One of two accused drug traffickers caught with up to $3.7 million of cocaine on the Hume Freeway near Wangaratta has been denied bail, a court has heard.

The 25-year-old Hastings man and 26-year-old Frankston man were due to appear at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court last week for committal mention.

While the 25-year-old appeared via WebEx, initial technical difficulties delayed the Frankston man’s appearance from prison.

The court previously heard about 3:30pm on 7 April 2026, Wangaratta Highway Patrol officers intercepted a grey Mazda 3 at the Benalla exit of the Hume Freeway’s southbound lanes.

Officers conducted a search of the car where they allegedly found two shopping bags filled with 17kg of cocaine in the boot.

The Hastings man was allegedly driving the vehicle with the co-accused as passenger.

The pair were arrested, taken to the Wangaratta Police Station and charged with large commercial drug trafficking.

The estimated street value of the drugs seized was between $1.19m to $3.74m.

It’s alleged by police the Frankston man recruited the Hastings man to drive from Melbourne to Sydney and back in order to collect the drugs.

The Hastings man was granted bail on 27 April at Wangaratta court, with a $750,000 bail surety placed by his father.

In court, defence counsel Younis Yehin acting for the Frankston man, said his client had been denied release from custody and was not planning on applying for bail again.

Prosecutor Alexander Lew said drug analysis and DNA testing was yet to be completed and applied for a long-term adjournment in order for the investigation to be completed.

Magistrate Megan Casey adjourned the matter for further committal mention on 12 November at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court.