THE AUSTRALIAN Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) say they are aware of criminal syndicates hiding cocaine in refrigerated shipping containers.
The trend, recently identified by the AFP, has resulted in the seizure of over one tonne of cocaine hidden within reefer units during the past two years.
Authorities say the cocaine is being hidden in reefers used by legitimate businesses to import goods into Sydney from or via Panama.
Syndicates then attempt to break into docks, container facilities, or other storage areas to remove the drugs after the containers arrive in Australia.
The agencies say they have observed a significant increase in instances of this since April 2023, specifically with cocaine.
The AFP and ABF said they hold “grave concerns” this practice will result in harm to the general public or innocent workers at facilities where criminals try and retrieve drugs from these containers.
The authorities confirmed they are now actively targeting refrigerated containers coming into Sydney to counter these importations.
AFP detective superintendent Kristie-Lee Cressy said investigators have identified cocaine is being concealed within the engine compartments of specialist containers sent by legitimate companies shipping goods that need refrigeration, such as berries.
“The AFP is attending Port Botany on a regular basis and has seized multiple separate containers each containing 20 to 40, one-kilogram blocks of cocaine, along with tracking devices,” Det-Supt Cressy said.
“We believe the tracking devices are being used by transnational serious organised crime syndicate members to identify and monitor the containers containing the illicit drugs once they arrive in Australia.
“These syndicate members are then waiting until they identify an opportunity to break into docks, storage yards, warehouses or other facilities to access the containers to obtain the drugs.”
ABF commander trade Kari Ellis said officers are always examining the consignment as an entire package, including both the contents and the container itself.
“ABF officers assess panels, vents, crevasses and false flooring which all form part of the structural integrity of these refrigerated shipping containers,” Ellis said.
“The ABF works closely with commercial partners, licenced depots and logistics companies to not only identify and address security and accessibility risks, but also in our approach to tackling the trusted insider market.
“Criminal syndicates will attempt to exploit any vulnerability in our border controls; infiltration of cargo supply chains is not a problem unique to Australia. Law enforcement agencies across the globe are dedicating significant resources to combat the influence of organised crime in cargo and traveller supply chains.”
