The Montebellos are not your average Australian family. Modern day smugglers, their family business is transporting drugs into Australia and guns and exotic wildlife out, making use of ties of blood and loyalty in the Torres Strait Islands.
When Harry, the head of the family, starts to plan his succession, a power struggle is sparked between brother and brother, wife and daughter. Under attack from ambitious bikies and mercurial PNG Raskols, the family must hold together through torture, assassination and imprisonment.
Produced by Matchbox Pictures, the ten-part series is written by Louis Nowra and directed by Peter Andrikidis. It stars Brian Cox, Firass Dirani and Aaron Fa'aoso.
The Straits premieres on ABC1 at 8:30pm, February 2.