A 29-year-old Fijian national has been arrested and charged after Australian authorities caught him in Sydney attempting to import 50 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a shipment of bottled water.
Australian media reports the consignment arrived on 10 August and was targeted for inspection at the Australian Border Force’s (ABF) Sydney Container Examination Facility.
Officers deconstructed the consignment after anomalies were identified during x-ray and discovered the cocaine.
It is estimated the drugs have a street value of more than $27 million.
The consignment was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for further investigation and on Friday, officers located and arrested the Fijian national.
Further enquiries are ongoing to identify the intended recipients in Australia.
The Fijian national has been charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs.
Questions sent to Fijian Police on the issue remain unanswered.
