Cops carry out biggest drug bust in S. Australia history

CANBERRA: A record 313kg of methamphetamine en route to South Australia was seized by Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers, China’s Xinhua news agency reported.

Local police yesterday said the seizure of the methamphetamine, which has an estimated street value of US$213 million, was the result of a joint operation involving the AFP, Australian Border Force (ABF), the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).

It represented the largest drug bust in South Australian history, topping the previous recordholder of 119kg seized from biker gang associates in April 2017 by almost 200kg.

Three men, aged 64, 61 and 45 respectively, were arrested and charged with a host of drug importation offences, including importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled substance, a charge which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

“They have no regard, in terms of their profit and how they seek to profit from the misfortune of others as these drugs hit the streets,” South Australian Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval told reporters yesterday.

Police officials said they would work with international authorities to identify the source of the substance, but said they believed they originated in Southeast Asia.