Photo: Australian Federal Police
Australian authorities have intercepted the nation’s largest-ever cocaine shipment, leading to the arrest of 13 suspects in a sophisticated maritime drug trafficking operation.
Operation Tyrrendor, a joint effort by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Queensland Police Service (QPS), culminated in dramatic arrests on November 30 and December 1, 2024, after tracking a recreational fishing vessel suspected of collecting cocaine from a mothership.
The operation took an unexpected turn when the fishing vessel became stranded 18km off K’gari’s northeastern tip. AFP tactical officers seized 51 bales containing approximately 2.34 tonnes of suspected cocaine, packaged in individual 1kg blocks.
The seized cocaine, valued at approximately AUD $760 million (USD $465 million), could have resulted in 11.7 million street deals. Authorities said the seizure marks the largest ever seizure of cocaine in Australia.
“This alleged attempt to collect more than two tonnes of cocaine from the ocean shows that criminals will do anything for their own greed and profit,” said AFP Commander Stephen Jay.
“Anyone involved in these at-sea trafficking enterprises is not just risking their freedom – they’re also risking their life. Multiple people have been rescued from the ocean in recent years after hitting trouble while allegedly trying to collect cocaine consignments,” added Jay.
According to the authorities, the investigation began in November, 2024, following intelligence that a criminal syndicate with links to the Comanchero motorcycle crime gang was planning to import border-controlled drugs into Australia.
Among those arrested was the vice-president of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle club’s Brisbane chapter, highlighting the involvement of organized crime in the operation.
Queensland Police Service Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Craig Morrow emphasized the operation’s significance: “Stopping these drugs from reaching our streets is not just a victory for law enforcement—it’s a win for every Queenslander”.
All suspects face charges of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs, carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
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