Australian Federal Police say they have made the nation’s largest cocaine seizure after discovering 2.7 tonnes of the drug hidden inside an underground bunker system at a semi-rural property in Londonderry, in Greater Western Sydney.
The haul, announced after a joint investigation involving the AFP and Queensland Police, has an estimated street value of $816 million. Authorities allege the cocaine was part of a broader importation attempt that moved from coastal Queensland toward Sydney and was intended for distribution by an organised crime network.
Drugs allegedly hidden beneath shipping containers
Police said the cocaine was found on Friday concealed in underground bunkers beneath three shipping containers near the rear of the Londonderry property. Investigators described the hide as elaborate, with false floors and disturbed earth allegedly alerting officers to the possibility that the containers were being used to conceal contraband.
Images released from the operation showed large quantities of packaged drugs being removed from the hidden storage area. Police said the seizure would have amounted to roughly three million street-level deals had it reached the community.
Two men in their 20s were allegedly arrested at the scene after trying to evade police. They were charged with possessing a commercial quantity of drugs and appeared before a NSW Local Court on Saturday, where they were remanded in custody. Both are expected to return to court in August.
Queensland discovery triggered wider operation
The Sydney seizure followed a month-long investigation that began after Queensland officers responded to a truck fire at a boat ramp near Midge Point, north of Mackay. During that response, police allegedly found about 40 kilograms of cocaine floating in nearby water. Authorities claim the fire was an attempt to destroy evidence linked to the importation.
Investigators allege the cocaine was brought into Australia near Midge Point before being transported south. AFP Commander Stephen Jay said the Londonderry seizure and another Queensland-related seizure formed part of the same alleged importation, with a combined 3.1 tonnes of drugs worth more than $1 billion at street level.
Six people have been arrested and charged over their alleged roles in the enterprise. A 32-year-old Petrie man, already charged with possessing a dangerous drug and dealing with proceeds of crime, was further charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. A 32-year-old Petrie woman was also charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, with police alleging she lived at a suspected safe house connected to the operation.
A 24-year-old Green Valley man has also been charged and extradited to Queensland. Police will allege he travelled to Midge Point in May to help facilitate the collection and transport of the drugs.
Vessel detained overseas as inquiry continues
The AFP said authorities are also examining the role of a vessel called MV Wealth, which has been detained in the Solomon Islands as part of the continuing investigation. Police said they are reasonably confident all drugs linked to the alleged importation have been located, while inquiries continue into the syndicate suspected of arranging the shipment.
Commander Jay said the case highlighted the scale and sophistication of organised crime groups targeting Australia’s illicit drug market. He said the alleged plan involved moving a major shipment from an international vessel through northern Queensland before ultimately delivering it into Sydney.
Queensland Police Service Superintendent Troy Pukallus said the operation had removed a significant quantity of cocaine and methamphetamine from the criminal market, and credited local officers, detectives and specialist agencies for escalating the investigation from the initial discovery at Midge Point into a broader multi-agency response.
Major warning to organised crime groups
The record seizure will now move through the courts, with the accused remaining before judicial processes in New South Wales and Queensland. Authorities have framed the result as a major disruption to organised crime supply chains and a warning to syndicates seeking to exploit Australia’s high drug prices.
Police said investigations of this scale rely on cooperation across jurisdictions and agencies, particularly where alleged importation routes stretch from offshore vessels to remote coastal points and then into major city distribution networks.
No findings have been made against the accused, and the allegations will be tested in court.
