Port Botany: Australian Border Force officers seize 80kg of cocaine found in shipping container, NSW
Police have seized an 80kg shipment of cocaine worth about $26m from a shipping container at Port Botany.
Australian Border Force officers found the illicit drugs during an examination of a container that arrived from the US last Monday.
A police spokesman said X-rays of the container identified anomalies in it.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“A forensic examination revealed two bags containing multiple packages of a substance that tested positive for cocaine, each wrapped in blue cling film with a ‘464’ label,” a spokesman said.
Police seized the drugs and are now trying to identify the criminal syndicate responsible for the shipment worth millions of dollars.
Australian Federal Police acting superintendent Stuart Millen said criminals who conspired to smuggle harmful drugs into Australia did not care about the pain and misery they inflicted on communities.
“The AFP and our partners are committed to targeting individuals who seek to profit from the illicit drug trade, and identifying criminal groups responsible for the large-scale importation of these harmful substances,” he said.
ABF superintendent Jared Leighton said this detection was an example of the varying ways criminal syndicates embed themselves in the international supply chain.
He said the illicit drugs found within this container were not concealed, which could be indicative of a ‘rip-on/rip-off’ method.
“As cargo moves from the country of origin to the country of destination, criminal insiders could tamper with legal shipments,” he said.
“The ABF works closely with our industry partners and international logistics companies to disrupt the infiltration of the supply chain both on and offshore.
“Combating the threat of organised crime is one that we all must tackle together.
“The ABF works with state and federal law enforcement to identify and target those who seek to exploit our border controls.
“The Australian border is one of our most critical national assets. The ABF will continue to make the border a hostile environment for criminals.“
Anyone with information about the importation is urged to contact the police.
Originally published as Police seize 80kg of cocaine at Port Botany found in shipping container
