Authorities have confiscated almost a billion dollars’ worth of methamphetamine headed for Australia from the U.S. in the largest-ever seizure of the drugs on American soil, Australian police announced Friday.
About 1.7 tons of meth was seized in California on January 9 by American authorities in the joint operation between the two nations, along with smaller amounts of cocaine and heroin, CNN reported. The haul has an estimated street value of about $911 million, making it the largest-ever shipment intended for Australia.
Six people were arrested in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales who were allegedly involved with the U.S.-based crime syndicate believed to be behind the shipment.
“Hundreds of thousands of dollars of proceeds of crime was located during the search warrant in Woodstock, and about 6.5kg of (meth) was found at a property in Keilor Downs,” police said in a statement.
The crime syndicate is so large that even authorities in Canada conducted searches as a result of the shipment news as they attempted to try and crack down on the international crime ring believed behind the smuggling.
“By stopping this, we have ensured criminals will not profit from the immense pain these drugs would have caused our community,” said Bruce Hill, a spokesman for the Australian Federal Police organized crime unit.
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