Cocaine continues to wash up on NSW beaches, as police call in marine expert to help track drug origins

There has been 213kgs of cocaine found at NSW beaches in recent weeks, and now police are calling in an expert as they hunt the drug cartels responsible.

A marine expert has been brought in by NSW Police to help detectives identify just how long the bricks of cocaine that washed up on beaches along the coast may have been in the ocean.

A total of 213 kilograms of cocaine has now been collected on the shore between Sydney and the Newcastle, with almost 90 kilograms of that washing up since the start of the New Year.

Police sources said that with many of the bricks of cocaine being covered in barnacles, an expert had been contracted to assist the State Crime Command’s Organised Crime Squad in determining how long the cocaine had been in the water - which would in turn help them narrow down what shipment the drugs may belong to.

More than 210kgs of cocaine has washed up on beaches across NSW since just before Christmas, sparking a major police probe. Photo: NSW Police / Supplied

“They’re going to assess the barnacles to tell us how old they are, which then should give us an idea of how long the bricks have been in the water,” a source said.

The first bricks of cocaine washed up on Magenta Beach about 8pm on Friday, December 22.

Over the 48 hours that followed a total of 46kgs had washed up on beaches up and down the coast, including Manly, Avoca, Blacksmiths, Pelican, Pentaloon and North Steyne.

The discovery of two large quantities on Boxing Day last year – one of a blue barrel at Barrenjoey Headland and another a black package at Newcastle Ocean Baths, both with approximately 39kg of cocaine in them – saw the total rise to more than 120kgs.

One of the barnacle-encrusted packages that washed up on the east coast.

A further 50kgs then washed up at beaches, including North Bondi, between Christmas and the start of the New Year.

Some of the cocaine that has washed up has been protected by its packaging, while other bricks have been ruined with the salt water getting in.

Police are understood to be trying to link the cocaine to known importations, including one that saw bricks hastily thrown overboard when the would-be smugglers became spooked by a plane flying overhead.

The stamps put on the packages and used by underworld drug syndicates to identify which gang the goods belong to, are known to include the “Tesla” car logo and the word “Zoe”.

The popular party drug has washed up in bricks at beaches including North Bondi, Manly, Avoca, Blacksmiths, Pelican, Pentaloon and North Steyne.

In a statement, NSW Police urged the public to continue contacting them if they spot a suspicious package while at beaches along the eastern coastline.

“State Crime Command are continuing to investigate a number of packages, believed to contain cocaine, which have washed up on NSW beaches,” the statement read.

“In total, approximately 213kg have been located since Friday 22 December 2023 including on the Central Coast, Northern Beaches, Eastern Beaches, Newcastle, Wollongong and the South Coast.

“As inquiries continue, detectives are working closely with local police and specialist resources such as PolAir and Marine Area Command, as well as Australian Border Force and Surf Life Saving NSW, to seize any outstanding packages and determine their origin.

“The public are reminded to report any suspicious package to authorities.”