In this file photo take on Aug 18, 2020, investigators unload materials believed to be cocaine from Coralynne, an Australian trawler, in Sydney. Australia has launched a transnational drug trafficking investigation after police seized about 365 kg of cocaine in Western Australia's Great Southern region. (PHOTO / AP)
SYDNEY – Australia has launched a transnational drug trafficking investigation after police seized about 365 kg of cocaine in Western Australia (WA)'s Great Southern region.
According to a joint statement released on Tuesday by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force, the probe started when three men were rescued from the ocean off Albany on Feb 1 and their story of capsizing while fishing appeared inconsistent.
We believe this amount of cocaine would have been distributed across Australia and not just in Western Australia.
Graeme Marshall,
Acting Commander of Australian Federal Police
On Feb 7, a black plastic-wrapped package containing multiple smaller packages of cocaine washed ashore near the WA town of Denmark, while the next afternoon, a 7-meter boat was found overturned off Peaceful Bay, about 45 km west of Denmark.
Police officers found another eight similar plastic-wrapped packages, each containing about 40 kg of cocaine.
AFP Acting Commander Graeme Marshall urged the three men – two from WA and one believed to be in the Northern Territory – to contact the police.
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"The AFP estimates this seizure has saved the community more than 235 million Australian dollars in drug-related harm, including associated crime, healthcare and loss of productivity," said Marshall.
"We believe this amount of cocaine would have been distributed across Australia and not just in WA," the commander added.