Meth haul hidden in iced tea

A TIP-OFF from Thai authorities has led to the seizure of the biggest-ever haul of methamphetamine precursor chemicals bound for Australia and stopped drugs worth some $3.6 billion from hitting the streets.

Two consignments bound for Sydney — 3.9 tonnes of liquid ephedrine concealed in iced green tea bottles and 350kg of methamphetamines hidden inside buckets of plaster — were intercepted in the past three weeks, Australian authorities say.

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan said the bust was a “very successful operation attacking supply” and would hurt smuggling organisations. “This is money we’ve denied to the criminal economy,” the minister said in Sydney.

The 3.9 tonnes of liquid ephedrine could have produced 3.6 tonnes of methamphetamine with a street value of $3.6 billion.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin said investigators would now focus their investigation on the offshore Australian and international criminal networks behind the attempted importation.

He credited the Royal Thai Police with the tip-off that led to the seizures.

“Australian organised crime is increasingly basing itself offshore,” he said.

“One piece of intelligence, one simple piece of intelligence, has lead to both of these seizures. It’s a significant hit to organised crime.”

Australian Border Force Acting Commissioner Michael Outram says the sophisticated criminal operation began in Bangkok.

He said ABF investigators first picked up on a lead in April but it wasn’t until September 15 that the first suspicious container arrived in Australia.