Wine bottles filled with cocaine instead of vino uncovered in drug plot

WINE bottles filled with drugs instead of vino have been uncovered in a suspected plot to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of liquid cocaine between Melbourne and Sydney.

WINE bottles filled with drugs instead of vino have been uncovered in a suspected plot to smuggle more than 290 kilograms of liquid cocaine in and out of Melbourne.

Police are reconstructing the movements of a car they believe travelled from New South Wales to collect the drugs from a shipment in Elwood in early July.

It’s understood the plan may have been the work of organised crime figures who work together between Melbourne and Sydney.

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A probe by Australian Federal Police comes after two men were arrested in Tallarook, in central Victoria, late on July 6.

Investigators believe the men had driven a white Toyota Hilux, with NSW registration YHW 94W, to pick up a pallet wrapped in black plastic from a shipment in Elwood earlier that afternoon.

Police need the help of anyone who saw this car in the Elwood are around July 6. Photo: Supplied.

The pair has since been released from custody without charge.

An AFP spokeswoman said police wanted to hear from Elwood residents who may have seen the car or any abandoned wooden pallets or black plastic.

“What we can say is we believe the drugs were probably destined for the Sydney market,” the spokeswoman said.

“Police are currently reconstructing the movements of the vehicle during this 48-hour period but we could really do with the public’s help if they saw the vehicle in Elwood on 6 July.”

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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