Wodonga police seize $10M ice haul on NSW-Victorian border

Police have seized a multimillion-dollar haul of ice from a tow truck on the Victorian-NSW border.

Police have uncovered a huge haul of ice on the border. Picture : NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Covid enforcement police have seized a $10 million stash of ice from a tow truck in northern Victoria.

Between 15kg and 20kg of the drug was uncovered by Wodonga CIU detectives carrying out patrols in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

They intercepted the Victorian-registered truck on the Hume Highway before searching it and a car it was carrying.

Police said the drugs were found concealed in a secret compartment in the truck and forensic testing showed they were methamphetamine.

The haul’s estimated street value would be about $10 million.

Two men, a 28-year-old from Balnarring and a 36-year-old from Frankston, have been charged with trafficking a quantity of a drug of dependence.

They were also issued fines for breaching the chief health officer’s directions.

“While the border patrols taking place as part of Operation Sentinel are playing a crucial role in keeping those from New South Wales without valid permits out of Victoria, they also allow our members to more easily identify and stop serious criminal behaviour such as this,” Wodonga Criminal Investigation Unit Senior Sergeant Garry Barton said.

“This was a terrific piece of policing by our local members, which has resulted in the seizure and ultimately, the destruction of more than $10 million worth of methylamphetamine bound for our streets.

“This is a significant drug bust, as we know the harm substances such as methylamphetamine cause to our communities. We will continue to ruthlessly target those looking to profit from drug transactions, which have severe consequences from a crime and public health perspective.”

The detectives had been working on Operation Sentinel, which conducts border-related checks and enforcement as part of the battle to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Both men have been remanded and will appear in the Wodonga Magistrates Court on October 14.