Two South Australian men involved in a sophisticated operation to import more than 14 kilograms of methamphetamine from Malaysia have each been jailed for more than 12 years.
Paul Blokland, 54, and Antonio Tartaglia, 48, were found guilty of importing up to $7 million worth of the drug which was found hidden inside four-wheel-drive winch kits.
The consignment was delivered to Blokland's Adelaide warehouse in March 2019, with police descending on the premises within hours.
Sentencing the pair in the District Court on Friday, Judge Adam Kimber said while much about the drug operation remained unknown he didn't consider the two men to be in charge.
"Whomever that person or persons may have been, they were running a sophisticated, highly organised operation directed towards bringing a valuable, very harmful drug into this country," Judge Kimber said.
"Not only was the methamphetamine imported from overseas and packed in a sophisticated way, a tracking device had been placed on the van which delivered the consignment from the airport to the warehouse."
The judge said the evidence suggested the tracking device was being monitored by others.
"I expect that was being done, at least in part, to minimise, if not eliminate altogether, communications between those involved in at least this part of the chain of importation," he said.
Judge Kimber jailed Blokland for 12 years and five months, with a non-parole period of eight years and 11 months.
Tartaglia was jailed for 12 years and two months with a non-parole period of eight years and eight months.
