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National

Mark Russell

Smuggler denies culpability for all of $20m coke import

James Blee James LakeKusviandy Blee Cocaine Andrew Boe Bruno Borges Martins Da Silva Roy Ellis

James Blee has pleaded guilty to importing a commercial quantity of cocaine and people smuggling. (Justin Brierty/AAP PHOTOS)

James Blee hopes to convince a judge he was involved in smuggling about 50 kilograms of cocaine into Australia, not 100kg, after the operation was uncovered when a Brazilian diver was found floating in Newcastle harbour.

Defence barrister Andrew Boe told the Newcastle District Court on Thursday there had been two parcels of cocaine involved in the importation but Blee, 63, a super yacht tour operator, claimed he was only criminally culpable for one parcel.

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