Australian authorities have made what they described as the country’s largest-ever cocaine seizure, recovering 2.7 tonnes of the drug hidden in underground bunkers on the outskirts of Sydney and dealing a major blow to an alleged organised crime network.
The cocaine was found at a semi-rural property in Londonderry, in western Sydney, where investigators discovered plastic tubs buried beneath false floors inside three shipping containers. The haul, estimated to be worth about A$816 million in street sales, was seized as part of a broader investigation into a criminal syndicate accused of importing drugs along Australia’s east coast, news agency Reuters reported.
Hidden stash uncovered during organised crime probe
Police reportedly allege a Sydney-based organised 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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“Investigations into the origin of the drugs remain ongoing, and we will work with our international and domestic law enforcement partners to identify the criminal syndicates,” Australian Federal Police Commander Stephen Jay was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.
The seizure forms part of a wider investigation that has already resulted in the interception of 178 kilograms of cocaine and 142 kilograms of methamphetamine. Combined with the latest recovery, authorities have now seized more than three tonnes of illicit drugs linked to the operation.
Arrests and charges
Two men, aged 21 and 25, were arrested at the property after allegedly attempting to flee on foot when officers moved in.
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Both have been charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Police said six other individuals allegedly connected to the importation scheme had previously been arrested and charged with drug-related offences.
International links under investigation
Authorities are continuing to investigate the origins of the cocaine shipment and the broader criminal network behind it.
“Investigations into the origin of the drugs remain ongoing, and we will work with our international and domestic law enforcement partners to identify the criminal syndicates,” Australian Federal Police Commander Stephen Jay said.
Police also revealed that a vessel known as the MV Wealth, believed to have played a role in the importation of the drugs into Queensland, has been detained in the Solomon Islands for further investigation.
Focus on regional trafficking routes
The case has drawn attention to the role of Pacific Island nations as transit points for illicit drug shipments bound for Australia and New Zealand. Authorities say criminal groups have increasingly used routes stretching from South America and Southeast Asia to move cocaine and methamphetamine into the region.
Speaking after the seizure, Jay said the confiscated drugs would have generated more than A$800 million in street sales, money that “won’t make it into the pockets of organised crime”.
The record seizure comes amid growing concerns about cocaine use in Australia. According to an annual overdose report released this month by the Penington Institute, cocaine-related deaths in the country rose by 28 per cent in 2024 to a record 141 fatalities.
(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)
