Massive 3-Ton Cocaine Seizure Marks Australia's Biggest Bust
WHO:
[06:49 AM EDT] - CBS News - Two men aged 21 and 25 were arrested in connection with the cocaine seizure.
[06:49 AM EDT] - CBS News - Six others allegedly involved in the importation of the cocaine had previously been arrested and charged.
ABC News - Australian police are involved in the cocaine seizure.
WHAT:
[06:49 AM EDT] - CBS News - The cocaine was hidden in plastic tubs buried underground and concealed by false floors.
[06:49 AM EDT] - CBS News - The cocaine would have been worth more than A$800 million (approximately $560 million) in street sales.
[06:49 AM EDT] - CBS News - Each of the arrested men was charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported drug, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
ABC News - Police found 3 tons of cocaine, marking it as Australia's largest ever seizure of the drug.
BBC News - The seizure included 2.7 tonnes of cocaine valued at an estimated A$816 million.
WHERE:
[06:49 AM EDT] - CBS News - The cocaine was found at a property in Londonderry, a semi-rural northwestern suburb of greater Sydney.
[06:49 AM EDT] - CBS News - The alleged mother vessel, MV Wealth, has been detained by authorities in the Solomon Islands.
ABC News - The cocaine was found on a property on the outskirts of Sydney.
BBC News - The property searched was located in western Sydney.
WHEN:
BBC News - The police raid occurred on a specific date that is not mentioned in the articles.
WHY:
[06:49 AM EDT] - CBS News - Police stated that investigations into the origin of the drugs remain ongoing and they will work with international and domestic law enforcement partners to identify the criminal syndicates.
BBC News - The articles do not provide specific reasons or motivations for the police raid.
HOW:
[06:49 AM EDT] - CBS News - The cocaine was discovered after police searched an underground bunker on the property.
BBC News - The cocaine was discovered after police searched an underground bunker on the property.
(UPDATED June 22, 2026 14:54 UTC)
Two men, aged 21 and 25, have been arrested in connection with a massive cocaine seizure in Londonderry, a semi-rural suburb of greater Sydney, where the drugs were hidden in plastic tubs buried underground and concealed by false floors. The cocaine, valued at over A$800 million, was discovered during a police search of an underground bunker, leading to charges against the men for possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported drug, which could result in life imprisonment. Authorities are also investigating the alleged mother vessel, MV Wealth, currently detained in the Solomon Islands, as they work with international and domestic law enforcement to identify the criminal syndicates involved.
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(UPDATED June 22, 2026 08:51 UTC)
Australian police have made a significant breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking, seizing three tons of cocaine, which is now recognized as the largest seizure of its kind in the country’s history. The operation took place on a property in western Sydney, where authorities uncovered 2.7 tonnes of the drug valued at approximately A$816 million hidden in an underground bunker. While the specific date of the police raid has not been disclosed, this monumental seizure highlights the ongoing efforts to combat illegal drug activities in the region.