Wife of prominent racehorse owner sobs in court as he is accused of working with an airport baggage handler to import $16million worth of cocaine

  • The wife of a racehorse owner accused of smuggling drugs has cried in court 
  • Damion Flower, 47, owner of Snitzel, was arrested in Moorebank, south Sydney 
  • Mr Flower made a brief appearance at Liverpool Local Court on Thursday 
  • He has been charged with six counts of importing drugs across a border   
  • Police allege he was part of a syndicate shipping cocaine from South Africa 

By Mark Brook and Charlie Moore and Australian Associated Press

Published: 05:59 EDT, 23 May 2019 | Updated: 06:03 EDT, 23 May 2019

The wife of a prominent racehorse owner accused of being involved in a cocaine smuggling ring has broken down in tears before he appeared before a local court.

Camilla Flower spent all morning crying in the lobby of Liverpool Local Court before her husband Damion Flower, 47, made a brief appearance.

The high-profile Australian racehorse owner was charged over his alleged role in importing cocaine aboard commercial flights from South Africa. 

Camilla Flower (pictured) is believed to have been crying all morning before Damion Flower, 47, made a brief appearance at Liverpool Local Court on Thursday

Camilla Flower (pictured) is believed to have been crying all morning before Damion Flower, 47, made a brief appearance at Liverpool Local Court on Thursday 

Mr Flower, 47, and airport worker To Oto O Junior Mafiti were arrested on Wednesday after authorities uncovered an alleged trafficking ring operating at Sydney Airport.

Mr Mafiti, 50, is accused of using his airside access to collect the cocaine from baggage holds.

Mr Flower was one of two men police claim received the bags removed from the aircraft.

Both have been charged with six counts of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

Court documents alleged the offences happened at Mascot between January 22 and May 22.

Mr Flower did not apply for bail during his brief court appearance, and is expected to make a bid for release on May 29. 

His lawyer Chris Watson told reporters outside his client intended to plead not guilty.

Mr Flower (pictured in 2005) made a brief appearance at Liverpool Local Court on Thursday

Mr Flower (pictured in 2005) made a brief appearance at Liverpool Local Court on Thursday

Camilla Flower (pictured), the wife of racehorse owner Damion Flower, leaves Liverpool Local Court in Sydney, Thursday

Camilla Flower (pictured), the wife of racehorse owner Damion Flower, leaves Liverpool Local Court in Sydney, Thursday

Mr Mafiti also declined to apply for bail in Central Local Court. Both matters have been adjourned to July 17.

Wednesday's arrests followed that of a 42-year-old man near Sydney Airport on April 15 as part of a long-running investigation by NSW and federal police, Australian Border Force and the federal Department of Home Affairs. 

AFP officers allegedly found a black duffel bag containing vacuum-sealed packages wrapped in black and silver paper in his vehicle, believed to be 27kg of cocaine.

He has been charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

Mr Flower (pictured in 2018) was later arrested outside his Moorebank home over 'his alleged role in receiving imports of illegal drugs from the Oran Park man'

Mr Flower (pictured in 2018) was later arrested outside his Moorebank home over 'his alleged role in receiving imports of illegal drugs from the Oran Park man' 

Mr Flower (pictured with prized horse Snitzel) faces six counts of import commercial quantity of border controlled drug, a charge sheet seen by Daily Mail Australia shows

Mr Flower (pictured with prized horse Snitzel) faces six counts of import commercial quantity of border controlled drug, a charge sheet seen by Daily Mail Australia shows

During the arrest of Mr Mafiti at Oran Park on Wednesday, police allegedly found him in possession of a bag containing about 28kg of a substance believed to be cocaine.

Mr Flower was later arrested outside his Moorebank home over 'his alleged role in receiving imports of illegal drugs from the Oran Park man', authorities said in a joint statement on Thursday.

Police raided six properties in Hoxton Park, Moorebank and Revesby as well as at the Oran Park address where about $8 million in cash was found.

