Australian police accidentally discover 700kg of cocaine while foiling kidnapping plot
Police discovered 722kg of cocaine in a Sydney apartment. Photograph: NSW Police
A foiled, alleged kidnapping plot led Australian police to discover a whopping 700 kgof cocaine Monday morning (Dec 18).
According to New South Wales (NSW) police officials, a crime squad along with local police was responding to a break-and-enter report in Sydney’s plush neighbourhood.
“When officers arrived, they allegedly found four men dressed in all black and wearing face coverings sitting in a Toyota Yaris in the underground carpark,” the NSW police said in a statement.
In the car, police allege they found a 60cm crowbar, gloves, a meat cleaver, a bladed knife, a box cutter, flashing light bars and zip ties – items they say were consistent with a kidnapping attempt.
The four men had entered a residential complex and wanted to rob the 24-year-old occupant.
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However, when the police carried out a search operation inside the victim’s house, they were shocked to discover “722kg of cocaine with an estimated street value exceeding $1 billion.”
The victim-turned-offender was also arrested by the police later, amounting to five arrests in total at the scene.
A seizure of this quantity was “unseen” for the NSW police, the state crime command’s robbery and serious crime squad commander Detective Superintendent Joseph Doueihi said.
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“The seizure of cocaine is one of the biggest single seizures that the NSW police force have been involved in that doesn’t involve drug importation,” he said, reported News.com.
He added: “It’s incredible, an absolutely fantastic result. For NSW Police, the seizure of this quantity is unseen. I’m very pleased with my investigators.”
As per the officials, the 24-year-old man will be charged with the supply of a prohibited drug in a “large commercial quantity” and with knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
On the other hand, the four men, aged between 19 and 24, will be charged with aggravated break and enter with the intention to steal, wearing a disguise and being armed with an intent to commit an indictable offence.
(With inputs from agencies)