Melbourne, Australia — An unprecedented stockpile of cocaine was uncovered in Sydney’s periphery, marking Australia’s largest seizure of the drug. The Australian Federal Police disclosed this significant bust occurred on June 19 and involved 2.7 metric tons (3 tons) of cocaine discovered in Londonderry, a suburb located in Sydney’s western region.
Police unearthed the drug cache from beneath a semirural property. It was hidden in plastic tubs within subterranean bunkers positioned below three shipping containers. These containers featured fraudulent floors, which concealed the narcotic haul valued by police at 816 million Australian dollars ($572 million).
Authorities also apprehended two local men, aged 21 and 25, at the location. Both individuals face charges for possessing a commercial quantity of an illicit substance, carrying possible life imprisonment penalties.
This discovery surpasses the previous Australian record cocaine seizure of 2.34 metric tons (2.58 tons) from 2024, involving a fishing vessel intercepted near K’gari off the Queensland coast.
The investigation uncovered that the illicit load in Sydney originated by boat at Midge Point, within the secluded Queensland tropics. According to police statements, an organized crime syndicate from Sydney then transported the shipment overland, covering a distance of approximately 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) to Sydney.
Police assert the cocaine shipment derived from the same mother ship implicated in an earlier capture of 178 kilograms (392 pounds) of cocaine in Queensland. Further charges involve six individuals tied to this earlier incident, which also revealed 142 kilograms (313 pounds) of methamphetamine.
Authorities suspect the MV Wealth, a Belize-flagged cargo ship seized in Solomon Islands, as the mother ship involved in transnational drug distribution. Situated 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Queensland, its apprehension forms part of a broader strategy against organized crime.
Australian Federal Police Commander Stephen Jay highlighted a growing trend where crime rings exploit Queensland’s extensive 13,000-kilometer (8,000-mile) coast for drug smuggling operations. Australia’s elevated cocaine prices render the nation a prime target for trafficking networks.