Australian Police Seize 2.7 Tonnes of Cocaine in Sydney Bunker Raid, Two Arrested
Australian police have completed their largest-ever cocaine seizure, confiscating 2.7 tonnes of the illicit substance from an elaborate underground bunker system in Western Sydney. The drugs, with an estimated street value of AUD#816 million (£433 million, €500 million), were discovered on Friday within concealed compartments beneath false floors in three shipping containers at a Londonderry property.
Two men, aged 21 and 25, were arrested at the scene after allegedly attempting to evade officers. Both have been charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug. Police assert the cocaine was smuggled into Australia via Midge Point in North Queensland, orchestrated by an organised crime syndicate.
The arrested individuals appeared in court on Saturday and were remanded in custody, facing potential life imprisonment if convicted. This raid is part of “Operation Minjiang,” initiated in May following the discovery of 40kg of cocaine floating off a boat ramp at Midge Point. Further investigations have led to the arrest and charging of six additional individuals across Queensland and New South Wales. An alleged “mother vessel” connected to the smuggling operation has also been detained in the Solomon Islands.
Australia remains a lucrative market for drug trafficking, with cocaine fetching approximately AUD#300 per gram, according to monitoring data from the University of New South Wales. The UN World Drug Report indicates Australians and New Zealanders exhibit the highest cocaine use rates globally. Australian Federal Police Commander Stephen Jay stated that the alleged plot underscores the determination and elaborate nature of these criminal networks in their pursuit of profit.
