Police charge five men after about 100kg of cocaine allegedly hidden in timber planks, worth an estimated $14m, is uncovered by NSW and Queensland police.
Police in New South Wales and Queensland have charged five men in connection with an alleged drug trafficking syndicate after uncovering approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside stacks of timber planks, authorities say.
Detectives established that the suspected criminal network planned to extract the cocaine, valued at around $14 million from within wooden planks that had been stored in sheds on the Gold Coast and in Lismore, NSW.
The investigation began in August 2025 under Strike Force Capulin, formed by the NSW Police’s Drug and Firearms Squad after intelligence indicated that about four tonnes of timber contained narcotics embedded in the wood. Police allege the timber had been “soaped in a cocaine solution,” meaning the drug was impregnated into the planks and would require chemical extraction to recover.
On January 2, a 33-year-old man was arrested in Kingsford, Sydney, after being found allegedly in possession of 2 kilograms of cocaine and cash, and charged with drug and proceeds of crime offences. At a separate stop near Ballina Airport, officers reportedly found 723 grams of cocaine, 112 grams of ketamine and nearly $400,000 in cash, along with images on a mobile phone appearing to show the timber with hidden cocaine.
Further searches on January 22 led detectives to seize about six tonnes of planks at a property in Lismore. Queensland Police also executed a warrant at a home in Molendinar, where they allegedly located wooden planks being processed in a makeshift extraction lab. Four men aged between 42 and 55 were arrested there and charged with producing dangerous drugs and possessing equipment including a cocaine press, police said.
On February 10, another 33-year-old man was arrested at Ocean Shores and charged with supplying prohibited drugs in a large commercial quantity and directing activities of a criminal group. He was refused bail and is due to appear before local court.
Detective Superintendent John Watson highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration between NSW and Queensland police, noting that shared information and coordinated resources were key to disrupting the syndicate and preventing the drugs from reaching the streets.
Reports are sourced from official documents, law-enforcement updates, and credible investigations.
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