Three men from Sydney have been charged, and more than half a tonne of cocaine worth over $164 million has been seized following a major multi-agency investigation into port workers accused of helping criminal syndicates smuggle drugs into Australia.

The operation was carried out by the Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST), which includes investigators from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and NSW Police Force (NSWPF).

In April 2025, investigators set up Strike Force Paiporta to track a criminal syndicate suspected of having members inside Sydney’s ports who were helping to move large amounts of illegal drugs.

MAST later received intelligence that a group was planning to retrieve drugs from an imported shipping container while it was being stored at a sea freight facility in Sydney. The container had arrived in Australia carrying legitimate cargo, which was delivered, before the container was sent back to storage.

At about 12.30 am on Sunday, 31 August 2025, a 38-year-old forklift driver from Hillsdale was seen moving containers at the facility to reach one specific container. Soon after, a 25-year-old man from Oyster Bay entered that same container carrying a bag.

Police allege the man had a crowbar, angle grinder, portable lights, ear protection, and other hand tools to cut into a hidden section of the container. Investigators arrested him as he came out of the container.

Crime scene specialists then examined the unit, removed a false wall, and found 506 tightly packed blocks of white powder hidden behind lead sheeting. Tests confirmed the substance was cocaine. Police estimate the shipment could have been broken down into 2,530,000 street deals of 0.2 grams each.

A short time later, the Hillsdale man returned to the same container and was also arrested by investigators.

Both men were taken to St George Police Station and formally charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of cocaine, under sections 307.1 and 307.5 of the Criminal Code. Each offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Soon after, investigators executed a search warrant at the Hillsdale man’s home. A 42-year-old man from Caringbah was intercepted as he was leaving the property. Police found him with $200,000 in cash suspected to be proceeds of crime. It was later confirmed that this man also worked as a forklift driver for a logistics company.

He was arrested and charged with dealing with money suspected of being proceeds of general crime, contrary to section 400.9(1AB) of the Criminal Code.

A second search warrant was carried out at the Oyster Bay man’s home, where investigators found another $130,000 in suspected proceeds of crime.

All three men faced Sutherland Local Court on Monday, 1 September 2025. The Hillsdale and Oyster Bay men were refused bail and will next appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on 29 October 2025. The Caringbah man was granted bail with strict conditions and is also due to appear at the Downing Centre on the same date.

Authorities confirmed that the shipping container had been sent from Europe. Investigations are continuing to trace the source of the drugs and to identify anyone else linked to the importation plot.

Reference: AFP

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