Massive cocaine stash found in cargo ship in Port of Melbourne

Police have seized a cocaine haul worth more than $61m hidden in the hull of a cargo ship in what is the second huge bust at the Port of Melbourne in recent months.

Police have seized a huge haul of cocaine worth more than $61m concealed inside the hull of a cargo ship.

It is the second attempt to import drugs into Melbourne this way in recent months.

Australian Federal Police found the 154kg contraband in four packages wrapped in plastic below the waterline, along with a tracking device, after the ship arrived at Appleton Dock in the Port of Melbourne from South America on 7 October.

The criminals would have needed specialist divers to retrieve the drugs, as that part of the ship is not accessible by crew.

More than 200kg of cocaine – worth $80m – was intercepted in the sea chest of another vessel docked at the Port of Melbourne in August.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Hilda Sirec said the AFP and its law enforcement partners were closely tracking the rising trend of international serious organised crime gangs smuggling illicit drugs into Australia by hiding them in the hull of cargo ships.

The massive cocaine haul that was hidden inside the hull of a cargo ship which arrived at Appleton Dock in the Port of Melbourne. Picture: Australian Border Force

“My message to organised crime is that your modus operandi is busted,” she said.

“We know when illicit drugs are coming in and where they are stored.

“In the past two years alone, a number of high-profile alleged offenders have been deported or extradited to Australia to face serious illicit drug trafficking charges.

“Some of these offenders are facing sentences of life imprisonment.”

She added: “We also want to warn the divers, who are hired by criminal syndicates, to retrieve illicit drugs in the hulls of ships.

“They are placing themselves in serious danger because retrieval often involves diving through dark, busy shipping channels with limited safety equipment.

“It’s just not worth risking your life or your future for.”

Assistant Commissioner Sirec said AFP were now working with Australian Border Force and Victoria Police to investigate who tried to bring the drugs in and who was going to receive and distribute the cocaine.

“The focus of our ongoing investigation is identifying and locating the transnational serious organised crime groups responsible for this attempted import, and the people working for them in Australia to receive and distribute these drugs,” she said.

“By stopping cocaine and other illicit drugs from reaching our shores, we are helping to keep our communities safe. Illicit drug use contributes to the road toll, child neglect and family violence.”

Police say a record number of cocaine shipments are being seized at Australia’s border.

ABF Commander Clint Sims said cocaine shipments were being seized at Australia’s border at record levels.

“The Australian border is a strategic national asset and remains fundamental to our national security and economic prosperity,” Commander Sims said.

“That is why the ABF works closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that the border remains a hostile environment for criminals attempting to import illicit drugs.

“With the deployment of advanced technology the ABF is well-placed to detect, disrupt and deter those who seek to import harmful drugs into Australia.”

Victoria Water Police Inspector James Dalton said working together with the ABF and AFP was vital in detecting and deterring drug importation.

“The skills of our members mean we can identify illicit drugs – even if efforts have been made to conceal their origin – and prevent it from reaching the hands of Victorians,” Inspector Dalton said.

“This sends a strong message that if you are attempting to import drugs or illegal goods via ships into Victoria we will detect them.

“Anything we can do to deter this activity we will do and will ensure the people involved are held to account.”