The search for missing man 41-year-old Jamie Williamson will be expanded
following the arrival of Australian Defence Force and Queensland Remote Area
Tracking personnel.
A week after the 41-year-old disappeared police and SES personnel have been
assisted by assets including specialised search and rescue aircraft from
Cairns, Townsville’s Queensland Government Air helicopter and RACQ CQ Rescue
helicopter from Mackay.
Inspector Ian Haughton acknowledged the efforts of resources including SES
volunteers from as far away as Rockhampton, Townsville and Charters Towers.
“This has been bolstered with the arrival of 41 ADF personnel, four drones
and five Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles (PMV),” Inspector Haughton
said.
“Close to 2000 square kilometres have been searched by aerial assets.
“The search area has been modified, adapted based on intelligence including
phone data and public information and extended primarily north from the last
known location.”
Police are appealing for assistance from road users who have been travelling
on the Gregory Develop Road between Belyando Crossing and Charters Towers.
Jamie has not been seen since Thursday evening, October 21 and has not
spoken to family or friends in this time.
Police continue to appeal to any motorists who have dash cameras and
travelled along or near the Gregory Developmental Road or the Bowen
Developmental Road between Clermont and Charters Towers between October 22
and October 27, to check their footage for anyone walking north along the
roadway.
Motorists who observed anyone matching Jamie’s description walking along the
Gregory or Bowen Developmental Road or offered him a lift, is asked to
contact police.
Jamie is described as Caucasian, 180cm tall with dark blonde hair, brown
eyes and with a muscular build.
Police are appealing to Jamie, or anyone with information regarding his
current whereabouts, to come forward immediately.
The Australian Defence Force has been called in to help with the search for a
man missing in remote bushland in central Queensland.
Jamie Williamson was last seen around 6:10pm on October 21 at a worker
accommodation facility on Moray-Bulliwallah Road, between Clermont and Belyando
Crossing.
The 41-year-old's work vehicle remained parked at his accommodation, and his
private vehicle was parked at Brisbane Airport.
Mackay Police District Inspector Ian Haughton said Mr Williamson had not
contacted friends, family, or work colleagues since October 21.
"Concerns are held for his safety and wellbeing," Inspector Haughton said.
Inspector Haughton said SES, the CQ Rescue helicopter service, and state
government rescue aircraft had assisted police in the search.
"This has been bolstered with the arrival of 41 ADF personnel, four drones, and
five Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles," he said.
"Close to 2,000 square kilometres have been searched by aerial assets.
Inspector Haughton urged anyone driving on or near the Gregory Developmental
Road or Bowen Developmental Road, between Clermont and Charters Towers from
October 22 and 27, to check any dashcam footage they may have.
"To check for anyone who may have been walking along that roadway or
specifically for anyone who may have given a person a lift from that location,"
he said.
"Anyone who has observed somebody matching Jamie's description walking along
[those roads] or offered him a lift is asked to contact police."
Inspector Haughton said the search was ongoing.
Mr Williamson is described as Caucasian, 180cm tall, with dark blond hair, brown
eyes, and with a muscular build.
Missing man Jamie Williamson was last seen in the Clermont area on October 21
Concerns are growing for a convicted drug trafficker last seen near a Central
Queensland mine worksite a fortnight ago.
A former drug kingpin who was busted with $564,000 in cash has been missing
in remote outback in Central Queensland for more than two weeks.
Jamie William Williamson was last seen about 6.10pm on October 21 near a
work accommodation site on Moray Bulliwallah Rd between Clermont and Belyando.
A police spokesman said police, Australian Defence Force personnel, SES members,
the Queensland Remote Area Tracking and members of the public had searched an
area of 2000sq km but failed to find him.
The army, which had deployed 41 personnel, four drones and five Bushmaster
Protected Mobility Vehicles, has since left the search.
Mr Williamson had a Toowoomba region drug business selling to wholesalers and
street dealers between 2004 and 2006 before being arrested at Brisbane Airport
in December 2006 while returning home from a luxury Hawaiian holiday.
Police had earlier raided two storage sheds hired in his name uncovering
$564,000 cash, 8kg of marijuana, thousands of ecstasy tablets, 2kg of
methylamphetamine and a stash of firearms.
He was on parole at the time he went missing.
Inspector Ian Haughton said SES crews from as far away as Townsville, Charters
Towers and Rockhampton had been looking for Mr Williamson since he went missing
in Central Queensland.
A specialised rescue aircraft from Cairns, a government helicopter from
Townsville and Mackay’s RACQ Rescue helicopter were also used in the search.
“The search area has been modified, adapted based on intelligence including
phone data and public information and extended primarily north from the last
known location,” Inspector Haughton said.
A police spokesman said SES groups would conduct targeted searches for Mr
Williamson over the coming days.
“Uniform and plain clothes officers from Mackay District supported by
intelligence officers and the missing persons unit remain actively involved in
the investigation,” he said.
“Air assets including search jets, helicopter and drones supplemented foot and
vehicle searching in the period since he was last seen.
“Police will continue to conduct inquiries and investigate any leads and
information received, however at this time the disappearance of Mr Williamson is
not being treated as suspicious.
“Police encourage any member of the public with information to contact Crime
Stoppers or PoliceLink.”
