Men charged with helping import $20,000 of cocaine through the mail
Two men accused of helping to smuggle more than $20,000 worth of cocaine into the country through the mail have appeared in court.
Todd Alexander Bassinthwaighte, 23, and Paul James McCauley, 22, both from Canberra, were arrested after they received a parcel from overseas containing 50 grams of cocaine.
Officers said as a result of the arrests they searched three properties in Canberra's north on Friday in Lyneham, O'Connor and Ainslie, where they seized cannabis and electronic equipment.
Bassinthwaighte and McCauley were both charged with aiding and abetting a third man, Christopher Johnson, in the importation of the border-controlled drug.
Police said they believed all three men were part of a large scale international criminal syndicate.
Officers believe Johnson is in Thailand organising further shipments of drugs and said he would be arrested if he returned to Australia.
Police opposed bail for both Bassinthwaighte and McCauley at the ACT Magistrates Court this morning, because of the risk of other members of the syndicate being alerted.
But bail was granted and both men are due back in court in December.
The court heard Bassinthwaighte and McCauley were arrested after telephone intercepts by police.
