Three men charged over allegedly importing $150m of cocaine, ice

Three Sydney men have been charged with drug importation after a police sting saw hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and ice found allegedly hidden inside machinery. See the whopper haul.

Three men have been charged over an alleged attempt to smuggle $150 million worth of cocaine and ice into Sydney from the United States.

Strike Force Wullamulla, a partnership between NSW and federal police, was launched in June to investigate the importation of illicit drugs to NSW.

They targeted an alleged shipment that arrived in Sydney last month, based on intelligence from US Customs.

Police allege 230kg of methylamphetamine and 1.2kg of cocaine were located concealed inside machinery.

The drugs have an estimated street value of $150 million.

Detectives have charged three men following a joint investigation into the alleged importation into Sydney of methamphetamine and cocaine worth more than $150 million. Picture: NSW Police

Police conducted a controlled delivery to a Prestons business last Saturday, where they allege two men aged 21 and 22 attempted to access the consignment with an angle grinder.

The men were arrested and charged with possess commercial quantity suspect illegal import border control drug; and possess marketable quantity suspect import border-controlled drug.

The drugs were stashed inside the machinery. Picture: NSW Police

Both men were refused bail in Parramatta Bail Court and will reappear on August 25.

In their investigation, police on Thursday searched a business at Prestons and a hotel at Cabramatta.

The allegedly seized electronics, cash and other items relevant to investigations for forensic analysis.

A 41-year-old man was arrested at the hotel and charged with import commercial quantity of border-controlled drug; and import marketable quantity of border-controlled drug.

The drugs were hidden inside an angle grinder. Picture: NSW Police

He was refused bail and appeared at Fairfield Local Court on Friday.

Organised Crime Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Rob Critchlow, said the arrest was the result of work by police in Australia and the US.

“Our relationships with law enforcement partners both here and overseas means we can easily identify and dismantle these types of syndicates regardless of where the drugs originated,” Det Supt Critchlow said.

“We’ll continue to work closely and slash the profits of those involved in organised criminal activity, putting those responsible before a court and preventing these harmful drugs from reaching our borders.”

The sting was a joint operation between NSW Police and the AFP. Picture: NSW Police

AFP Acting Superintendent Morgen Blunden said the AFP and its partners would continue to target organised crime group.

“The AFP is committed to protecting the community from harmful drugs and working closely with its law enforcement partners to stop the tide of methamphetamine and cocaine coming into Australia,” Det Acting Supt Blunden said.

ABF Acting Commander Elke West said inter-agency collaboration was important to stop the importation of illegal drugs.

“The ABF will continue to support and work collaboratively with all law enforcement agencies in Australia and offshore,” Acting Commander West said.

“These arrests demonstrate that strong partnerships can effectively prevent and disrupt organised crime syndicates attempting to import illicit substances into Australia.”

Originally published as Three men charged over allegedly importing $150m of cocaine, ice