A Port Botany worker allegedly passed on inside knowledge of shipments coming into Sydney to help criminals plotting to import 230kg of meth.
Pantelis Spyrou has become the latest arrest in Operation Ironside’s crackdown on alleged crime syndicates operating in Australia and abroad.
The 34-year-old was arrested at the port on Wednesday following information allegedly gathered through encrypted app AN0M, which was monitored by the Australian Federal Police and used to snare dozens of alleged organised crime figures.
The AFP will allege in court Mr Spyrou, of Gladesville, was the “trusted insider” of another man arrested over the large scale methamphetamine plot, Andrew Creswick.
Police will allege Mr Spyrou supplied knowledge about two shipments containing helical gear drives from South Korea, which were intercepted in May.
Concealed within the drives, police will allege, was 140kg and 90kg of methamphetamine in the first and second shipments respectively.
Both Mr Spyrou and Mr Creswick, 40, have been charged with aiding and abetting the importation of a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs.
Mr Spyrou, who was as a subcontractor at Port Botany, was held in custody overnight to appear before Central Local Court on Thursday.
His matter was adjourned for a bail application to be heard on Monday.
Mr Creswick, of Glebe, has been remanded in custody since his arrest on June 7 and will next appear before Central Local Court on September 13.
A 37-year-old man from Newcastle was also previously arrested in connection with the alleged importation attempt.
AFP Detective Superintendent Matthew Ciantar said criminal syndicates were on notice that further arrests were expected following the takedown of the AN0M platform.
“The intelligence gathering during Operation Ironside has enabled the AFP to follow every piece of string connecting one criminal entity in Australia to another,” he said.
“The AFP and its law enforcement partners are continuing to disrupt drug supply chains and put immeasurable pressure on organised criminal syndicates looking to exploit Australia’s highly profitable illicit drug market.”
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