'This has been a complex, multi-layered investigation driven by the skills and expertise of intelligence analysts able to identify this offending to allow authorities to act,' AFP Acting Superintendent Brad Edgtton said.

Pictured is the moment police arrest a baggage handler, 50, at Sydney Airport on Wednesday

Pictured is the moment police arrest a baggage handler, 50, at Sydney Airport on Wednesday

Police found around $8million in cash (pictured) at a Hoxton Park home linked to the baggage handler

Police found around $8million in cash (pictured) at a Hoxton Park home linked to the baggage handler

Border Force acting regional commander in NSW, Garry Low, said the men allegedly used their intimate knowledge of the aviation environment to carry out the operation but still weren't able to avoid detection.

The accused 42-year-old man is scheduled to appear in Central Local Court on June 12. 

Mr Flower holds a starting slot at the world's richest turf race, The Everest in Randwick, after spending $1.8million to secure it for three years.

AFP officers allegedly found a black duffel bag containing vacuum-sealed packages wrapped in black and silver paper in his vehicle, believed to be 27kg of cocaine

AFP officers allegedly found a black duffel bag containing vacuum-sealed packages wrapped in black and silver paper in his vehicle, believed to be 27kg of cocaine 

Pictured is the cash found in a home allegedly linked to the baggage handler, 50

Pictured is the cash found in a home allegedly linked to the baggage handler, 50

He came to fame in the racing world when his horse Snitzel won seven races in 2005 and earned him $1million in prize money.

He sold a controlling stake in Snitzel, one of the most valuable sires in racing, to Arrowfield Studd - but still holds a share.

Last April it was reported that Snitzel would generate more than $40million a year, after his service fee increased to $220,000.

Snitzel covered covered 216 mares in 2017 and his progeny, including The Everest winner Redzel, have won tens of millions in prize money.

Mr Flower (pictured) came to fame in the racing world when his horse Snitzel won seven races in 2005 and earned him $1million in prize money

Mr Flower (pictured) came to fame in the racing world when his horse Snitzel won seven races in 2005 and earned him $1million in prize money

Talking about his horse last year, Mr Flower told Racing.com: 'He is going better than I thought he would.

'He was a very good race horse and a genuine Group 1 sprinter, you've only got to look at the horses he beat and who beat him at the time.

'But in the barn he is a world-class horse.' 

Mr Flower also has shares in more than 50 horses trained by Brad Widdup at Platinum Park which he owns.  

'This was a complex investigation': Police statement on the arrests 

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Brad Edgtton, Sydney Organised Crime, said the investigation was an excellent example of intelligence-led policing and the combined efforts of Australian authorities in disrupting criminal networks.

'This has been a complex, multi-layered investigation, driven by the skills and expertise of intelligence analysts,' he said. 

'These arrests demonstrate trusted insiders who are allegedly willing to abuse that position of trust are on our radar.'

ABF Acting Regional Commander NSW Garry Low said the operation showed the variety of threats ABF officers faced in their efforts to protect the Australian border.

'I'm proud of our investigators and intelligence team, who have all worked particularly hard in this joint operation to achieve this result,' he said.

'The arrest of these men should act as a warning to anyone considering abusing a privileged position at an Australian airport: just because you hold that position it does not mean the ABF isn't alert to your activities.'

NSW Police Force's Director of Crime Operations, Detective Chief Superintendent Martin Fileman, said Strike Force Yahmara is another example of cohesive law enforcement partnerships tackling large-scale drug importation and supply.

'Our joint investigations have been relentless in their pursuit of dismantling this particular international syndicate – and we're not done yet,' he said.

'The relationship with our partner agencies is stronger than ever, and the seizure of $8 million cash is a testament to the joint operational activity cutting deep into the profits of professional facilitators of crime.'

Investigations remain ongoing and further arrests have not been ruled out. 

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Prominent racehorse owner accused of working with an airport baggage handler to import cocaine

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