Two men have been charged with numerous offences after police allegedly found $60 million worth of cocaine in the walls of a shipping container in Sydney.
Police were called to a Port Botany container logistics company with reports of a break-and-enter about 11pm on Thursday.
A man, 27, was arrested after being spotted around the containers, and officers were told another man had fled the area.
The men are believed to have travelled from Athens, Greece, to “rip” the drugs from inside an otherwise legitimate shipping container, acting on behalf of local criminals, police will allege.
Australian Border Force were notified, and during searches discovered about 120kg of cocaine, stored in 1kg bricks in the container’s walls.
The street value of the drugs is estimated at $60 million.
The 27-year-old was taken to Newtown Police Station and charged with entering enclosed lands, assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and malicious damage.
He appeared at Waverley Local Court on Friday where his bail was formally refused. He is due in the same court on June 13.
NSW Police formed Strike Force Biles to investigate the incident, with members of the State Crime Command’s Drug and Firearm Squad.
Strike Force detectives searched three units in the Balmain and Leichhardt areas on Friday, where they allegedly seized crow bars, breaking tools, gloves, bags and other items relevant to the investigation.
During the search of a unit in Leichhardt, police arrested a man, 19, who was taken to Newtown Police Station and charged with intent to commit an indictable offence, large commercial supply of prohibited drugs and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of border restricted drug.
The 19-year-old was formally refused bail at Parramatta Local Court on Saturday. He is next due at Downing Centre Local Court on July 20.
Police will address the media over the arrests on Sunday.