$57 million meth haul found inside imported meat grinders
Three men have been arrested after police and Australian Border Force officials seized methamphetamines worth $57 million, hidden inside imported meat grinders normally used to make sausages.
Investigators were suspicious of a container that had arrived from Turkey.
Inside, they found 496 kilograms of methamphetamine.
The drugs were hidden among a range of other goods, including chocolate biscuits, air fresheners and detergents, police said.
Police substituted the meth, then tracked the equipment to a supermarket in the Sydney suburb of Auburn, which was awaiting its regular delivery of goods.
Three men, aged in their 20s, then took the four meat grinders to a commercial facility in nearby Clyde where police swooped.
The owners of the family-run business told 7 News they were stunned by the amount of drugs delivered to the shop last Friday in a container.
Police do not suspect the business was involved in the drug importation, which occurred directly across the road from the Auburn Police Station.
“That amount of MDMA, if pressed into pills, makes approximately 1.7 million pills with an estimated street value of $57 million,” AFP Detective Superintendent Kirsty Schofield said.
This is the latest in a string of massive seizures including 1.2 tonnes of ice, another 900 kilograms in Melbourne worth nearly $1 billion, and 500 kilograms of cocaine.
A new illicit drug survey reveals cocaine use is at an all-time high in Australia and higher quantities of pure ecstasy are hitting the streets.
“We’re always amazed at the thirst that we have in Australia for illicit drugs and 500 kilos is a significant amount to take off the street,” said Det Supt Schofield.
The three men will appear in court later this week and next week.
