In one of the strangest drug busts in Australian history, the Australian Federal Police have seized an excavator imported from Hong Kong. Hidden inside more than 295 kilograms of meth-amphetamine. Three men were arrested.

Border Force initially made the discovery in July following the arrival of the excavator at Port Botany. The drugs are estimated to be worth $184 million when sold as 'ice' in its crystallized form.

AFP officers removed the drugs and delivered the excavator to a business premises in Penrith in early August. Two weeks later, the excavator was moved to a premises in Arndell Park, where the three men arrested this week allegedly examined the consignment.

Police will allege two of the men, aged 26 and 30, spent several days attempting to access the concealment within the excavator. They allegedly purchased a number of tools from a nearby hardware store to cut into the machinery.

Ongoing investigations resulted in search warrants on Tuesday 19th October 2021 at residences in Prospect, Merrylands and Rydalmere. During the search warrants police seized in excess of $200,000 as well as encrypted communications devices and multiple kilograms of cannabis.

A 25-year-old Merrylands man was subsequently arrested and charged. A 26-year-old Prospect man and a 30-year-old Rydalmere man were also arrested and charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border controlled drug contrary to section 307.5 of the Criminal Code (Cth), by virtue of section 11.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth).

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