Australian police have confiscated a shipment of cocaine valued at nearly $500 million after the vessel transporting it broke down off the coast of Queensland.
Authorities discovered 2.3 tonnes of the illegal drug aboard a malfunctioning boat, leading to several arrests. This marks the largest drug seizure in Australian history, with an estimated street value of A$760 million (£388 million/$490 million).
2.3 tonnes of the illegal drug aboard a boat
A total of eleven men and two minors were arrested, including individuals on the boat, those waiting onshore to collect the shipment, and others apprehended later. Investigators revealed that the shipment had originated from a South American country, as reported by the BBC.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP), working in collaboration with Queensland Police and the Border Force, tracked the fishing boat, which had recently been purchased by a 35-year-old male. The operation was based on intelligence gathered during an investigation into a known criminal gang.
Boat ransferring cocaine from a larger vessel to shore
On the night of November 30, the boat experienced a mechanical failure while transferring cocaine from a larger vessel to shore. Stranded approximately 18 kilometers offshore, the boat was intercepted by authorities, who found 51 bales containing 40 kilograms of cocaine each.
Among those arrested is an individual believed to be the vice president of the Brisbane chapter of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle club. All those detained face charges of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of cocaine, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Cocaine seizure part of a larger investigation
The cocaine seizure is part of a larger investigation targeting the Comanchero gang, known as Operation Tyrrendor, which was launched last month. Authorities received intelligence suggesting that a criminal network linked to the gang was planning to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia. This development follows a report from the previous week, where the Colombian navy intercepted a semi-submersible vessel carrying cocaine destined for Australia. Investigators in Brisbane have confirmed that the record-breaking cocaine shipment originated from an undisclosed South American country.
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