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Aaron Bunch
A foiled plot to allegedly traffic a wanted fugitive bikie out of Australia to Indonesia has led to first-of-a-kind attempted people smuggling charges being laid.
Three people have been charged over their alleged roles in a plan to smuggle an alleged Queensland outlaw motorcycle gang member, Dylan Cvek, 32, from Western Australia using a luxury yacht.
Highly-trained tactical response group police intercepted the vessel about 50 kilometres off the coast of Exmouth, about 1250 kilometres north of Perth, on Monday, as the captain, a crew member and Cvek allegedly sailed towards Indonesia.
Investigators will allege Cass Williams, 46, and Jessica Beckett, 45, travelled from Queensland in May and crewed a newly-purchased yacht from Perth to Exmouth, where they met the alleged gang member to try to smuggle him out of the country.
Officers arrested the trio, along with NSW woman Fatma Skaf, 40, who is accused of driving the man to an Exmouth boat ramp ahead of the voyage.
Cvek appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
He was remanded in custody after Queensland Police successfully applied to extradite him on a return to prison warrant and a drug trafficking arrest warrant.
Cvek is also wanted for questioning over multiple serious crimes.
Williams and Beckett appeared in Carnarvon Magistrates Court on Wednesday, charged with attempted people smuggling.
It is the first time anyone in WA has been charged with the offence.
They were refused bail and are next scheduled to appear in court on June 15.
Skaf has also been charged with attempted people smuggling.
She was arrested while allegedly driving from Exmouth to Karratha.
She appeared in Karratha Magistrates Court on Wednesday and is scheduled to appear in the same court on Friday for a bail application.
A joint organised crime taskforce comprised of WA police, the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and AUSTRAC started investigating the group in May.
Investigations continue into the organised crime syndicate behind the alleged plot.
AAP
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