Australian Federal Police charge Queensland aviation company owner over alleged black flight to Indonesia

A Queensland aviation company owner has been charged over an alleged international people smuggling operation that flew two NSW fugitives out of Australia to Indonesia last year. Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said the 43-year-old Woolshed man allegedly co-ordinated a “sophisticated” network of flights and ground transport to move the men from NSW to North Queensland before their flight out of the country. “We allege he co-ordinated a network of connected charter flights, on different planes, and with different companies, over the course of a week, to smuggle the fugitives from New South Wales to North Queensland, and then onto Indonesia,” Superintendent Telfer said. The AFP investigation began on November, 17, 2025, after Indonesian immigration officials detained four men, two pilots and two passengers, who had arrived at Merauke, in the province of South Papua, Indonesia. The flight’s certificate of clearance listed only the two copilots, one Australian and one Indonesian. Further investigations revealed the undeclared passengers were two Sydney men wanted by NSW Police, including one, a 34-year-old, who was on bail for kidnapping offences with conditions preventing him from approaching any point of interstate or international departure. The other, a 35-year old, had three outstanding arrest warrants, including for large commercial drug supply and manufacture. Superintendent Telfer said the alleged journey began on November, 10, 2025, in Orange, NSW. The fugitives were then flown or driven to various locations in Far North Queensland over the following week before boarding the final leg of the journey at Port Stewart on November 17. AFP investigators allege the “black flight” operated with its transponder deactivated between Coen and Port Stewart, and then into international waters, before being reactivated once over the open sea. “The Australian co-pilot and the two alleged Australian fugitives have been in Indonesian immigration detention since 17 November, 2025, and the aircraft used to transport the men was seized by Indonesian immigration officials,” Superintendent Telfer said. AFP officers executed search warrants at the Woolshed man’s home and other locations in Southeast Queensland and Rockhampton on Wednesday. The aviation company owner is scheduled to face Ipswich Magistrates Court today, charged with two counts of people smuggling, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment. “Black flights attempting to exploit the remoteness of North Queensland can try to fly under the radar by turning off transponders. But every time they land and take off at a remote airstrip, they attract attention,” Superintendent Telfer said. He also called on the community to remain vigilant. “We are calling for anyone who sees suspicious activity at their local airport or airstrip to report it to police. Your call could be the key needed to unravel an international people-smuggling operation or illicit drug trafficking ring.” Superintendent Telfer said the investigation is ongoing, with AFP officers continuing to review multiple lines of inquiry, including the role of other charter companies used during the operation. He confirmed the operation was complex, “sophisticated,” and believed to have involved significant costs.