Biggest ever haul of cocaine seized in Australia found on rural property in outer western Sydney
A huge stockpile of cocaine has been discovered in a group of shipping containers at a property in Sydney’s west west, in what police have described as the “largest cocaine seizure ever in Australia”.
Australian Federal Police officers raided a semi-rural property in Londonderry on Friday and a search of three shipping containers uncovered a stockpile of 2.7 tonnes of cocaine.
The powder blocks, estimated to be worth around $816 million, were stored in small underground bunkers under the “false floors” of the containers.
An AFP spokesman said cocaine may have been used in nearly three million street-level deals.
During the raid, police said a 21-year-old Plumpton man and a 25-year-old Liverpool man tried to escape officers on foot but were eventually arrested.
Both were charged with possession of a commercial quantity of an illegally imported border-controlled drug and were denied bail in court on Saturday.
The men are next scheduled to appear at Penrith Local Court on August 13.
An AFP spokesman said the cocaine reached Australian shores via Midge Point in North Queensland and was transported to Sydney “at the behest of the Sydney organized crime group”.
There has been no statement yet regarding which group was involved in the incident.
AFP Commander Stephen Jay said it was not uncommon for criminals to “go to extreme lengths and often put their own lives at risk” to conceal their drug trafficking operations.
“This alleged conspiracy to distribute approximately three tonnes of cocaine by arranging for an international vessel to unload the drugs in northern Queensland before transporting them to Sydney shows how organized and determined these criminal networks are and are willing to pursue profit,” Commander Jay said.
“Investigations into the source of the drugs are ongoing and we will work with our international and local law enforcement partners to identify criminal organizations and others facilitating the alleged attempted importation of drugs.
“Let these arrests serve as a warning to criminal organizations attempting to smuggle illegal substances into our country; we stand ready to take action with our law enforcement partners and disrupt your criminal activities.”
The Londonderry raid is the latest successful warrant served as part of the AFP and Queensland Police Service’s joint operation Minjiang; This operation began in May after 40kg of cocaine was found near a boat ramp at Midge Point by QPS officers responding to reports of a burnt flatbed truck.
This finding resulted in a nationwide sting operation that led to at least nine people being charged in connection with the importation and transportation of illegal substances along the east coast.
