One accused in massive St Pinot bulk carrier cocaine haul admits involvement, other six set for epic trial

One of seven people charged over a massive cocaine haul found stashed inside a bulk cargo carrier has admitted his role in the alleged international smuggling plot, but his co-accused are set for an epic trial. Authorities discovered a staggering 850kg of cocaine underwater in the ST Pinot’s ballast tank after alleged plans to collect the drugs off the Fremantle coast in May 2023 unravelled. Australian Federal Police say that Tamaohungie Joseph Tepatu-Edwards, 31 and Terrence William Ross Baker, 27, were going to pick up the drugs after they were dropped into the ocean, protected by plastic sealed bags. But the 10m cabin cruiser named “No Fixed Address”, which they are said to have bought the prior day in cash, had engine trouble near Rottnest Island. They radioed for help but wound up in handcuffs, charged with attempting to possess the drugs. Lithuanian national Germanas Joneliunas, 24, who had arrived in Australia a week earlier, was arrested in Sydney, extradited to WA and charged with the same offence. After being brought to shore, navy clearance divers retrieved 28 packages from the Marshall Islands-flagged ST Pinot and found another after the ballast tank was drained. The AFP say the drugs, sold as four million individual deals, would fetch about $320 million. The ST Pinot’s master, Milan Begovic, 44, and its chief engineer, Radovan Vujicic, 41, both from Montenegro, were charged with importing illegal drugs into WA waters. The AFP allege the pair tried to conceal the cocaine by filling the ballast tank with water then instructed the crew to backdate logs and provide false information to shipping agent authorities. The other accused are Ashley William Vlotman, 40, and Meagan Elizabeth Rees, 33, who are charged with aiding and abetting the others. In Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Tepatu-Edwards pleaded guilty but all of his co-accused entered not guilty pleas. Tepatu-Edwards is scheduled to be sentenced in the Supreme Court on June 24. The others will have their first appearance in the same court on March 10, when a Serbian interpreter will assist Mr Vujicic. Ms Rees is the only accused who is not in custody and had her bail renewed after fronting court in person. The men are spread between Casuarina, Hakea and Albany prisons.