Police have released photos of an eye-watering haul of 1,543 pounds of cocaine found hidden on a cargo ship docked in Sydney’s Port Botany.
On July 22, Australian Border Force officers discovered the cocaine worth $193 million hidden in denim bags within a shipping container labeled as holding wood products.
Officers seize 28 bags that contained approximately 55 pounds of cocaine, packed in small bricks.
Authorities say forensic examination of the cocaine bricks revealed they had been marked with emblems, including numerals like 365 and the word “Netflix”.
After conducting preliminary inquiries, officers allowed the cargo ship to continue its journey.
Luke Wilson, Australian Federal Police Detective Inspector, said that the vessel had docked in ports in Central and South America prior to arriving in Australia.
“We are still investigating where the drugs were loaded and who was planning to collect them in Australia,” he said.
“The interception of this amount of drugs would be a significant blow to a well-resourced syndicate, and prevents millions of dollars of drug profit flowing back into the syndicate to fund their lavish lifestyles or next criminal venture.”
According to AFP, the huge cocaine seizure prevented drug-related harm of nearly $311 million, including related crimes and healthcare costs.
Australian Border Force Detained Goods NSW Superintendent Joanne Yeats stated that the huge haul was a testament to the skills of border force officers in detecting illegal drug shipment.
“We continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the Australian community is kept safe from the importation of dangerous drugs,” she said.
The AFP notes 2.2 pounds of cocaine can fetch up to a little bit over $276,000 on Australia’s eastern coast, depending on the availability and purity of the drug.
The seizure comes as Australia is in the midst of a cocaine shortage, which means the wholesale price of 2.2 pounds of cocaine is now at least $89,000 more expensive than it was before the pandemic.
Police are concerned about the rising demand for the drug and the increase in drug use nationwide.
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