SYDNEY: This amount was found by the Australian Federal Police buried inside three shipping containers with fake floors at a property on the outskirts of western Sydney; two individuals have been arrested after trying to make a run for it on foot.
A record was broken in Australia on Monday. According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), 2,700 kilogram of cocaine were found hidden inside underground bunkers at a semi-rural site in western Sydney – that is the largest cocaine haul in the nation’s history with a street value of about A$816 million ($572.3 million). This Australia cocaine bust case originated from a probe of an organised crime gang suspected of smuggling drugs to Australia’s east coast.
How Australia cocaine bust occurred
The AFP officers uncovered the drugs on Friday when they searched the property at western Sydney and found the cocaine buried in plastic tubs in three shipping containers with fake floors. The Australia cocaine bust in the vicinity of Sydney took place as a part of a bigger operation, where 178 kg of cocaine and 142 kg of methamphetamine connected with the same criminal network were seized, taking the total of the seizures to above three tonnes.
The two men who are 21 and 25 years old have been arrested for allegedly fleeing on foot upon approach by law enforcement officials. They are now facing charges of having possession of a commercial quantity of an unlawful border-controlled drug, for which the maximum penalty is life imprisonment.
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Smuggling route as claimed by police
As reported by the AFP, the syndicate is believed to have smuggled the cocaine using the Midge Point in the north of Queensland and then move the consignment south to Sydney under the guidance of an organized crime syndicate. The use of underground bunkers with false-floor containers suggests that there is some sort of high-level logistics involved in the process.
Ongoing investigation syndicate still not dismantled
The Australian cocaine bust is undoubtedly an important law enforcement achievement; however, it was reported by the AFP that the investigation into the syndicate continues. Arresting of two people is definitely important, but it certainly cannot be considered dismantlement of the network able to import cocaine on such a large scale – which means that the Sydney cocaine bust should be regarded as a significant strike against the syndicate rather than its definitive end.
Nayab Fatima is a university graduate and an emerging media professional with a strong passion for journalism, research, and independent reporting. She specializes in developing well-researched, fact-based, and analytical news stories covering a wide range of sectors, with particular expertise in technology, telecommunications, aviation, and the automobile industry.
