Australian drug bust uncovers 3 tons of cocaine hidden underground
Police say the haul could fuel about 3 million street deals and has led to multiple arrests in a multi-agency operation.
- On Friday, the Australian Federal Police seized a record 2.7 tonnes of cocaine from a property in Londonderry, Sydney, with an estimated street value of $816 million. The drugs were hidden in underground bunkers beneath shipping containers.
- Operation Minjiang, a Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce investigation, began in May after police discovered 40 kilograms of cocaine near a Midge Point boat ramp. The operation targets a Sydney-based organized crime group alleged to have orchestrated the importation.
- Six individuals face charges following Friday's arrests, including two men aged 21 and 25 who allegedly attempted to flee the scene. Authorities detained the vessel MV Wealth in the Solomon Islands, suspected of facilitating the importation.
- Australian Federal Police Commander Stephen Jay stated the discovery "demonstrates how highly organised and determined these criminal networks are." He confirmed investigations remain ongoing to identify criminal syndicates involved in the attempted importation.
- The Penington Institute reported cocaine-related deaths surged 28 percent to a record 141 in 2024, released this month. Cashed-up Australians pay some of the highest prices globally for such substances, driving criminal demand.
51 Articles
51 Articles
Australia has reported the largest cocaine fund of all time: In a suburb of Sydney, the police discovered 2.7 tons of the drug in secret underground bunkers – at a value of around 500 million euros. Investigators found the cocaine in plastic containers hidden under false soils of ship containers on a plot in the suburb of Londonderry in western Sydney. The amount had corresponded to about three million individual deals.The access was preceded by…
Australian police confiscated 2.7 tons of cocaine, hidden in underground bunkers in western Sydney, the largest such capture ever made in Australia, the authorities announced on Monday.
Australian police seize record 2.7 tons of cocaine
SYDNEY — Australian police seized a record 2.7 tons of cocaine hidden in plastic tubs buried underground on the outskirts of Sydney, detectives said Monday. It was the largest cocaine haul in Australian history, a joint organised crime investigation force said in a statement. Police allege a Sydney-based organized crime group arranged for a foreign vessel to offload the cocaine in northern Queensland before moving it to Sydney for distribution. …
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