Over a ton of cocaine valued at close to $400 million was intercepted off Australia’s coast in a major drug bust, culminating in the arrest of five individuals on Friday, according to local authorities.
In late April, New South Wales (NSW) Police Force investigators received intelligence regarding the suspicious acquisition of a boat paid for with a substantial amount of cash, prompting them to monitor the vessel and those associated with it, as stated in a joint news release by the NSW and Australian Federal Police (AFP).
Both the NSW and AFP monitored their activities as they traveled north via Nelson Bay and Port Macquarie, according to the agencies.
When the vessel came back to shore on Friday, marine authorities launched an interception.
The two individuals apprehended on the boat were charged with supplying a prohibited drug in a significant commercial quantity, while the three individuals detained on land faced charges related to participating in the supply of a prohibited drug on a large commercial scale. All five individuals also face charges associated with being members of a criminal organization.
All five men appeared in court and were denied bail.
Investigators are working to learn more about the origin of the drugs and the group’s alleged associates.
