Australian promoter Andrew McManus, along with four others, were allegedly to be part of a criminal network that laundered up to $5m cocaine proceeds through Sydney and Las Vegas casinos.

In a joint sting of FBI and New South Wales (NSW) Police, McManus was arrested in Melbourne Airport on Thursday, following the arrest of drug kingpin Craig Haeusler, Kings Cross solicitor Michael Croke , Auburn pastry shop owner Zeki Atilgan and US businessman Owen Hanson Jr.

McManus, whose resume includes tours by Whitney Houston, Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, Kiss and Mötley Crüe, has been under the microscope since police confiscated a black suitcase filled with AUD700,000 ($493,000) from former cage-fighter Sean Carolan at a Sydney’s Hilton hotel in 2011.

Carolan told the police he didn’t know what was in the bag and was just minding it for Hanson, who had been gambling at the casino and didn’t want to lose any more money. McManus later claimed the cash was to repay Hanson, who he claimed had paid the money as a deposit for a tour of Australia by the American band ZZ Top.