Man charged for smuggling fugitive to Thailand

A 57-year-old man from Bargara, Queensland, will appear in court today. He is accused of smuggling an organized crime figure out of Australia. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) say that the man, along with another person, used a boat to pick up the fugitive at a location in the sea. They reportedly left Thursday Island, located north of Queensland, on September 21, 2023, and reached Phuket, Thailand, after 11 days. The fugitive was facing serious charges, including dealing with over $100,000 in criminal assets. He could have faced 20 years in prison for this. He had previously been linked to Operation Ironside, a secret investigation into criminal groups that used a platform set up by the FBI to gather evidence. Yesterday, federal officers executed a search warrant at a home near Bundaberg. They took items like laptops and mobile phones. Initial checks of these devices revealed messages between the accused man and members of a criminal group discussing the fugitive's escape. The 57-year-old man is charged with providing resources to a criminal organization and people smuggling. These charges could lead to a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. He is scheduled to appear at Bundaberg Magistrates Court today. The AFP has not disclosed whether the fugitive has been arrested and returned to Australia.