<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two members of a "black flight" drug syndicate that smuggled $17 million worth of methamphetamine into Australia from Papua New Guinea have been jailed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The smugglers masterminded a scheme to fly a twin-engine Beechcraft aircraft to the historic gold mining town of Bulolo in the mountain ranges of Papua New Guinea's Morobe Province.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two men piloted the unauthorised flight from the regional town of Monto, north-west of Brisbane, to Bulolo.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/anthony-albanese-donald-trump-meeting-white-house-oval-office/86dff558-6189-4a00-9b65-d40d7f055505" target="_blank"><strong><span>'I don't like you': Trump blasts Rudd during Albo meeting</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After landing safely at the PNG airstrip, they loaded five duffel bags packed with methamphetamine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Inside were 87 plastic bags containing a white crystalline substance weighing 71.5kg.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Testing later revealed the pure weight of the drugs was 56.98kg.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/john-otto-horvath-and-peter-david-payne-court-updates/0ded3b60-4af7-4a37-a308-29c632eed305" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/amazon-web-services-aws-major-internet-outages-fortnite-snapchat-roblox-canva/fec1083a-3def-47f3-ae8f-79948caebbf2" target="_blank"><strong><span>World's biggest apps and websites hit by global outage</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The men are alleged to have collected the meth and concealed it in the plane's nose cone before embarking on a "black flight" return to Australia, flying at low altitude with the transponder off in a bid not to be detected.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The cargo was bound for NSW, but when the return leg of the flight touched down in Monto to refuel on March 21, 2023, the authorities were waiting.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two of the five smugglers, co-pilot John Otto Horvath, 55, and 57-year-old Peter David Payne, who provided ground support, pleaded guilty to a single charge of importing a commercial quantity of drugs in the Brisbane Supreme Court today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/heat-records-october-temperatures-break-records-multiple-states/27ac5aa7-a468-4389-8b77-d8b568c629db" target="_blank"><strong><span>Millions set to swelter as spring scorcher looms</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two other syndicate members have previously been sentenced for their part in the elaborate scheme.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Rebecca Treston said Horvath and Payne were far from the top of the syndicate hierarchy and had no idea of the quantity of the drugs the smugglers were bringing into Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I accept you did not finance any aspect of the importation nor were you particularly instrumental in the organisation of it," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Horvath was recruited for his piloting skills and stood to gain a slice of the profits.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You had a significant role in the actual movement of the importation of the drugs," Treston said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I accept you did not recruit anyone to the venture, and were in fact recruited yourself.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But you helped fly the plane both to Papua New Guinea, allowed the collection of the drugs onto the plane, and then flew the plane back to Monto."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Payne lives next door to another of the smugglers and failed to grasp the extent of the importation plot.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"However, your conduct was more than objectively reckless, especially when you became aware of the true nature of the importation," Treston said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Payne did not hide his movements, used his own car to transport the fuel and even booked accommodation in his own name.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's probably best described as logistical support... both of you were to receive a financial reward from your involvement in the drugs being imported into this country," Justice Treston said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Horvath was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 10 years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Payne was handed a lesser sentence of eight years and will be eligible for release after five years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: 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