Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Man faces Qld court over $90m drug bust
A man has appeared in court to face a drug trafficking charge after Queensland police seized a record 776kg of MDMA powder.
September 10, 2019
Queensland police have nabbed another man over a record seizure of MDMA powder worth $90 million.
Benjamin David Englefield, 42, was arrested on Tuesday morning following an appeal to the public for help.
He was charged with drug trafficking and appeared briefly in Brisbane Magistrates Court, where he was remanded in custody.
It follows the seizure of 776kg of MDMA on August 15, which police say is linked to a UK-based drug syndicate.
Six people were charged in relation to the syndicate but police later issued an appeal to find Englefield.
He’s due to reappear in Brisbane Magistrate’s Court on September 17.
Those previously charged include two British men, 51 and 40, who were arrested in Queensland.
Another two UK citizens, two men aged 60 and 49, were arrested in New Zealand after authorities in Auckland seized 200kg of the drug ice destined for their local market through the same syndicate.
A man from Loganlea, south of Brisbane, and a NSW woman have also been charged.
Queensland police did not say where or when the drugs were seized but say the powder was the highest purity ever recorded in the state and enough to make up to 12 million ecstasy pills.