Crime Correspondent: Australia.

Ricky James Montgomery, the former hotelier Bradley James Evans and a Maroubra man, Hayden Rodgers - were found guilty

Former South Sydney footballer Ricky James Montgomery, the former hotelier Bradley James Evans and a Maroubra man, Hayden Rodgers - were found guilty.Since then, their lawyers have raised concerns over the role of the then Crime Commission investigator Mark Standen, who faces drug charges, and his link with Steven James, the key Crown witness against them.three eastern suburbs men to conspire with others to import a large amount of cocaine.The plan, hatched in phone calls and during meetings between co-conspirators in Spain, Canada and at the Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club, was to import the drugs hidden in a truck that was being shipped from Panama to Sydney on a container ship.At Patrick's dock at Darling Harbour, dock workers known to one or more of the conspirators were to offload the truck and its contents, and take the drugs out of the terminal.But neither the Illinois-registered truck, nor its expected 30-kilogram illegal cargo, ever made it to Australia. Yesterday - more than six years after the conspiracy started and after two lengthy trials - the three men were sentenced for their roles.James, who had taken a leading role in the import plan, had misled the court at his own sentencing hearing and successfully minimised his role, Judge Peter Zahra found yesterday. He found he could not trust James's testimony unless it was corroborated and found Evans and Rodgers were not as involved in the conspiracy as Montgomery. All three would face a difficult time in prison because of the effect on their families, and various physical and psychological ailments, Judge Zahra ruled. Montgomery, who had a record, was sentenced to a minimum of nearly 11 years. Evans received a minimum prison term of seven years, and Rodgers was given a minimum six-year prison sentence.

Ricky James Montgomery, the former hotelier Bradley James Evans and a Maroubra man, Hayden Rodgers - were found guilty

Former South Sydney footballer Ricky James Montgomery, the former hotelier Bradley James Evans and a Maroubra man, Hayden Rodgers - were fou...

Tanesh Bernard Dias allegedly helped a drug group in "cuckoo smurfing"

Tanesh Bernard Dias, 35, allegedly helped a drug group in "cuckoo smurfing", a sophisticated way of substituting legitimate overseas money transfers for drugs money. Federal agent Mark Creighton told the court Mr Dias received amounts of up to $1 million a time between March and his arrest earlier this month. Melbourne Magistrates' Court was told he would meet accused syndicate member Sharon Ropa, 37, at a Footscray supermarket, where she would hand him bundles of cash. Mr Creighton said Mr Dias then used false names to put the money into bank accounts connected with Asian money transfer agencies. "The applicant received money from a criminal syndicate and he assisted in the banking of these monies so similar value could be made available to the criminal syndicate overseas," Mr Creighton said. Mr Dias was paid 0.35 per cent of the total he allegedly helped launder, the court was told. Mr Creighton said officers saw Mr Dias with cash amounts "the size of house bricks" and he recruited others to help with the deposits. A search of his home uncovered 200 bank deposit slips worth $2 million and a further 54 transactions involving $703,000, it was said. Mr Creighton said Mr Dias admitted in a police interview he thought the money might have come from drugs. Defence lawyer Charles Tan said using money remitting agencies in Asia was normal and his client "could have been unaware of what he was getting into". Mr Dias is charged with dealing with the proceeds of crime and providing false reporting information during bank deposits. The court was told Mr Dias had fled Sri Lanka on a false passport and was awaiting a protection visa application review in Australia. Mr Creighton said he feared Mr Dias would flee the country if released on bail. Magistrate Simon Garnett refused bail, saying the case against Mr Dias was strong and he was a flight risk. The record bust last June netted 4.4 tonnes of ecstasy, said to be worth $400 million. Mr Dias is due in court again next year.

Tanesh Bernard Dias allegedly helped a drug group in "cuckoo smurfing"

Tanesh Bernard Dias, 35, allegedly helped a drug group in "cuckoo smurfing", a sophisticated way of substituting legitimate overse...