Australian rugby star to appear in court on drug charges

The Queensland Reds’ ex-rugby league star Karmichael Hunt has been served a notice to appear in court to answer charges relating to the use and supply of cocaine, according to Australian media reports.

The Queensland Reds released a statement on Friday evening Australian time, clarifying that Hunt hadn’t yet been charged or arrested, but was to appear in court soon.

The Reds have just released the following statement regarding Karmichael Hunt #SuperRugby pic.twitter.com/Oho6H09j6J

— Alistair Hogg (@AlistairSANZAR) February 20, 2015

Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission are expected to charge Hunt with four counts of supplying cocaine, along with two other men and a woman. The two men are believed to be Gold Coast Titans players in Australia’s National Rugby League.

A Crime and Corruption Commission statement read: “The CCC will allege that during an investigation focused on a cocaine trafficking syndicate operating in South East Queensland, these four individuals were identified contacting the syndicate and arranging for the supply of cocaine.

“The three men and one woman arranged for the supply of cocaine for personal use or to on-supply cocaine to friends and colleagues between June and December 2014.”

News Corp alleges that Hunt and his co-conspirators were not part of the original investigation, but will face charges after contacting suspects that were under investigation. The suspects are part of the police probe that saw former league stars Jason Smith and Matt Seers charged, allegedly as part of a multimillion-dollar cocaine cartel.

Hunt spent five years playing in the NRL before switching to Aussie Rules with the Gold Coast Suns, but lasted just three years there after persistent injuries. He announced his plan to try to break into the Wallabies set-up and was snapped up by the Reds this year.

He was named co-vice captain at the beginning of the 2015 Super Rugby season, and started at fly-half last week in the Reds’ dismal 47-3 reverse to the Brumbies.