Australian Federal Police say the 2.3-tonne seizure has a street value of $494 million.
Australian police have arrested 13 people in what authorities described as the biggest cocaine bust in the country’s history.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said on Monday they have charged 11 men and two juveniles after they spotted a fishing boat off the coast of Queensland that had traveled to meet a mother ship loaded with cocaine.
After the boat broke up 18km (10 nautical miles) off the coast, police made several arrests and seized 2.3 tons of cocaine with a street value of 760 million Australian dollars ($494m), AFP said.
AFP Commander Stephen Jay said the arrests followed a months-long investigation prompted by a tip-off that a motorcycle gang was planning to smuggle drugs into the country.
“We know that criminals risk their lives to smuggle drugs into Australia regardless of the harm they cause to Australian communities,” Jay said.
“This alleged attempt to collect more than two tons of cocaine from the ocean shows that criminals will do anything for their greed and profit. Anyone involved in these maritime smuggling enterprises is not risking their freedom – they are risking their lives.
The arrested men, each accused of conspiring to import commercial quantities of border-controlled drugs, are expected to appear in court on Monday.
He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted.
In 2023-24, Australian police seized 31.3 tonnes of illegal drugs and assisted international authorities in seizing 41.8 tonnes of drugs, according to AFP.
