of dealing with property reasonable suspected of being proceeds of crime, contrary to section 400.9(1A) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is two years' imprisonment.
• Two counts of possessing an unauthorised firearm, contrary to section 7(1) of the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW). The maximum penalty for this offence is five years' imprisonment.
• Two counts of possessing ammunition for a firearm, without holding a licence or permit for a firearm, contrary to section 65(3) of the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW). The maximum penalty for this offence is a $5,500 fine.
• One count of possessing a shortened firearm without authority, contrary to section 61(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW). The maximum penalty for this offence is five years' imprisonment.
• One count of supply of prohibited drugs, contrary to section 25(1) of the Drugs Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW). The maximum penalty for this offence is two years’ imprisonment.

He appeared before Penrith Local Court yesterday (20 August, 2026).

Investigations remain ongoing. Operation Minjiang remains ongoing and further charges have not been ruled out. 

A total of 12 people remain before the courts in Queensland and NSW in relation to this criminal enterprise.