A prominent Brisbane restaurant owner, whose brother was bludgeoned to death, has been arrested on drug charges.
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Police executed 11 search warrants on Friday morning in what has been described as one of the biggest cocaine operations in the history of Queensland police.
One of the premises raided was Toowong Italian restaurant Mariosarti, with owner Daniel Milos arrested. Police also raided 10 other addresses across the Gold Coast and Brisbane, including a Fig Tree Pocket home.
Police said five people in total had been arrested on 33 drug-related charges and expected further charges to be laid at a later date. The others in custody have been described as Mr Milos' "business associates".
The searches and arrests were carried out as part of Operation Oscar Decimal, which started in February 2016 and saw the Queensland Police Service working with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
Drug and Serious Crime Group Detective Superintendent Jon Wacker estimated the street value of cocaine seized during the 14-month operation to be between $750,000 and $1 million. He said a significant quantity had been seized as part of Friday's searches, along with high-end vehicles.
He described the operation as a "sophisticated network", saying investigations were ongoing, but added police had targeted a "prominent business person".
"If you wish to distribute dangerous drugs in our area, we will target you, no matter who you are," he said.
Superintendent Wacker said cocaine was a drug of choice for the wealthy and police had seen an increase in cocaine on the streets. He added the sharing of information across Queensland law enforcement agencies had led to the establishment and success of Operation Oscar Decimal.
Mr Milos' chef brother Peter, with whom he owned the restaurant, was bludgeoned to death in 2014. James Thomas Howell was acquitted in February of the chef's murder.
ACIC state manager Charlie Carver said the result was significant due to the large amount of drugs seized and disruption to the distribution network.
"Many criminals run so-called front-end shops and businesses which will appear from first blush to actually be legitimate," he said.
"However once you dig into the investigation and you look through what's actually been happening, you find the illegal activity which is used to launder funds and also fund further illicit activities."
