Narcos on the front line: $1 billion ice bust from Mexico to Australia hidden in tequila bottles
Police have smashed an alleged cartel ring after stopping a four tonne ice haul, which would have been the one of largest drug busts in Australia’s history. See the photos.
Narcos on the Front Line
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Exclusive: A $1 billion ice shipment bound for Australia has been stopped in Mexico and an alleged cartel ring smashed in two major police operations.
The four tonne ice haul, hidden in 11,520 bottles of tequila, would have been the one of largest drug busts in Australia’s history.
Mexico’s Navy intercepted the ice in the port of Manzanillo, a city close to the stronghold of the merciless CJNG cartel.
The Manzanillo haul was enough to supply Australia’s ice market for six months.
Mexico’s Navy, known as SEMAR, stopped the shipment on April 18, but today is the first time the drugs’ final destination of New South Wales can be revealed.
SEMAR, which has a close relationship with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) team based in Mexico, has also stopped another six tonnes of ice bound for Australia in the past year.
“The AFP works closely with its international partners, as part of its global International Command Network,” AFP Mexico Detective Superintendent Patrick Gordon said.
Watch the second episode of the docuseries Narcos on the front line above.
“This joint initiative has been strengthened with the AFP also working collaboratively with the ACIC as a ‘criminal intelligence partner’ with respect to our operations in Mexico.
“SEMAR is a strong partner of the AFP, and this seizure is a testament to SEMAR’s close collaboration with the AFP, and SEMAR’s determination to combat organised crime syndicates (Mexican cartels) in Mexico.”
The seizure comes as Australian Federal Police struck a blow against an alleged Mexican cartel shipping drugs to Australia via Los Angeles.
Police have arrested two Americans, and a 40-year-old Sydney man over the alleged haul.
The group is suspected of sending a total of 375kg of methamphetamine to Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand from Los Angeles to Australia between April 2022 and February this year.
The drugs were being shipped in the base of plastic pallets, with an 85kg shipment noticed by the US Customs and Border Protection in Los Angeles.
The drugs found in February were replaced before the delivery was then sent on to Sydney.
The two Americans, Alberto Cerda Ramirez, 34, and Eduardo Tapia, 42, were based in Fiji but travelled to Australia to allegedly receive the shipment.
Sydney man Johnathan Topar Perez, 40, linked to a fruit and vegetable grocery business in Hornsby is alleged to have been the Australian-based contact for the syndicate.
All three men faced court on May 2 charged with one count each of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
“The arrest of three people here in Australia and their connection to a wider Mexican-based cartel gives us valuable insight into the operations of organised crime groups and will help us and our partners create a hostile environment for them to operate in,” AFP Detective Superintendent Kristie Cressy said.
“The relationship the AFP shares with its international law enforcement partners was crucial to obtaining and analysing the intelligence that directly resulted in the seizure of 375kg of illicit drugs around the world,” she said.
Originally published as Narcos on the front line: $1 billion ice bust from Mexico to Australia hidden in tequila bottles
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