Australia's Largest-Ever Cocaine Bust: Police Seize 2.7 Tonnes Worth an Estimated NT$18 Billion

(CNA Sydney, June 22 - Combined Reports) Australian police announced today that they had seized 2.7 tonnes of cocaine hidden in plastic barrels within an underground bunker in a Sydney suburb. The estimated street value exceeds NT$18 billion, marking the largest cocaine bust in Australian history.

According to reports from Agence France-Presse and Reuters, police suspect an organized crime syndicate based in Sydney arranged for a foreign vessel to offload the cocaine in northern Queensland before transporting it to Sydney for distribution.

Australian Federal Police Commander Stephen Jay stated that investigations into the drug's origin are ongoing, and authorities will cooperate with domestic and international law enforcement agencies to track down the involved criminal groups.

He said at a press conference that the street value of the seized cocaine, if it had entered the market, was estimated to be over A$800 million (approximately NT$18 billion), and now this money "will not end up in the pockets of organized crime groups."

Police reported that the mother ship, MV Wealth, suspected of being involved in smuggling the drugs to Queensland, has been detained by Solomon Islands authorities for further investigation.

In recent years, Pacific island nations have become drug smuggling transit hubs, transporting cocaine and amphetamines from South America and Southeast Asia to Australia and New Zealand.

On June 19, police discovered plastic barrels buried in an underground bunker behind a residence in Londonderry, a semi-rural area in northwestern Sydney. These bunkers were covered with false flooring to conceal them.

Police stated that two men, aged 21 and 25, were arrested while allegedly attempting to flee the scene. Both have been charged with possession of illegally imported drugs on a commercial scale, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Police said that six other individuals suspected of involvement in the cocaine smuggling had been arrested previously and charged with drug possession-related offenses.

Prior to this operation, police had seized 178 kilograms of cocaine and 142 kilograms of amphetamines in the same investigation, bringing the total amount of seized drugs to over 3 tonnes.

According to the annual report released this month by the Penington Institute, drug-related deaths in Australia involving cocaine surged by 28% in 2024, reaching 141, a record high. (Compiled by Liu Wen-yu) 220622)