$490 million worth of cocaine seized by Australian police in country's biggest ever drugs bust

Police in Australia have seized a haul of cocaine worth almost $500 million after the boat it was being carried on broke down.

2.3 tonnes of the illegal drug was found in a broken-down vessel off the coast of Queensland, authorities explained, leading to several arrests.

It is the largest drug bust in Australian history with an estimated street value of A$760m (£388m/$490m).

Eleven men and two under 18s have been arrested. They included people who were on board the boat, those on shore allegedly waiting to collect the shipment and others who were arrested later.

Investigators told local news in Brisbane that the illegal shipment had come from a South American country, according to the BBC.

Based on intelligence they’d received as part of an investigation into a known gang, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) worked alongside Queensland Police and the Border Force to track a fishing boat that was recently purchased by an unnamed 35-year-old male.

On Saturday (30 November) night, the boat suffered a mechanical fault while being used to transport cocaine from another larger ship to the shore.

The boat ended up stranded around 18km out to sea, where it was intercepted by the authorities. Onboard they found 51 bales, each of which contained 40kg of cocaine.

According to the AFP, one of the men arrested is alleged to be the vice president of the Brisbane chapter of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle club.

All of those arrested have been charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of cocaine. The charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

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