‘Rat poison’ cocaine caught in $440m haul en route northwest Sydney

More than a tonne of cocaine labelled “rat poison” and “plastic” was on its way to two addresses in northwest Sydney last week before federal agents caught the $440 million load.

The AFP is seeking information about 1.1 tonnes of cocaine that was seized on Wednesday.

More than a tonne of cocaine labelled “rat poison” and “plastic” was on its way to two addresses in northwest Sydney last week before federal agents caught the $440 million load.

The cocaine came into Port Botany hidden in two separate shipping containers, each carrying 550kgs of the drug.

The Australian Border Force found the first load on Wednesday inside a pile of 20 pallets labelled “rat poison”.

The container was addressed to a business in Macquarie Park having been shipped from Basel in Switzerland, via Balboa in Panama to Sydney.

ABF officers removed 11 packages wrapped in black plastic.

The AFP is seeking information about

1.1 tonnes of cocaine that was seized on Wednesday.

The packages contained black duffel bags filled with blocks of a powdered substance which initial testing indicated was cocaine.

Each duffel bag weighed about 50kg, with about 550kg of cocaine seized from the bags.

Investigators pulled the cocaine from two shipping containers that arrived at Sydney’s Port Botany.

The drugs are estimated to be worth $440 million.

The next day ABF officers intercepted the second container which was declared as “plastic

articles” sent from Texas to an address in Sydney’s Hills district.

It also contained 11 packages wrapped in plastic that had black duffel bags inside.

The bags contained blocks of a substance that testing indicated was cocaine.

Inside the consignments, some of the packages that were seized were labelled with French

luxury goods brand Cartier.

Pictures: Supplied

No one has been arrested yet but police are following several lines of inquiry into who was involved in the importation.

The drugs are believed to have a street value of $440 million.

“This seizure highlights how the strong partnership between the AFP and ABF is protecting

Australians by removing these deadly substances from circulating in our community,’’ AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Luke Wilson said.

“Unfortunately Australians are willing to pay sky high prices for drugs such as cocaine and

organised criminals around the world are only too willing to feed this appetite.

“The AFP is committed to working with our partners to ensure these drugs do not enter the

country and that anyone attempting to profit from ventures such as this will face justice,’’ Supt Wilson said.

The cocaine was labelled as rat poison and plastic.

ABF Acting Commander Trade and Travel Operations East, Elke West, said criminal syndicates continue to use a range of methods in their attempts to smuggle dangerous drugs into Australia.

“This year alone, we have seen attempts to conceal drugs inside everything from cars to tiles,”

Acting Commander West said.

About 550kg of, cocainewas found in each shipping container.

“Despite the method of concealment criminals try to use, ABF officers and our valued law

enforcement partners continue to remain one step ahead.

“What we see here is another significant seizure, which goes to show that if you attempt this

type of audacious criminal behaviour, you will be caught out.”

Anyone with information about this importation is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800

333 000 or via the Crime Stoppers website.