Australian police uncover record drug shipment hidden beneath property
Police in Australia finds record cocaine haul worth an estimated $560 million hidden beneath a property in Sydney’s outskirts
Australian authorities have seized the largest cocaine shipment in the country’s history after 3 tons of the drug were discovered buried in underground containers on the outskirts of Sydney.
As per CBS News, the discovery was made during a coordinated operation led by the Australian Federal Police, which targeted an alleged organised crime syndicate suspected of importing and distributing large quantities of cocaine across New South Wales.
Drugs hidden in underground bunkers
Police said the cocaine was concealed in plastic tubs stored inside underground bunkers fitted with false floors at a property in Londonderry, a semi-rural suburb northwest of Sydney.
Officers arrested two men, aged 21 and 25, who allegedly attempted to flee the scene as the operation unfolded.
Investigators believe a Sydney-based criminal group coordinated the shipment, arranging for a foreign vessel to offload the drugs in northern Queensland before transporting them south for distribution.
International trafficking investigation underway
Authorities confirmed that several other suspects linked to the network had already been arrested as part of the wider investigation.
A suspected “mother ship” connected to the operation, the MV Wealth, has been detained in the Solomon Islands as international inquiries continue.
Police said the cocaine would have been worth more than AU$800 million (approximately $560 million) on the street.
Officials warn of organised crime networks
Commander Stephen Jay of the Australian Federal Police said the seizure represents a significant blow to organised crime, preventing vast profits from reaching criminal syndicates.
Officials added that international law enforcement partners are assisting in tracing the origin of the shipment and identifying those responsible.
Charges and ongoing investigation
Each of the two men arrested has been charged with possessing a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported drugs, an offence carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Authorities said further arrests are expected as investigations continue into what they describe as a sophisticated international trafficking operation.