Security agencies dent Sydney’s ‘insatiable appetite’ for cocaine

Australian security agencies claim to have made a significant dent in Sydney’s “insatiable appetite” for cocaine after seizing a consignment of the drug hidden inside industrial machinery.

• Dangerously imaginative ways drugs are smuggled into Sydney

Australian security agencies claim to have made a significant dent in Sydney’s “insatiable appetite” for cocaine after seizing a consignment of the drug hidden inside industrial machinery.

AFP and Border Force officers, who have seized around 500kg of the drug in the last financial year, will allege a group of men from Sydney’s north west attempted to smuggle 55kg of cocaine into the country through a plasma cutting machine.

The heavy machinery was gutted and filled with 110 blocks of white powder.

The heavy machinery was gutted and filled with 110 blocks of white powder. Picture: ABF

Australian Border Force Regional Investigations Superintendent Garry Low and AFP Detective Superintendent Ben McQuillan. Picture Rohan Kelly

Maroun Charbel, Christopher John Rixon and Alisina Razzaghipour briefly appeared in Central Local Court after being charged with attempting to posses a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

Lawyers representing the trio, Andrew Scali and John Hajje, did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.

The men were caught after an eight-week long investigation by Australian Federal Police and Border Force.

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Police will allege the group of men from Sydney’s north west attempted to smuggle 55kg of cocaine into the country through a plasma cutting machine.

The heavy machinery was gutted and filled with 110 blocks of white powder.

Detectives found 55kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than 20 million dollars.

Drill reveals cocaine inside consignment. Picture: ABF

Police allege the men tried to smuggle the drugs through a plasma cutting machine. Picture: ABF

AFP Detective Superintendent Ben McQuillan said the drugs would have been used in over five thousand street deals.

“Certainly it does seem there is a large appetite for cocaine in the Sydney market,” he said.

“It does seem there is an insatiable appetite for this drug, it does cause harm. Not only here but in the countries it is produced. We see the violence caused by the drug trade.”