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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

Upper Hunter horse racing identity admits massive cocaine conspiracy

Upper Hunter horse racing identity Felicity Fraser pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiring to import a commercial quantity of cocaine. She remains behind bars.

AN Upper Hunter horse racing identity has admitted to conspiring to import large quantities of cocaine into Australia from South America.

Felicity Fraser, 42, appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from Silverwater Correctional Centre where she pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug over a four-year period between 2017 and 2021.

The DPP had previously withdrawn a number of other drug related charges.

Fraser is an Upper Hunter horse and polo identity who rose to fame when she bred Melbourne Cup winner Shocking.

She will next appear in Newcastle District Court next month to get a sentence date. Fraser's co-accused and former boss, Peter Leslie Ritson, 60, faces the same conspiracy to import cocaine charge and firearm offences.

He has not entered any pleas and remains behind bars until his next court appearance on November 23.

Detectives alleged the pair made attempts to import 1050 kilograms of cocaine in four shipments from Ecuador.

Three of the shipments, which were allegedly supposed to contain bundles of cocaine, arrived without the drugs on board.

The fourth shipment never arrived on Australian shores.

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