THE AUSTRALIAN Federal Police (AFP) is calling for the public’s assistance after more than 30 kilograms of cocaine was located in a refrigerated container at Port Botany.

The consignment was examined by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers on 17 October after an x-ray identified anomalies in a container that had arrived from Italy.

Authorities say a forensic deconstruction unveiled 30 packages hidden inside the engine compartment of the reefer unit.

The packages were found to contain a white crystalline substance that later tested positive to cocaine.

According to authorities, the estimated street value of the seizure is $9.75 million.

The drugs were seized by AFP officers and inquiries are currently underway to identify the criminal syndicate responsible for the importation.

ABF superintendent Jared Leighton said the detection demonstrates the capabilities of ABF officers in the field to identify unusual or abnormal circumstances.

“Whomever has attempted to import these substances has attempted to conceal them within the structure of the container, something which ABF officers assess and monitor several times a day,” Mr Leighton said.

“It’s a warning to those who try sneaky tactics to get beyond our border controls, we work closely with our partner agencies with intelligence and officer knowledge to look at all aspects of a potential import – inside and within a consignment.

AFP detective acting superintendent Stuart Millen said 30kg of cocaine had the potential to be sold as more than 150,000 street deals.

“The organised crime syndicates behind these importations don’t care about the harm they’re causing, the hospital admissions, drug driving crashes, or violence between drug distributors that puts innocent members of the public at risk,” Mr Millen said.

“They care only about the profits they can make.”

The AFP said it is interested in information about the people who may have been asked to take delivery of, or store the refrigerated industrial container, and asks those with any information about the consignment to contact them.