Two men accused of kidnapping woman in extortion plot
A woman was kidnapped by two men in an extortion plot before a “significant” amount of drugs were discovered in a major operation, police say.
Two men have been accused of kidnapping a woman, sparking a major police operation that unearthed a “significant” amount of drugs.
A Lone Wolf Outlaw Motorcycle Gang associate was among the pair charged after five far north Queensland addresses were raided as part of Operation Yankee Novi, police said.
The operation was launched on January 22 following reports a woman had been kidnapped and extorted by a man known to her at Machans Beach near Cairns, police said.
About a week later police searched five addresses in Mareeba, Mount Molloy, Trinity Beach and Machans Beach.
“It will be alleged officers located a significant quantity of methylamphetamine, cocaine, cannabis, drug utensils, and electronic devices,” a police statement said.
Two men, aged 31 and 36, were charged with multiple drug trafficking, kidnapping and extortion offences on Wednesday.
“It will be alleged one of the men is an associate of the Lone Wolf Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and was involved with trafficking methylamphetamine in the far northern region,” the police statement said.
Both men were denied bail and appeared in Mareeba Magistrates Court on Thursday.
The 31-year-old Mareeba man was remanded in custody to reappear on April 7.
The 36-year-old Mount Molloy man was also remanded in custody and is set to appear again in court on February 2.
The arrests come after Operation Xray Rile resulted in the arrest of a 32-year-old man and alleged Lone Wolf member, who was charged with trafficking dangerous drugs and money laundering in Cairns in December 2025.
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Police said they would continue to target outlaw motorcycle gangs and drug trafficking in the far north.
“We are committed to reducing the movement of dangerous drugs in our community and the violence associated with it,” Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Trent Odmark said.
“Our officers are constantly working to disrupt this activity and bring offenders before the court, and we ask anyone in the community with information about this kind of offending to please come forward.”
-with AAP
