'SpaceX' cocaine: Oz pilot dies in plane crash; cops find 200kg of drugs

Approximately 200 kg of cocaine was recovered wrapped successful fake SpaceX packaging aft a level crashed successful distant Brazil. The pilot, an Australian, was discovered dormant extracurricular the craft aft it went down successful Coruripe, a coastal country on Brazil’s tropical shoreline.The pilot, identified arsenic Timothy J. Clark, was the sole occupant of the aircraft. He was recovered dormant extracurricular the wreckage, according to section outlet G1 Globo.The clang occurred astir 1.30 p.m. successful the Alagoas region, a distant tropical country of Brazil’s coastline, with constabulary confirming Clark died astatine the scene. The crashed level was registered successful Zambia but reportedly operated successful Brazil for astatine slightest 2 yearsFederal constabulary did not disclose the aircraft’s constituent of departure oregon intended destination but noted the beingness of other substance tanks, suggesting it was equipped for a long-range flight, reported the Daily Mail.“The probe volition proceed to deepen the facts and place the proprietor of the illicit material, done the opening of a constabulary inquiry,” the national constabulary was quoted arsenic saying by section media.Local instrumentality enforcement valued the haul astatine astir 9 cardinal Brazilian reais (approximately $16 million), and the drugs were transferred to the Integrated Public Security Centre successful Coruripe, according to section media.

The craft is suspected to person utilized Alagoas arsenic a stopover on an planetary cause trafficking route, arsenic cited by Em Tempo Noticias. Investigators are besides examining whether the aviator had anterior cognition of Brazil’s aerial routes.While Brazil produces small cocaine itself, Colombia accounts for astir 70 percent of the planetary supply, with the state playing a pivotal relation successful planetary distribution.A 2016 United Nations study identified Brazil arsenic the astir often cited departure constituent for cocaine shipments bound for Africa, Asia, and Europe, 2nd lone to Colombia.