Sydney cocaine bricks: Illicit drugs worth nearly one million wash up on beaches

In a string of incidents involving packages consisting of illicit drugs washingup on beaches in Australia’s Sydney, another five “bricks” of cocaine worth nearly AU$1 million ($650,720) were found by beachgoers, on Monday (Apr 1).

What was found?

The beachgoers in Sydney’s Freshwater and Curl Curl found the packets, on Monday (Apr 1) morning, weighing a total of five kilogrammes, with drugs estimated to have a street value of AU$900,000 ($585,292).

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According to local media reports, two packages were found at Freshwater Beach. Additionally, another three bricks were found on nearby Curl Curl Beach wrapped in plastic and tightly tied with tape.

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The recently found package is among several others that have been discovered around Sydney sporadically since three days before Christmas last year.

“As inquiries continue, the public are reminded to report any suspicious package to authorities,” said the New South Wales (NSW) police, in a statement on Tuesday (Apr 2).

Months-long mystery

Since the first discovery in December, packages containing more than 250 kilogrammes of cocaine have been found along the coast of the Australian state.

On December 22, 2023, a package of illicit drugs was found in the Central Coast region, around 90 kg,north of Sydneythree days before Christmas.

Similar packages have also been discovered in Western Australia and Victoria after being washed ashore. Meanwhile, several beaches in NSW have reported such packages since December.

Two larger containers that had up to 39 kgof cocaine were found at northern beaches and at Ocean Baths a day after Christmas, on Boxing Day.

Around New Year’s another 39 kgworth of cocaine was found in North Bondi after a lifeguard had spotted the floating consignment.

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The police believe the packages have arrived on cargo ships from South America and that these consignments may be thrown into the ocean to be picked up elsewhere.

Some of the bricks found were said to be covered in barnacles, and following their analysis, detectives indicated that the packages were in the water no more than six weeks before being discovered.

Australians consume the most amount of cocaine per capita of any nationality, according to a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published in 2023.

(With inputs from agencies)