Massive Cocaine Haul Found on Container Ship at Aussie Port
Australian Border Force officers struck gold—or rather, cocaine—when they uncovered a massive drug haul aboard the Maersk Inverness on July 22, 2022. The container ship had docked the day before, and a routine inspection revealed 28 denim bags stuffed with bricks of cocaine hidden inside a container falsely labelled “wood products.”
Dope Stamped with ‘Netflix’ and Other Codes
Each denim bag held roughly 25kg of cocaine. Forensic experts found strange emblems on the bricks, including the numbers ‘5’, ‘365’, and the word ‘Netflix’ stamped on the deadly cargo. The ship had earlier stopped in Central and South America before reaching Australia, but authorities are still hunting for the original suppliers and buyers.
Major Bust Hits Multi-Million Dollar Drug Syndicate
“The seizure of this amount of drugs would be a significant blow to a well-resourced syndicate, preventing millions of dollars in drug profit from flowing back into the syndicate to fund their lavish lifestyles or next criminal venture,” said AFP Detective Inspector Luke Wilson.
The AFP estimates this bust prevented over $451 million in drug-related harm to Aussie society—from crime to healthcare costs and lost productivity. The shipment alone would have been worth at least $280 million, given that cocaine can fetch up to $400,000 per kilogram on Australia’s east coast, depending on purity.
ABF Praise for Officers’ Sharp Eyes
“This seizure exemplifies the technical expertise of our dedicated ABF officers who made the initial detection and prevented this large shipment of cocaine from entering our community,” said Superintendent Joanne Yeats of ABF Detained Goods NSW.
The ship is now free to continue its voyage, but investigations continue. Anyone with info is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
