A 1.8 tonne haul of liquid methamphetamine with an estimated avenue worth of $1bn (£880m) has been seized by Australian police in Hong Kong.
The class A drug, which was sure for Australia, had been discovered hidden in cartons of coconut water.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) in Hong Kong labored with Hong Kong Customs and Excise (HKCE) to intercept what they mentioned was a “record-breaking” stash.
The AFP mentioned the illicit consignment was recognized utilizing intelligence developed by AFP officers in Mexico and the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
They mentioned “international cooperation” then led HKCE to seek out the meth on 23 October.
The drug – which is often referred to by its avenue identify “ice” due to the glass-like look of its white crystals – had been sure for New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state.
The AFP mentioned the medicine had a wholesale worth of $347m (£299m).
In an announcement, the AFP mentioned: “Mexican-based officers used their international network to alert AFP officers in Hong Kong about the suspicious consignment being shipped from Mexico to Australia via Hong Kong.
“Ongoing investigations are underneath solution to establish the transnational critical organised criminals concerned within the plot”.
AFP Detective Superintendent Patrick Gordon, the AFP’s senior officer in Mexico, mentioned: “The harsh reality is that Australia’s problem of illicit drug use is bankrolling a raft of dangerous and brutal cartels, triads and outlaw motorcycle gangs.
“These criminals undermine our nationwide safety and our financial system. They make our suburbs and roads much less secure.
“This amount of meth could have been sold as about 18 million street level deals, so the NSW and Australian community is safer because these drugs were seized.”
Methamphetamine is without doubt one of the most potent forms of amphetamine, with Australia having the very best meth dependancy fee on this planet, based on the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).
Source: information.sky.com”