Major Drug Bust: Australian Police Seize Record Cocaine Shipment Worth $500 Million

Australian police have made history with the seizure of 2.3 tonnes of cocaine valued at approximately A$760 million ($490 million), linked to organized crime. Eleven individuals were arrested during the operation, which is part of an ongoing investigation into the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle club.

Australian police have achieved a significant milestone in drug enforcement by seizing 2.3 tonnes of cocaine, marking the largest cocaine bust in Australia's history. Authorities announced on Monday that the drugs were intercepted from a boat that broke down off the coast of Queensland, with an estimated street value of around A$760 million ($490 million).

The operation led to the arrest of 11 men, including members of the crew responsible for transporting the illegal shipment and individuals poised to collect the cargo onshore. Among those apprehended was reportedly the vice-president of the Brisbane chapter of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang, which has a notorious history of drug-related violence in Australia.

This dramatic bust forms part of Operation Tyrrendor, aimed at uncovering criminal syndicates linked to the Comanchero gang. It follows intelligence suggesting an organized effort to smuggle drugs into Australia from a still-unidentified South American country, adding to the tensions surrounding the nation's ongoing battle with drug trafficking.

Details surrounding the expedition reveal that law enforcement collaborated with the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Queensland Police Service (QPS) to monitor a recently acquired fishing vessel believed to have been utilized for transporting the cocaine from a larger mothership. On Saturday night, the boat suffered a mechanical failure approximately 18km from K'gari, allowing authorities to intercept it before any further operations.

Upon inspection, authorities discovered 51 bales, each containing 40kg of cocaine, totaling 2.34 tonnes. The arrests included two individuals found on the boat and two others waiting on the beach. Additional arrests were made at a fast-food restaurant nearby, with further captures occurring following traffic stops and a warrant execution in Brisbane.

All suspects, including two juveniles, are charged with conspiring to import a commercial quantity of cocaine, a serious offense that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, highlighting the severe repercussions associated with drug trafficking in Australia.