SYDNEY, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Authorities have seized 900 kilograms of amphetamine that arrived in Sydney hidden within rolls of cardboard, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) said on Thursday.
The agencies said that the drugs were found on Aug. 20 when ABF officers using existing intelligence profiles targeted a container for examination upon arrival at Sydney's Port Botany.
During the search, officers found 100 boxes, each containing six rolls of plastic film wrapped around cardboard rolls. The ABF detector dog unit gave a positive reaction when one of the rolls was drilled into, revealing white granules.
Subsequent testing identified the substance as amphetamine, with each of the 600 rolls estimated to contain 1.5 kg. The AFP and ABF said that the total volume of 900 kg had an estimated street value of more than 64 million Australian dollars (41.6 million U.S. dollars).
Further investigations led by the AFP determined that the drugs had been added to a legitimate shipment by an organized crime group without the knowledge of the importing business.
Inquiries into the importation remain ongoing. ■
