Australian police launched the largest operation in the country's history after raiding a suspected site in Sydney and seizing a massive 2.7 tons of cocaine hidden within an underground bunker system.
Officials revealed that the drugs were found last Friday in an area of Londonderry, west of Sydney, concealed in secret compartments beneath false floors inside three shipping containers. The black market value is estimated at AUD 816 million, or about 18 billion baht.
Police stated that this raid was part of Operation Minjiang, which began in May after approximately 40 kilograms of cocaine were found floating near a dock in Midpoint, northern Queensland.
Investigations suggest the large shipment of cocaine was smuggled into Australia through this small town before being distributed to associated criminal networks.
During the raid, police arrested two men aged 21 and 25 as they attempted to flee. Both face commercial importation drug charges, which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted.
Additionally, authorities arrested six more suspects in Queensland and New South Wales as part of the case expansion and seized a suspicious vessel believed to be the mothership used for smuggling, found in the Solomon Islands.
Australian police believe this operation exposes a large, systematically planned criminal network. Commander Stephen Jay of the Australian Federal Police stated the plan reflects the complex management of drug trafficking networks that are willing to do anything for profit.
Although Australia is distant from major global drug production centers, it remains a highly profitable market for traffickers. Data from the University of New South Wales drug monitoring system indicates cocaine can sell for about AUD 300 per gram on the illegal market.
Reports from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also note that Australia and New Zealand have some of the highest cocaine usage rates in the world.
Australian police confirmed that investigations continue to trace the origins of the drugs and identify all involved parties both domestically and internationally.
. Source:BBC
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