The Missing CCTV Footage

During the show trial, Schapelle Corby begged for CCTV footage to be released from both Brisbane and Sydney airports. These may have shown clearly that her bag was virtually empty when she departed. The footage could have provided direct and unambiguous proof that the marijuana was placed after she handed the bag over to the handlers.

One might imagine that provision of the footage would have been a formality, given its importance for Schapelle Corby’s life. But incredibly, no footage was provided. After initially stating that the Brisbane footage was in good order, the airport later changed this to a story that the cameras were being repaired, and then finally to a position that they were turned off.

The Sydney Airport and Qantas situation was even more disturbing. Despite a major drug operation being underway and a flight carrying cocaine being there at exactly the same time as Schapelle was on the airport [8] they too stated that they had no CCTV footage available! This despite the airport (and airline) having a very comprehensive CCTV system in place, including coverage of the baggage handling areas [34].


No cameras running or footage available across two major airports, post 9/11 and post the Bali bombings? Those airports being direct international links to Islamic countries, and whilst a drugs operation is actually underway at one of them? Do they really believe that to be a credible story?

Naturally, questions have raged since. What really happened to the CCTV footage? Who erased it? Baggage handlers or related staff covering their tracks? Or the Australian Federal Police (who had jurisdiction of course at both airports)? Or another party?

Note that similar questions have also been asked with respect to the non-provision of x-ray images of her bag at both airports.



Next: The Role Of The AFP

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The Basic Elements

Rumors had been rife for years that drugs were passing freely through Australian airports courtesy of a corrupt baggage handling syndicate. This also included marijuana/cocaine drug combinations, for which a number of such international incidents had already come to light [9].

The Corrupt Baggage Handlers At Sydney Airport
Confirmation of the existence of corrupt baggage handlers working at Sydney Airport came via ‘Operation Mocha’, a joint investigation by Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the NSW Crime Commission into a drug syndication ring operating through that airport.

The syndicate was active on the very day Schapelle Corby flew to Bali, and whilst she passed through the airport [29].

The Consignment of Cocaine
It has since emerged, courtesy of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request that a South American plane carrying a consignment of cocaine (and central to Operation Mocha) was definitely on the ground at Sydney International Airport at exactly the same time as Schapelle Corby passed through in transit to Bali [8][33].

The FOI data reveals that on 8th October 2004 Lan Airlines flight 801 with the drugs shipment on board landed at Sydney International Airport at 7:50 am while Australian Airlines flight AO7829, which Schapelle Corby and three companions traveled to Bali on, departed Sydney at 11:12 am. The overlap is well over three hours, with Schapelle Corby arriving at 7:30 am.

Operation Mocha and Qantas
Operation Mocha [5] [4] was headed by former Assistant director of the NSW Crime Commission, Mark Standen, who was later arrested for conspiring to import drugs into Australia [6] [7].

It has also been alleged that the Qantas security manager at the time was subsequently sacked because of connections with Michael Hurley, a fugitive alleged to have been a major player in an international cocaine ring [24][25][26]. A number of other Qantas staff and baggage-handlers were also stood down or sacked with respect to drug smuggling through the airport [35][36], and the consignment in situ when Schapelle Corby passed through.


The plot is therefore extremely thick: we have an international drug operation underway when Schapelle Corby’s almost empty bag passed through the airport, a consignment of drugs in situ at the terminal at exactly the same time, and a corrupt police officer running the show.

Even at this stage, the suggestion of coincidental occurrences is becoming rather far fetched.


Next: The Missing CCTV Footage

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