A Sydney teenager was the alleged ringleader of a gang of so-called clearers contracted by international traffickers to retrieve more than $100 million worth of cocaine in a series of lightning raids on shipping containers.
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The 18-year-old was arrested at Woodpark in the city's west on Thursday and charged with 12 offences, including directing a criminal group, supplying a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
NSW Police say he was also found to be in possession of breaking implements, ammunition and means of masking his face with the intention of committing an indictable offence.
The youth "directed the ... criminal syndicate in ripping off the containers", the force said in a statement.
Detectives allege the teenager "received contracts alerting him to a shipment of drugs and directed the group to identify and then break into the containers concealing the prohibited substances".
"Those drugs - usually cocaine - were then supplied to a nominated recipient before the group would receive a payment."
The teenager was remanded in custody to appear before a Children's Court on Friday.
Police say the gang was locating and breaking into legitimately imported containers to retrieve the drugs after the cocaine was planted by criminals at the point of departure.
The scam, widely used by organised traffickers, is known as the rip-on, rip-off method.
So far NSW and federal police and Australian Border Force officers attached to Strike Force Biles have seized 201kg of cocaine from three containers, with a street value of $105 million.
Two other 18-year-old men were arrested by heavily armed officers in raids at Merrylands and Bondi on Thursday, as was a 28-year-old man at Plumpton and a 25-year-old man at Seven Hills.
All have been charged in relation to the alleged imports.
During searches of the raided properties, police said they located $37,000 in cash, 4kg of meth, 3kg of cocaine, a replica firearm, ammunition, electronics and luxury jewellery and watches.
Six other people have previously been charged with related offences and remain before the courts, police said.
Experts say some criminal groups can remove 100kg of cocaine from a shipping container in just three minutes using the rip-on, rip-off method.
Neither the shipper nor the consignee is aware their shipment is being used to smuggle illicit cargo.
For the scam to be successful inside knowledge is often supplied both in the country of origin and the destination.
The rip-off gangs or clearers are then able to quickly identify and access containers among the thousands stacked at terminals upon departure and arrival.
Police investigations into the racket are ongoing.
Australian Associated Press
