2.34 tons: Record amount of cocaine seized in Australia

Australian drug investigators have reportedly seized a record amount of cocaine. A drug syndicate attempted to smuggle 2.34 tons of the drug into Queensland by sea, according to the National Police and Customs. It was the largest cocaine seizure in the country's history.

Eleven suspects aged between 20 and 57 were arrested, including the crew of a fishing boat that was transporting the drugs, as well as men on land who wanted to receive them. They are facing life imprisonment.

The cocaine had an estimated street value of around 760 million Australian dollars (469 million euros) and would have equated to 11.7 million individual street deals if it had reached the market, it said.

Police launched the investigation, codenamed Operation Tyrrendor, in November after intelligence agencies reported a crime syndicate with links to the notorious Comanchero motorcycle club.

Drugs come from mother ship

Since last week, investigators have been observing a suspicious fishing boat. It is said to have taken the drugs from the mother ship and then attempted to head for the Queensland coast. However, the boat ran aground near the popular vacation island of K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) due to a mechanical defect.

The officers arrested the crew. On board they discovered 51 bales wrapped in rope nets. Each contained 40 kilos of cocaine packed in individual one-kilo blocks. "These arrests should serve as a warning to the criminal syndicates trying to bring illegal substances into our country," said police chief Stephen Jay.

SDA