SYDNEY, Australia -- Australian law enforcement authorities have seized 2.7 tons of cocaine in what officials describe as the largest cocaine seizure in the country's history, disrupting an alleged organized crime operation that investigators say was responsible for importing and distributing large quantities of illicit drugs along Australia's east coast.

The seizure was made as part of Operation Minjiang, an investigation led by the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (QJOCTF). The latest seizure follows the earlier recovery of 178 kilograms of cocaine and 142 kilograms of methamphetamine, bringing the total amount of drugs seized during the operation to more than three tons.

According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), investigators executed a search warrant on June 19, 2026, at a semi-rural property in Londonderry, near western Sydney. During the search, officers located approximately 2.7 tons of cocaine concealed in plastic tubs buried inside underground bunkers hidden beneath false floors in three shipping containers.

Authorities estimate the cocaine had a street value of approximately Aus $816 Million (US $560 Million) and represented about three million individual street-level transactions.

Police arrested a 21-year-old man from Plumpton and a 25-year-old man from Liverpool. Investigators allege the men attempted to flee on foot before being taken into custody.

Both men have been charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug under Section 307.5 of the Criminal Code (Cth), an offense carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The men appeared before a New South Wales Local Court on June 20, 2026, and were remanded in custody. They are scheduled to appear before Penrith Local Court on Aug. 13, 2026.

Investigators allege the cocaine seized in Sydney was imported near Midge Point in North Queensland before being transported to Sydney on behalf of an organized crime group. Authorities said investigations into the alleged criminal network remain ongoing.

Operation Minjiang began in May 2026 after the Queensland Police Service (QPS) responded to reports of a burned-out flatbed truck near Midge Point and located 40 kilograms of cocaine in nearby waters. Investigators subsequently identified a 41-year-old Mackay man as the truck's owner and launched a series of search warrants across north and southeast Queensland, as well as Sydney.

The investigation has resulted in multiple arrests and charges against individuals allegedly involved in the drug importation and distribution scheme.

A 32-year-old Petrie man, who was previously charged with possessing a dangerous drug and dealing with proceeds of crime, was additionally charged on June 19 with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. He is scheduled to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court on July 31, 2026.

A 32-year-old Petrie woman was also charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. Police allege she resided at a suspected safehouse connected to the operation and assisted in storing the drugs. She is also scheduled to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court on July 31.

A 24-year-old New South Wales man was charged on June 17 and extradited to Queensland on June 19. Investigators allege he traveled to Midge Point in May and assisted with collecting and transporting the drugs. He is expected to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court on Sept. 18, 2026.

Authorities said the alleged mother vessel linked to the importation scheme, MV Wealth, remains detained in the Solomon Islands as the investigation continues.

The QJOCTF includes personnel from the AFP, QPS, Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, and Australian Taxation Office. The New South Wales Police Force Highway Patrol also assisted in the operation.

AFP Commander Stephen Jay said the investigation demonstrated the sophistication of modern transnational drug trafficking operations and the importance of multi-agency cooperation in disrupting organized crime.

“This alleged plot to distribute nearly three tonnes of cocaine — by arranging for an international vessel to offload the drugs in Northern Queensland before moving them into Sydney — demonstrates how highly organised and determined these criminal networks are, and the extreme lengths they are willing to go to in pursuit of profit," Jay said.

Queensland Police Service Crime Command Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Troy Pukallus said the operation highlighted the effectiveness of coordinated investigations involving local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

“What began with the actions of Mackay police and the Mackay Criminal Investigation Branch following the discovery of drugs at Midge Point evolved into a sophisticated, multi-agency investigation targeting an organised criminal network,” Pukallus said.

Australian Border Force Commander Troy Sokoloff said the seizure underscored the value of intelligence-led partnerships in targeting organized crime groups involved in international drug trafficking.