A 46-year-old Tamworth pilot is facing serious drug charges over a $4.8 million cocaine haul.
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Almost two years after Federal and NSW Drug Squad Police seized 24.4kg of cocaine from a Sydney storage shed, former South African Airforce pilot, Franz Johannes Van Coetzee, of Langins Lane in Tamworth, was arrested by Drug Squad officers and Australian Federal Police at the Tamworth Airport on Wednesday.
His arrest followed a lengthy surveillance operation which included phone taps.
Coetzee was interviewed at the Tamworth Police Station before being formally charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of cocaine and possessing a large commercial quantity of cocaine.
In April 2001 police seized the cocaine at a self-storage facility Coetzee rented in Hornsby, sparking a major investigation in Australia and overseas.
Coetzee moved to Australia in 2000 and is currently working as a tutor for trainee Royal Australian Air Force pilots at British Aerospace's facility at Tamworth airport.
Facts presented in court yesterday alleged that in February 2001 Coetzee formed an Australian listed company called Impex Aust Pty Ltd in order to import flooring from his home country.
Two months later inquiries by the joint strike force led police to Coetzee's former residence in Harrier Parade, Tamworth where they seized a substantial amount of cash.
They also searched a self-storage unit Coetzee had rented in Hargrave St, Tamworth where they seized several items including modular flooring and cleaning products which were scientifically tested.
Tamworth Detective Inspector Dick Letchford said sufficient evidence was found as a result of the raid to arrest and charge the defendant.
Coetzee appeared briefly before Tamworth Local Court yesterday and displayed no emotion as his solicitor Monty Stidwill told the magistrate his client was not applying for bail.
Mr Stidwill objected to police • From page 7
Prosecutor Sergeant David Barron detailing the facts of the case before the open court.
Sergeant Barron instead handed the facts to the Magistrate Mal MacPherson.
Mr Stidwill said his client had some fears in relation to being held in custody and asked Mr MacPherson to make a record on his client's papers.
Mr MacPherson adjourned the matters to Sydney's Central Local Court on Friday next week for mention only.
While Sydney police said the arrest and seizure represented a sizeable dent in the State's drug supply network, Inspector Letchford said cocaine was not prevalent in Tamworth.
