Australian authorities have seized a record 903 kilograms of the drug ice worth almost $900 million.
The crystal methamphetamine was hidden between wooden floorboards.
The drugs were intercepted in Melbourne’s outer east during a joint operation involving the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria Police.
Biggest seizure of the drug ice in Australia’s history – valued at $900m – has been made in Victoria. https://t.co/uXRJShkcMS pic.twitter.com/9ocOVaLfoT
— PerthNow (@perthnow) April 4, 2017
A 53-year-old man from Blackburn and a 36-year-old man from Doncaster have since been charged with drug trafficking.
Victorian Police Minister, Lisa Neville said in a press release that the state government is dedicated to keeping ice off the the streets.
“We will fight the scourge of this drug on all fronts, shutting down drug labs and giving police the resources they need to prevent this from ruining lives.”
While Victoria Police haven’t released which Asian country the drugs came from, they did reveal that the wooden floorboards arrived through Port Melbourne.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner, Stephen Fontana, told 9news that the discovery has brought attention to Australia’s drug problem.
“If you look at this particular seizure, 900kg of methamphetamine and if we look at the joint agency outcomes in Victoria alone for this year, this takes it up to 1.7 tonne of methamphetamine alone,” he said.
“That’s 17 million hits of misery. We know the harm it causes.”
#Victoria Federal Police haul of ice record tonne – https://t.co/Hl6MaVxcsn pic.twitter.com/Jyq35a9VPB
— the headlines (@theheadlinesuk) April 5, 2017
Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Lisa Neville will hold a joint press conference on Wednesday.
This bust comes less than a week after the AFP and the Australian Border Force seized 300kg of ice hidden in metal gates.
More on this story as it unfolds.
