Australia Seizes 2.7 Tons of Cocaine in Largest Bust Yet
Australian Federal Police seized 2.7 tonnes of cocaine – the country’s biggest-ever drug bust – from an underground bunker system in western Sydney.
Hidden beneath false floors in three shipping containers at a property in Londonderry, the drugs carry an estimated street value of A$816 million (≈ £433 million, €500 million).
Two men, aged 21 and 25, were arrested at the scene after attempting to flee. They are charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border‑controlled drug, and face life in prison if convicted.
Police say the cocaine was smuggled into Australia via Midge Point in North Queensland under the direction of an organised crime group.
The raid, part of "Operation Minjiang", began in May following a 40‑kg find of cocaine floating in the water off a boat ramp at Midge Point. Another six people in Queensland and New South Wales were arrested under related investigations.
Authorities have also detained a suspected "mother vessel" in the Solomon Islands linked to the smuggling operation.
Despite its remote location, Australia remains a lucrative market for cocaine, typically fetching around A$300 per gram. Both Australians and New Zealanders have the highest cocaine use rates worldwide, according to the UN World Drug Report.
AFP Commander Stephen Jay said the plot "showed how highly organised and determined these criminal networks are, and the extreme lengths they are willing to go for profit." Investigations into the drugs’ origin remain ongoing, with cooperation from international and domestic law‑enforcement partners aiming to identify the syndicates involved.
