Newlyweds who flaunted their lavish lifestyle online enjoying luxury holidays and flash cars have appeared in court charged over Australia’s biggest ever meth haul.
Rachel Annette Cachia and Donovan Rodrigues, both 37, were allegedly involved in a $1billion smuggling ring which police say was smashed when they uncovered 1.6 tonnes of illicit drugs hidden in a cargo shipment in Victoria in April.
In a world away from their alleged secret criminal life, the Melbourne couple posted pictures of their lavish wedding online, with Rodrigues even comparing himself to Hugh Hefner.
Rachel Annette Cachia and Donovan Rodrigues, both 37, were allegedly part of a $1 billion drug smuggling scheme which saw police uncover 1.6 tonnes of illicit drugs
Cachia is seen posing with a silver Jaguar XF, worth about $70,000. Police claimed the pair were ‘trusted insiders’ in the customs industry
In total, 1.596 tonnes of methamphetamine and 37 kilograms of heroin (pictured) was allegedly found by police
Cachia is seen on her Facebook page posing in front of a silver Jaguar XF, worth about $70,000.
‘Speechless! Happy Valentines Day to me… thanks babe,’ she wrote alongside the picture, adding the hashtag ‘he’s a keeper’.
Rodriques, who has a picture of the Playboy founder on his Facebook page, showed off a series of luxury cars.
He also quoted Hefner, saying: ‘Life is too short to be living someone else’s dream.’
The couple are pictured at the Grand Canyon alongside their two young children
Far from their alleged underworld life, the couple shared dozens of pictures of their seemingly perfect life online. Here, they are pictured enjoying a glamorous night out
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) allege they discovered the extraordinary haul, equal to almost 16million drug deals, hidden in stereo speakers imported from Bangkok, Thailand.
In total, police allegedly found 1.596 tonnes of methamphetamine and 37 kilograms of heroin, carrying a rough street value of $1.197billion and $18.5million respectively.
The couple are understood to run a customs exporting business, and were described by the AFP as ‘trusted insiders’ in the customs industry.
They were charged alongside 38-year-old IT worker Stephen Mizzi.
The happy couple pose on their wedding day, with Cachia wearing a glitzy beaded dress with a plunging neckline
The couple (pictured) appear to enjoy a wholesome and fun-filled life together on their social media pages
‘It’s almost a quarter of the annual usage in Australia, so this will have an impact,’ Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan said, referring to the meth.
Gaughan alleged the couple were ‘middle-to-high up’ in the drug trafficking operation.
‘They are trusted insiders in the industry. They used their position of trust to circumvent the border controls that exist within Australia. This vulnerability has been fully removed,’ he said.
The newlyweds (pictured) look the picture of martial bliss in pictures posted to their social media pages
The AFP executed search warrants at properties across Melbourne in Darley, Sunshine West, Brooklyn, Elwood and Murrumbeena throughout the day on Wednesday.
The trio appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday on drug importation charges that carry potential life prison sentences.
They did not enter pleas or apply for bail.
They will remain in custody until they appear in court next on May 7.
The drugs allegedly found by police (pictured) hold an estimated street value of $1.197b for the meth and $18.5m for the heroin
The couple, charged with two counts of drug smuggling, are pictured in happier times posing in front of a marina
The hunt is now on for alleged drug kingkpin Tse Chi Lop, dubbed ‘Asia’s El Chapo’, who police suspect is the mastermind behind the operation.
Australian Border Force officers detected the haul in vacuum-sealed packages concealed in speakers at the Melbourne waterfront in April.
The drug shipment came to Australia from Thailand, but Australian authorities suspect it originated from another Southeast Asian country.
The drugs allegedly seized by police earlier this year, were crammed into the interior of a speaker which had been smuggled to Melbourne from Bangkok
A larger consignment of 1.7 metric tons (1.9 U.S. tons) of crystal meth bound for Australia was seized in California in January.
Australian police said then it was the largest shipment of the drug bound for Australia and the largest ever domestic seizure in the United States.
Australia is an attractive market for international drug traffickers because of the relatively high prices that Australian drug users are willing to pay.
A man, understood to be Rodrigues, is hauled before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with two counts of drug smuggling