A Chinese-British dual national and senior member of the Sam Gor syndicate has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy targeting Australia.

The 70-year-old was sentenced in the Melbourne County Court on 30 April 2026 after pleading guilty to conspiring to traffic commercial quantities of border-controlled drugs between 2012 and 2013.

He will be eligible for parole after serving nine years and three months.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Hans Koenderink said the sentencing marked the conclusion of one of the agency’s most significant international investigations.

“This final Operation Volante sentencing is the culmination of 14 years of hard work and perseverance from our investigators and international network,” he said.

“This result showcases there is no corner of the globe where criminals can hide from the consequences of their actions.”

The man was extradited from Bangkok to Melbourne on 11 June 2022 to face the charge under section 302.2(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).

The case formed part of Operation Volante, a long-running investigation launched by the Australian Federal Police in 2012 into the activities of the Sam Gor syndicate and its drug distribution network in Australia.

At its peak, the syndicate was considered one of the largest suppliers of methamphetamine into the country.

He added the AFP would continue expanding global operations to counter both domestic and international organised crime threats.

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