Australian police find ‘extraordinary’ fentanyl stash, enough for 5 million doses
Police said the drugs were hidden in an industrial machine, known as a lathe, that arrived at the Port of Melbourne in December 2021 from Canada.
But they didn’t launch an investigation until February, when Australian Border Force officials found the drug stash, which included 11.2 kilograms of pure fentanyl and 30 kilograms of methamphetamine.
“Typically, we would only see fentanyl being detected in quantities of 1 g or less, so to have a detection that is 11 kg pure, is just quite frankly extraordinary,” Watson said. “I’d describe it as a total act of bastardy.”
When asked why the announcement was made now, months after the drugs were initially seized and identified, Hall said one of the main purposes was “to alert the community to the harms of what fentanyl poses.”
Authorities also want people who may have information about the source of the fentanyl to come forward.
“There is someone out there in the community who does know more so we are appealing to that person or persons who are there to speak up and call crime stoppers please,” Hall said.
Hall suggested organized crime was to blame for the large shipment of the drug but clarified that no arrests have been made. A joint investigation conducted by the AFP, ABF and Australia’s Department of Home Affairs is ongoing.