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Agence France-Presse

Australian police seized a record 2.7 tonnes of cocaine hidden in plastic tubs buried underground on the outskirts of Sydney, detectives said on Monday.
It was the largest cocaine haul in Australian history, a joint organised crime investigation force said in a statement.
Police 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.
“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 discovered the cocaine on Friday in plastic tubs buried in underground bunkers that were concealed by false floors, police said. It was hidden at the back of a property in Londonderry, a semirural northwestern suburb of Greater Sydney about 60km (40 miles) from the city centre.
The haul had an estimated street value of about A$816 million (US$571 million) and was equivalent to about 3 million “street level deals”, police said.
Officers arrested two men aged 21 and 25 who allegedly tried to run away. Each of the men was charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported drug – an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Six others allegedly involved had already been arrested and charged with offences related to illicit drugs possession, police said.

Police said the wider investigation had previously led to the seizure of 178kg (390lbs) of cocaine and 142kg of methamphetamine, bringing the total amount of drugs seized to more than 3 tonnes.
Cashed-up Australians are willing to pay some of the highest prices in the world for drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
The black market has increasingly drawn the attention of sophisticated criminal networks from Southeast Asia to South America.
Cocaine-related deaths in Australia surged 28 per cent to a record 141 in 2024, according to an annual report on overdoses released this month by the Penington Institute, which researches drug use.
Additional reporting by dpa


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The largest cocaine haul in Australian history was found stored in plastic tubs and hidden in underground bunkers in a Greater Sydney suburb


The largest cocaine haul in Australian history was found stored in plastic tubs and hidden in underground bunkers in a Greater Sydney suburb.


Australia makes record cocaine bust after 2.7 tonnes found buried in Sydney

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The largest cocaine haul in Australian history was found stored in plastic tubs and hidden in underground bunkers in a Greater Sydney suburb

The largest cocaine haul in Australian history was found stored in plastic tubs and hidden in underground bunkers in a Greater Sydney suburb