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Airport arrest after body found buried in concrete on Brisbane building site

A man has been arrested while trying to leave the country after police discovered a body buried in concrete at a private Brisbane transport depot.

Mar 10, 2022, updated Mar 10, 2022

The 27-year-old was intercepted at Sydney International Airport on Wednesday after missing Brisbane man Andrew Walsh’s remains were dug up by detectives at the Coopers Plains business.

Acting Detective Inspector Chris Knight said the man had been arrested in relation to Mr Walsh’s suspicious death and would be extradited to Queensland.

He said Walsh had been found encased in concrete when police drilled into the floor of the Musgrave Street building’s workshop area during a recent excavation.

Asked if it was fresh concrete to conceal Walsh’s remains, Det Insp Knight said “You could say that, yes.”

Police made the grisly find during a three-week search of the depot after linking the disappearance of Walsh and another missing man, Lachlan Griffiths, to the depot in Brisbane’s south.

Mr Griffiths’ body has not yet been found but a 40-year-old Tingalpa man has been arrested in relation to his suspected homicide.

Det Insp Knight said police would return to the Coopers Plains building to conduct a targeted forensic examination on Wednesday night.

“Mr Walsh and Mr Griffiths disappeared months apart but our investigation has confirmed both of those individuals are linked to that crime scene – that is the common denominator,” he said.

“Both of these investigations are far from over. Our detectives remain committed to bringing anyone involved in their investigation to justice and our thoughts obviously go out to the victims’ families.”

Det Insp Wright said the 27-year-old man was intercepted by Australian Federal Police in Sydney after being tipped off by Brisbane detectives involved in the missing men’s investigation, dubbed Task Force Voltron.

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Walsh was reported missing by family in the north Queensland town of Mossman in January, however detectives believe the 35-year-old was last seen alive in Logan in November.

Griffiths, also 35, was last seen in the Brisbane CBD in January before his mother reported him missing on Australia Day.

Det Insp Wright said police would continue to examine the depot but did not believe Griffiths’ body would be found there.

“At the moment we will consider any option that we can but we are satisfied that his remains are not at that crime scene,” he said.

The Coopers Plains depot has had a crime scene established since a February 14 raid.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

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