Australia: 2.7 tonnes of cocaine found in underground bunkers in western Sydney, worth up to 500 million euros

In western Sydney, Australian police have seized 2.7 tonnes of cocaine in what is being described as the largest haul of its kind ever made in Australia’s history. The discovery was made after a raid on a system of underground bunkers built on a property in Londonderry.

The quantity of drugs, with an estimated value of around 816 million Australian dollars, or approximately 500 million euros, had been hidden in specially designed spaces beneath false floors inside three shipping containers.

At the scene, two people aged 21 and 25 were arrested and are suspected of trying to flee from police. They have been charged with possession and importation of a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and face sentences of up to life imprisonment.

The Australian Federal Police said the operation is linked to a broader investigation identified as “Operation Minjiang”, which began in May. The investigation was launched after 40 kilograms of cocaine floating in the water were discovered near a boat ramp at Midge Point in North Queensland.

As part of the investigation, six other people have also been arrested in Queensland and New South Wales. Authorities have also intercepted a suspected transport vessel in the Solomon Islands.

According to the authorities, there are suspicions that the cocaine was smuggled into Australia through an organised international criminal network. Police stress that this operation highlights the scale and level of sophistication of drug trafficking networks targeting the Australian market.