Police Seize Largest Shipment of Fentanyl in Australian History

Australian Federal Police revealed in a statement on August 22, that they had seized the largest shipment of fentanyl in Australian history during a drug bust in Melbourne.

In a media conference on Monday, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) acting commander Anthony Hall said officers stopped 5 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl from hitting the streets.

The shipment, from Canada, arrived at the Port of Melbourne in December 2021, but officers inspected the container in February 2022.

Australian Border Force Commander James Watson said officers found 11 kilograms (24 pounds) of pure fentanyl, which he described as an “extraordinary” amount, given police typically only detect less than 30 grams (one ounce) in other seizures.

These images, released by the AFP, show officers removing the illicit substance, which was hidden inside military-style ammunition boxes concealed within a three tonne lathe. Credit: Australian Federal Police via Storyful

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