Elaborate cross-border cattle rustling operation uncovered, police allege

WA police have charged three men with allegedly stealing 306 cattle from a West Kimberley station and transporting them across to the Northern Territory and eventually selling them for more than $250,000.

Some of the stolen cattle had become part of the live cattle export trade, police allege.

Police claim the cattle theft involved mustering helicopters, portable cattle yards and bull catching buggies.

They also allege earth moving machinery was used to grade a road in the outback to allow the cattle to be moved from the 200,000 hectare Mount Pierre Pastoral Aboriginal Corporation station to an adjacent station, yarded and then trucked east to the NT.

Two helicopters and a ground crew on bull catching buggies were involved in the unauthorised muster over 12 days in October 2022, police claim.

A road was allegedly graded to an area on the neighbouring Louisa Downs Pastoral Aboriginal Corporation station, where the cattle yards were waiting.

Police allege the cattle were tagged as originating from Louisa Downs.

On January 18 this year, at the request of the WA's Rural Crime Team, NT Police searched a property on the Adelaide River.

Police claim they were able to identify that some of the cattle had been sold and exported.

Cattle were selling for an average $827 per head at the time, equalling $253,090 for the total theft, police said.

Part proceeds of cattle sales was allegedly deposited into several accounts of the accused people over several months, police allege.

The investigations have led to the charging of three men with stealing, one from the NT and two from WA.

Two of the men are due to appear the Fitzroy Crossing Magistrates' Court this week and the NT man is due to appear in July.