Duo convicted in Qld cocaine import plot

Martin Mayers and Jordan Antic have been convicted by a Brisbane Supreme Court jury over the Miami Vice-style smuggling operation, but co-accused Victor Jocic was acquitted.

UK citizen Mayers imported 66.5kg of pure cocaine and Antic attempted to possess 29kg of the drug before their arrest at a Gold Coast roadhouse in August 2015.

They will be sentenced at a later date.

Jocic, who was also accused of attempting to possess 29 kg of pure cocaine, walked free from the court house on Friday.

Mayers and Antic were involved in an enterprise to import 94 blocks of compressed cocaine labelled "sophisticated and organised" by the prosecution.

The operation began with a luxury yacht in South America, crown prosecutor Lincoln Crowley said, before they were arrested in August 2015 after Australian Federal Police swooped on the drug handover.

Mr Crowley told the jury when police arrived, Jocic had the doors of a white Hyundai van open and ready for loading, while Mayers was standing near a grey Toyota Echo filled with 40 blocks of cocaine.

Earlier, Mayers had helped bring the drugs from Ecuador via Vanuatu and into Australia, he said.

The haul had arrived the night before on a 13-metre yacht named Solay, skippered by Estonian man Arthur Rivkin.

Mr Crowley said the men bought tools for Bunnings to cut the drugs from hiding spots in the fibreglass boat.

Police videoed the men using an angle grinder and buying extension cords at the hardware store.

Australian Associated Press