A police spokesman said they along with family members held concerns for Mr
William’s welfare.
Police are calling on motorists to check dash cameras if they travelled along or
near the Gregory Developmental Rd or the Bowen Developmental Rd between Clermont
and Charters Towers between October 22 and 27.
Mr Williamson is described as caucasian, 180cm tall with dark blonde hair, brown
eyes and a muscular build.
“Motorists who observed anyone matching Jamie’s description walking along the
Gregory or Bowen Developmental Rd or offered him a lift, is asked to contact
police,” a police statement said.
“Police are appealing to Jamie, or anyone with information regarding his current
whereabouts to come forward immediately.”
Former drug kingpin Jamie Williamson missing, last seen at Bravus work camp
A convicted trafficker on parole after police found $564K in cash, firearms and
drugs has not been seen since disappearing from a Bravus work camp in Central
Queensland almost two months ago.
A police spokesman said the investigation into Mr Williamson’s disappearance
remained active but the “extensive physical search” was paused “pending new
information”.
“Police continue to appeal for any information that may assist with the
investigation into the disappearance of Jamie Williamson,” he said.
In early November, Australian Defence Force personnel, SES members from as far
away as Townsville, Charters Towers and Rockhampton, the Queensland Remote Area
Tracking and members of the public had covered an area of 2000sq km but failed
to find him.
A specialised rescue aircraft from Cairns, a government helicopter from
Townsville and Mackay’s RACQ Rescue helicopter were also used in the search with
the army deploying 41 personnel, four drones and five Bushmaster Protected
Vehicles.
Mr Williamson, a former rugby league player in Toowoomba, was in 2010 convicted
of trafficking and possessing speed, ecstasy and marijuana in one of
Queensland’s largest drug busts.
He received a 13-year jail sentence.
Mr Williamson had a Toowoomba region drug business selling to wholesalers and
street dealers between 2004 and 2006 before being arrested at Brisbane Airport
in December 2006 while returning home from a luxury Hawaiian holiday.
Police had earlier raided two storage sheds hired in his name uncovering
$564,000 cash, 8kg of marijuana, thousands of ecstasy tablets, 2kg of
methylamphetamine and a stash of firearms.
He was on parole at the time he went missing.
Inspector Ian Haughton, in early November, said Mr William’s disappearance was
not being treated as suspicious.
“Police will continue to conduct inquiries and investigate any leads and
information received,” Inspector Haughton said.
“Police encourage any member of the public with information to contact Crime
Stoppers or PoliceLink.”
Mr Williamson is described as caucasian, 180cm tall with dark blonde hair, brown
eyes and a muscular build.
A QPS spokesman said police, along with family members, held concerns for his
welfare.
Police are calling on motorists to check dash cameras if they travelled along or
near the Gregory Developmental Rd or the Bowen Developmental Rd between Clermont
and Charters Towers between October 22 and 27.
“Motorists who observed anyone matching Jamie’s description walking along the
Gregory or Bowen Developmental Rd or offered him a lift, is asked to contact
police,” a police statement said.
“Police are appealing to Jamie, or anyone with information regarding his current
whereabouts to come forward immediately.”
****Article from 2007 - pre-missing - background information****
Accused player in drug bust refused bail
A man accused of being the major player in a $10 million
drug operation has been refused bail by a Brisbane
magistrate.
Jamie William Williamson, 26, is charged with three
counts each of supplying and possessing dangerous drugs,
as well as two counts of trafficking, one of possessing
anything for use in a drug crime and one of possessing
weapons.
A police raid on a shed at Toowoomba, west of Brisbane,
on December 4 last year, netted a haul which included
2.5kg of methyl-amphetamines, 8kg of cannabis, 2,000
ecstasy tablets, and $579,000 in cash as well as
weapons.
In a bail application in the Brisbane Magistrates Court,
police prosecutor Sergeant Estelle Carnes said
Williamson's arrest had been the culmination of two
years of meticulous and painstaking police
investigations.
"The defendant is the major player, the controller, the
one who handles all the money, who holds all the cards
so to speak," Sgt Carnes said.
She said Williamson should stay in jail for his own
protection, as he had links to the Finks motorcycle
gang, so there were fears for his own safety.
Williamson also posed a flight risk, and there were
further charges pending against him, Sgt Carnes said.
In a bail application, barrister Denis Lynch argued that
Williamson had handed himself to police on Tuesday,
after returning from an overseas holiday earlier this
month.
Mr Lynch said the case against Williamson was largely
circumstantial, a conviction was not inevitable, and it
would take an estimated two years to get the matter to
trial.
He said his client, who operated a sports store in
Toowoomba, had lived there all his life, and owned
property there.
If granted bail, Williamson would live with his mother,
who could offer a $50,000 surety, Mr Lynch said.
Magistrate Tina Previtera said police surveillance
linked Williamson to the shed in which the drugs and
cash were found, keys to the shed were found on his
person, and he was seen moving containers to and from
the shed.
She refused bail on the basis of the large number of
serious charges and because Williamson was an
unacceptable risk of failing to appear, of committing
further offences and of interfering with witnesses.
She remanded Williamson in custody to reappear for
committal mention in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on
February 13.
