A Gold Coast drug syndicate wasn't fazed by police raiding one of its alleged safehouses, and reportedly continued to smuggle cannabis through commercial airports until it was shut down on Tuesday.
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Police seized $6 million of stolen property - including a $4 million opal collection - from a Guanaba home on March 10.
The officers worked under the guise of Taskforce Takeback, a squad whose primary role is to target local street crime and bikies, but secretly interested in the find was the Gold Coast Major and Organised Crime Squad.
They were quietly gathering evidence as part of a 12-month operation targeting a core group of eight people, allegedly responsible for systematically exploiting flaws in airport security to smuggle 1.5 tonnes of cannabis from Victoria to Queensland.
Police allege six drug mules made more than 40 trips to Queensland from Victoria, packing up to 25 kilograms of drugs into suitcases that passed through the Brisbane, Gold Coast and Townsville airports.
Police will also allege the Guanaba property was one of the safehouses where drug shipments were split into smaller packages before their distribution to the three Queensland cities.
On Tuesday, 13 people were charged by Queensland police, along with two in Victoria and one in NSW. Another five people from the syndicate had been previously charged.
The 21 men - aged between 25 and 43 - face drug trafficking and drug possession charges.
Tuesday's raids netted $1 million in cannabis and amphetamines and about $250,000 in cash.
The value of property and assets seized, which were allegedly acquired through proceeds of crime, was an estimated $10 million, Acting Superintendent Scott Knowles said.
The haul included a recently-relocated Queenslander house, a Ferrari, Harley Davidson motorbikes, a boat, jetski and a large golf buggy fitted with a boombox.
Police will allege brothers Terrence Thornbury, 37, and Joshua Thornbury, 30, are the ringleaders of the group. Police claim they used mechanic, smash repairs and custom-made luxury campervan businesses as a front for the drug operation.
Nine new buses that were seized were due to be fitted out as luxury campervans and onsold, Acting Superintendent Knowles said.
“It was a way to try and legitimise their income,” he said.
Acting Superintendent Scott Knowles said two men arrested in Victoria were the alleged facilitators between the Thornbury-led syndicate and Victorian cannabis growers. They are expected to be extradited to Queensland this week, along with a NSW man.
“We've certainly closed down the Queensland chapter of this syndicate, without a doubt,” Acting Superintendent Knowles said.
Eight of those arrested have been charged under the government's VLAD laws, meaning they could have 15 years added to any potential jail sentence for drug offences. As alleged “office bearers”, the Thornbury brothers could face an extra 25 years.
The Crime and Misconduct Commission is also investigating a Queensland government staff member who may have helped the syndicate.
“Aspects of the CMC's involvement in this matter are ongoing,” a spokeswoman said. "It is therefore inappropriate for the CMC to comment further."
Acting Superintendent Knowles said the two organisations operated independently, but ensured they weren't undercutting each other.
The method of drug smuggling through airports was “certainly a concern”, he said, but police did not suspect airport staff members were involved.
