Australia’s Largest‑Ever Cocaine Bust Seizes 2.7 Tonne Hoard

Mon Jun 22 2026 13:35:22 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Police arrest two men, confiscate 2.7 tonnes of cocaine valued at A$816 million, and expose a wide‑spread smuggling ring.

In a record‑setting raid, the Australian Federal Police seized 2.7 tonnes of cocaine hidden beneath false floors in underground shipping containers in Londonderry, western Sydney. The drugs were smuggled from the remote Queensland town of Midge Point on directives from an organised crime group. Two men, aged 21 and 25, were arrested and face life imprisonment if convicted. The bust is part of “Operation Minjiang,” launched after a 40‑kilogram shipment was recovered offshore. Additional arrests in Queensland and New South Wales, and a suspected mother vessel detained in the Solomon Islands, underscore the reach of the criminal network.

Police seize 2.7 tonnes of cocaine in underground bunker raid

In a record‑setting operation, the Australian Federal Police seized 2.7 tonnes of cocaine – a haul worth an estimated A$816 million – from a concealed bunker beneath false floors in three shipping containers at a property in Londonderry, western Sydney.

The drugs, distributed across hidden compartments, were smuggled into Australia via the small town of Midge Point in North Queensland on orders from an organised crime syndicate.

Two men, aged 21 and 25, who attempted to flee from police were arrested at the scene and charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawful, border‑controlled drug.

The raid forms part of “Operation Minjiang,” launched in May after a 40‑kilogram packet of cocaine floated in the water off a boat ramp at Midge Point. The operation has already led to six further arrests across Queensland and New South Wales.

An alleged mother vessel, suspected of being part of the smuggling chain, has also been detained in the Solomon Islands, underscoring the international reach of the network.

The Australian Federal Police Commander, Stephen Jay, highlighted the extreme lengths organised groups will go to in pursuit of profit, describing the plot as a stark example of their determination and sophistication.

Investigations into the drugs’ origins continue, with authorities working closely with domestic and international partners to identify the criminal syndicates and any facilitators involved in the attempted import.

Australia and New Zealand hold the world’s highest rates of cocaine use, making them lucrative markets for traffickers. The illegal‑drug monitoring system of the University of New South Wales estimates the street price at about A$300 per gram.