The Australian Federal Police have made a significant arrest in Londonderry, western Sydney. On Friday, June 19, 2026, authorities apprehended a man, marking a major event in Australia’s ongoing battle against drug trafficking.
In Australia’s largest-ever cocaine seizure, police uncovered a staggering 2.7 metric tons (3 tons) of the drug on a property located on Sydney’s outskirts. This discovery was officially announced by officials on Monday.
The cocaine was hidden in plastic tubs within underground bunkers. These bunkers were cleverly concealed beneath three shipping containers in a semirural area of Londonderry, situated at Sydney’s western edge. The Queensland Joint Organized Crime Taskforce reported this in a detailed statement. Access to the cocaine was made possible through false floors built into the containers, adding a layer of complexity to the operation.
The street value of the seized cocaine is estimated at 816 million Australian dollars ($572 million). Two men, aged 21 and 25, both residents of Sydney, were arrested at the site. They have been charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an illicit drug and face the possibility of life sentences.
Previously, Australia witnessed a record cocaine haul of 2.34 metric tons (2.58 tons) in 2024. This prior seizure occurred near K’gari, previously known as Fraser Island, off Queensland’s state coast.
Authorities stated the recent cocaine shipment reached Sydney via sea, landing at Midge Point within Queensland’s sparsely-populated tropics. They allege a Sydney-based organized crime group transported the drugs over a vast distance of 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) to the city.
Police noted that the cocaine seized in Sydney might be linked to the same source as a previous shipment of 178 kilograms (392 pounds) of cocaine confiscated in Queensland. Alongside that, six individuals have been charged with involvement in trafficking both cocaine and 142 kilograms (313 pounds) of methamphetamine.
The suspected mother ship is the MV Wealth, a Belize-flagged cargo vessel recently detained by authorities in the Solomon Islands for suspected ties to transitional organized crime activities. These islands are located approximately 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Queensland.
Australian Federal Police Commander Stephen Jay addressed the growing trend of organized crime groups targeting Queensland’s extensive 13,000-kilometer (8,000-mile) coastline for drug smuggling operations. Commander Jay highlighted that Australians pay some of the world’s highest prices for cocaine, rendering the country a highly profitable target for drug traffickers.
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