Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National

Court shown timeline of cocaine divers' journey from Darwin to Newcastle

James Blake Blee is accused of facilitating the illegal entry of the divers into Australia, and with providing one of them with faulty equipment. (Supplied)

Documents tendered in a New South Wales court show the timeline of an alleged people smuggling operation police have linked to a deadly cocaine importation attempt in Newcastle last year.

The documents allege that Brazilian nationals Bruno Borges-Martins and Jhoni Fernandes Da Silva were smuggled into Cullen Bay, in Darwin, between 1pm and 10pm on April 27, 2022.

Twelve days after the men entered the country, Borges-Martins's dead body was found floating near 54 kilograms' worth of cocaine bricks in the Port of Newcastle, 3,800 kilometres from Cullen Bay.

Another 54kg of cocaine was seized after the discovery, and at the time organised crime police said Borges-Martins was wearing specialised dive equipment, including a rebreather, which does not give off bubbles.

Police divers are continuing to search for an additional 200 kilograms of cocaine. (Supplied: NSW Police, AFP and ABF)

Veteran yacht captain James Blake Blee, 63, is accused of organising and facilitating the illegal entry into Australia of both divers, who police allege were specialists hired to retrieve the cocaine.

Mr Blee is accused of providing faulty gear to Bruno Borges-Martins, 31. (Facebook)

Mr Blee, who is in custody, has been accused of knowingly giving Borges-Martin faulty scuba gear and is facing a manslaughter charge in relation to the death.

Documents tendered in Newcastle Local Court yesterday allege Mr Blee was "reckless in providing [Borges-Martins] faulty dive equipment, knowing it was faulty".

The divers were allegedly smuggled into Cullen Bay about a fortnight before Borges-Martins's body was found in Newcastle. (ABC: Steve Bull)

Mr Blee is also facing two counts of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, two counts of people smuggling, and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Australian police say they are working on the case with their counterparts in Indonesia and South America.

James Blee has pleaded not guilty and has been granted bail. (Facebook)

In the meantime, Mr Blee's son, Southport man James Lake-Kusviandy Blee, 20, stands accused of two offences, including importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug and supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

He has pleaded not guilty to both charges and is on bail.

Both men had their cases mentioned in Newcastle Local Court yesterday and are due back in court on April 19.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.