Massive heroin bust inside concrete blocks headed to Australian shores

The bust represents more than one-third of the nation’s annual consumption of the deadly drug heroin and carries a hefty $270m price tag.

The largest heroin bust on Queensland soil has taken place as authorities seized more than 330kg of the drug stored inside concrete blocks.

It is Australia’s second largest bust on record.

Australian Border Force officers say they discovered the illicit drugs – worth an estimated $268.8m – inside two concrete blocks headed to Brisbane on March 13.

Police say more than 330kg of heroin were discovered inside concrete blocks. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

It is the second largest shipment of heroin ever detected in Australia. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

“This heroin represents more than one-third of Australia’s annual consumption,” AFP Commander John Tanti told reporters.

“By detecting this amount of heroin before it hits the streets of Australia, the AFP and ABF have protected the community from a wave of associated crime.”

A Sydney man who allegedly collected the consignment in Brisbane and transported it to NSW has been arrested and charged. Picture: Australian Federal Police

The drugs were contained inside two concrete blocks that each weighed about 500kg and were concealed as solar panel accessories.

The freight container was headed for an industrial address in the northern Brisbane suburb of Brendale.

AFP Commander John Tanti said the shipment arrived on March 13. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

It was concealed as solar panel accessories. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

AFP officers with the shipment. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

ABF officers say they found hundreds of packages containing the heroin hidden inside the cement blocks after a delicate extraction procedure.

A Sydney man, 55, who allegedly collected the consignment in Brisbane and transported it to NSW, has been arrested and charged following a joint AFP and ABF operation.