*The missing teen, Henry, has been located.*
A Northern Beaches man has been arrested over his alleged role in a ketamine importation from the Netherlands.
Investigations began in April 2026, after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers in Sydney targeted a shipment from the Netherlands declared as transporting personal protective equipment.
ABF analysis of the consignment identified a plastic bag containing a white crystal-like substance, with testing returning a positive result for an estimated 20kg of ketamine.
AFP investigators seized the ketamine for examination, before further investigations led police to a storage unit in Marrickville.
It is alleged the man, 49, was responsible for renting a storage unit in Marrickville, which was to be the delivery address for the prohibited drug.
A search warrant was executed in Warriewood on Tuesday 16 June, 2026, where investigators seized electronic devices for further forensic examination. A local man was arrested and faced court but did not enter a plea nor apply for bail. He will reportedly return to Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on 12 August 2026.
Three men charged after $12 million tobacco theft uncovered at Frenchs Forest warehouse
Three men are facing criminal charges after police uncovered almost $12 million worth of illicit tobacco products at a Frenchs Forest warehouse in the early hours of 9 May 2026.
Officers responded to reports of suspicious activity at the premises and, on arrival, found an abandoned truck. With the assistance of a police dog, they tracked three men into nearby bushland.
The seized goods included more than one million cigarette sticks, half a tonne of loose-leaf tobacco, nearly 80,000 nicotine pouches and more than 40,000 vapes, worth a total estimated street value of between $10 and $12 million.
The three men, all aged in their 20s, have been charged with aggravated break and enter and participation in a criminal group. They are currently before the courts.
Tradie vehicles targeted in Northern Beaches tool theft spree
Thieves have struck tradie vehicles across the Northern Beaches in a series of overnight break-ins, stealing power tools worth more than $14,000.
In the most significant incident, offenders targeted two vehicles parked on Panorama Crescent, Frenchs Forest, sometime between 6pm on 2 June 2026 and 7am the following morning. The owner returned to find his Holden Rodeo and Nissan Navara had both been broken into, with electric gardening tools and a petrol-powered mower taken. These are valued at $10,000.
Days later, a Toyota Hilux parked on Tango Avenue, Dee Why, was also hit. A neighbour noticed the toolbox had been forced open and alerted the owner, who found his Makita drill, sanding machine and reciprocating saw had been taken. The theft, valued at $2,100, occurred sometime between 5pm Saturday 6 June 2026 and 10am Monday 8 June 2026.
A third incident unfolded overnight on 7 June 2026, when thieves broke into the rear canopy of a Ford Ranger parked on Parr Avenue, North Curl Curl, stealing a Makita and a Bosch angle grinder worth $2,400. Police have since forensically examined the vehicle.
Police are urging the community to take extra caution when parking cars on the street, noting that strong lighting and CCTV cameras are effective deterrents.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Mona Vale teen targeted in online sextortion attempt
A Mona Vale teenager has become the victim of an online sextortion attempt after being lured into sharing intimate footage through a fake identity.
On 9 June 2026, the boy began communicating with a person in an online chat room, believing they were female. The conversation shifted to Instagram, where the unknown party obtained intimate video footage of the teen.
The offender then demanded $500, threatening to share the footage with the teen’s Instagram contacts if he refused to pay.
The teenager did not pay. Instead, he reported the account to Instagram, which shut down both profiles. He then disclosed the incident to his parents and police.
Identifying offenders in sextortion cases is notoriously difficult, and police say the decision to publicise the incident is not about the investigation; it’s about the victim’s response.
Online safety platforms advise not to pay the ‘ransom’, report the account, and tell a trusted adult.
The eSafety Commissioner website has further details on how to handle sextortion.
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Locked doors and buzzers as teens target Northern Beaches bottle shops
