AUSTRALIAN Border Force officers on 27 May found and seized 149 kilograms of what is suspected to be cocaine from a cargo vessel at Port Botany.
ABF said officers “inspected” the vessel when it arrived at the port. Officers found several bags containing “slabs of white powder”. The ABF said preliminary testing indicates the substance is cocaine.
ABF Commander enforcement and detained goods east Justin Bathurst said the seizure demonstrates the ABF’s commitment to protecting Australia’s borders and international ports.
“ABF officers patrol and protect roughly 37,000 kilometres of Australian coastline on a daily basis,” he said.
“This ensures the community is shielded from domestic and international criminal groups attempting to feed harmful substances onto our streets.
“A detection of this size demonstrates the resolve of the ABF, while also preventing an estimated $50 million dollars’ worth of illicit drugs from reaching the Australian community.”
The ABF said it has positioned more resources into high-risk areas throughout Australia and abroad.
The ABF declined to comment further on the matter.
