Australian authorities have seized the largest haul of cocaine in the country's history, uncovering 2.7 tonnes of the drug hidden in concealed bunkers on a rural property in Western Sydney. The operation, led by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in collaboration with Queensland Police, culminated on a Friday at a site in Londonderry, where officials found the cocaine stored beneath the false floors of multiple shipping containers. The estimated street value of the seized cocaine is approximately AUD 816 million.

This record-breaking discovery follows a month-long investigation dubbed Operation Minjiang, which began in late May after Queensland police responded to a truck fire at a boat ramp near Mackay in northern Queensland. At that scene, officers observed 40 kilograms of cocaine floating nearby in water. Subsequent investigations led to the seizure of an additional 138 kilograms of cocaine and 142 kilograms of methamphetamine, with six people charged, including a man from Sydney.

The drugs found in Sydney were stored in plastic containers concealed in large underground holes, over which shipping containers with false floors were positioned to obscure the operation. AFP Commander Stephen Jay noted the lengths to which criminal networks go to smuggle drugs into Australia, highlighting the disregard for potential harm caused to communities.

According to police, the cocaine is believed to have arrived in Australia via the cargo ship MV Wealth, which reportedly transferred the drugs off the coast after arriving from Belize in Central America. The precise logistics of the transfer are under investigation.

The AFP and Queensland Police continue to pursue further leads as part of their ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks involved in the importation and distribution of illicit substances within Australia.