Olympian’s Brother Faces Drug Charges following Successful Appeals
Both men remain in custody awaiting a retrial after appealing their convictions related to a failed scheme to smuggle $200 million worth of cocaine into Australia.
Olympic silver medalist Nathan Baggaley and his brother are alleged to have possessed drugs while in prison.
A Supreme Court jury convicted the siblings in 2021 of trying to import a large quantity of a border-controlled substance.
Nathan Jon Baggaley was sentenced to 25 years in prison on July 27, 2023, while his brother received a 28-year sentence.
Nathan is facing three charges for incidents on July 15, 2023, which will be discussed in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on April 19.
At 48 years old, he is accused of two counts of drug possession and one count of dealing with a prohibited item.
Dru Anthony Baggaley also faces the same charges, with court mentions scheduled on April 16 and April 30 for offenses that occurred on Jan. 9, 2024.
In a bail application denied in March, Dru, aged 42, was accused of additional drug offenses while in custody, leading to concerns about releasing him.
Allegations included obstructing officers during a search of his cell by tampering with the locking mechanism and disposing of incriminating items in the toilet.
The cases against the brothers were initially brought up in the Rockhampton court in February.
The attempted importation case is set to be mentioned in the Brisbane Supreme Court on April 17 without a trial date established yet.
The siblings are accused of being part of a scheme to acquire 650kg of cocaine from a foreign vessel off the northern NSW coast.
Nathan Baggaley, a kayaking world champion and double silver medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, remains entangled in legal proceedings.
