AUTHORITIES have staged a series of raids around Sydney after the discovery of an estimated $140m in illicit drugs in a shipping container from Spain.
A joint-agency investigation began after ecstasy and cocaine was intercepted at the border following a tip-off.
The container, which was declared to contain shampoo, was taken to the ABF Sydney Container Examination Facility for x-ray.
The consignment was taken apart and found to contain 258 boxes.
Some 49 of the boxes were found to contain bags of a brown crystalline substance and blocks of a white powder, with testing indicating MDMA and cocaine.
Analysis determined the packages contained 312kg of cocaine (estimated potential street value of $93.6m) and 236kg of ecstasy (estimated potential street value of $47.2m).
NSW detectives together with ABF investigators and the NSW Crime Commission, with help from the Australian Federal Police, established Strike Force Bresnahan to investigate.
Detectives raided storage facilities in Cromer, Brookvale, Chatswood, Artarmon, and Macquarie Park this week, making several seizures.
A 33-year-old man was arrested outside a Cromer storage unit and was taken to Manly Police Station and charged with two counts of possession of a prohibited drug.
The Rutherford man was granted conditional bail to appear at Manly Local Court on Monday 8 July.
Anyone with information about the importation of illicit drugs should report it to BorderWatch by visiting: australia.gov.au/borderwatch
