Australian police seize record Ice haul, worth US$760 million and believed to be from China
Australia has identified China and India as key sources of the precursor chemicals needed to make Ice, while China and Myanmar were notable manufacturers of the end product
Australia has seized more than A$1 billion (US$760 million) of methamphetamine in its biggest ever bust of the highly addictive drug, police said on Friday.
Commonly known as “Ice”, the massive 1.2 tonne haul was intercepted after being offloaded from a boat, the Valkoista, which authorities believe came from China.
Australia has the world’s highest per capita consumption of crystal meth and the country has become an increasingly attractive destination for drug-smugglers, with street prices soaring.
Much of the Ice hitting its streets comes from China and the Golden Triangle region where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet.
Eight men, all Australian, were charged with either importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, or possessing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, and face life in jail.
The seizure capped a six-month investigation with Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Leanne Close alleging the ringleaders had been taken out.
It equates to probably about A$1 billion of border controlled drugs that are no longer going to be on the streets of Australia