A Norwegian diver has been sentenced to nine years and eleven months in prison for his role in an 80-kilogram cocaine smuggling operation at the Port of Newcastle, Australia. The Newcastle District Court heard that Jon Birger Karlsen, flown into Brisbane as part of an international crime syndicate, attempted to retrieve cocaine concealed in the hull of the Cyprus-registered bulk carrier MV Stalo.
The vessel was docked at the Carrington grain terminal on January 25, 2023. Karlsen and his co-accused, Johan-Martinius Halvorsen, 35, had been equipped with high-end scuba gear and aquatic scooters worth nearly AUD 60,000 to assist in the underwater retrieval. The drugs were hidden in a sea chest on the ship’s undercarriage.
Both men pleaded guilty to attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
Ferry captain’s sighting leads to police interception
According to Judge Roy Ellis, the pair had been practising their retrieval operations when they were spotted by the captain of the Stockton ferry. By then, the Australian Federal Police (AFP), acting on a tip-off, had already removed the cocaine from the vessel.
When Karlsen and Halvorsen made their attempt, AFP officers were waiting, shining lights into the water, prompting the divers to flee.
Judge Ellis noted that Karlsen’s expertise as a diver was essential for the operation due to the drug load’s significant weight. “You can well understand why the need for scooters in order to get there quickly underwater,” he said.
Sentencing, threats, and parole dates
Karlsen’s defence argued he was unaware of the criminal nature of the job and had been threatened while awaiting sentencing. His family in Norway was also reportedly targeted. However, Judge Ellis questioned whether financial gain had been the primary motive.
While the judge stated that a 12-year sentence would have been appropriate, he applied a 15% reduction for Karlsen’s assistance to police and the threats he had faced, resulting in the nine-year, eleven-month term. The non-parole period was set at four years and eleven months, making him eligible for release on Christmas Eve 2027, accounting for time already served.
Halvorsen received a 12-year sentence in March 2025, with a non-parole period of five years and nine months, making him eligible for parole in October 2028.
