Great way to dispose of illegal drug ships

[Konovalov]

Drug freighter meets spectacular end

The North Korean drug freighter Pong Su sinking after a Royal Australian Air Force F-111 strike.
Photo: PA

March 23, 2006 - 5:45PM

The North Korean heroin smuggling ship Pong Su has been sunk off the NSW coast by a bomb dropped from an RAAF F-111 jet fighter.

The 3,500-tonne freighter, which was used to import 150kg of heroin into Australia, was sent to the bottom of the ocean 140km off the the NSW south coast in a military exercise this morning.

Australian Federal Police confirmed the ship was sunk after the RAAF completed safety checks and cleared the area.

The freighter was towed out of Sydney Harbour on Tuesday, where it had been berthed since it was seized three years ago after a four-day chase by Australian soldiers, federal police and customs officers.

The Pong Su was intercepted off the NSW Central Coast in April 2003 after dropping off a cargo of drugs on the coast of Victoria.

"After Navy towed the Pong Su from Sydney Harbour, the vessel was sunk approximately 140 kilometres off Jervis Bay in deep water using two 2000-pound high explosive laser guided bombs as part of an exercise involving four RAAF F-111 strike aircraft," said a department of defence statement.

"The activity provided the Air Force with significant training value for maritime strike operations. These types of opportunities are rare and allow Orion and F-111 aircrew to train against a realistic target."

Earlier this month, four Pong Su officers accused of aiding and abetting the importation of heroin were acquitted and released.

However four other men involved in the operation earlier pleaded guilty and two have been jailed.

The Pong Su has been costing Australian taxpayers about $2,500 a day to maintain, while the taxpayer-funded defence of the four ship's officers has been estimated at up to $3 million.

AFP commander Frank Prendergast said the sinking of the ship showed the police's resolve to fight drugs.

"The AFP is committed to working with its partner agencies to disrupt organised importation or drugs and protect the community from the devastating effects of the illegal drug trade," he said in a statement.

AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty later sent a warning to drug criminals who sought to breach Australia's borders.

"... We will seize the profits of those activities and we will deal with the vessel or whatever is used to bring the heroin to Australia ... in an appropriate way," Mr Keelty said.

"The sinking of the vessel [Pong Su] is a clear international indication that Australia and certainly the AFP take this very seriously."

AAP