Australian Border Force Employee Charged in Drug Smuggling Bribery Scheme

An Australian Border Force (ABF) supervisor, Rita Gargiulo, 50, faces life imprisonment for allegedly conspiring with 67-year-old Cosmo Commisso to smuggle 6.9kg of cocaine valued at $1.3 million into Australia. Gargiulo allegedly accepted bribes, including luxury items, to facilitate the drug's passage and provided information about a dummy shipment of cosmetics to ensure the cocaine bypassed inspections. Both Gargiulo and Commisso were arrested alongside two additional suspects, aged 25 and 48, who were charged with attempting to possess controlled substances. The arrests are part of Operation Proctor, a joint initiative by the Australian Federal Police and New South Wales Police targeting public officials involved in organized crime. This operation highlights concerns over insider threats within law enforcement, with officials emphasizing the national security risks posed by such corruption. All four individuals are set to appear in court following their arrests.