On 2 February 2017, a sea cargo consignment arrived from Hong Kong into Sydney. An examination by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers revealed 380 boxes of cooking equipment, including ladles and spoons packaged as displays for re-sale. However, within 142 of the boxes, the ABF noticed anomalies, including several vacuum sealed bags each containing 285g of a white unidentified substance. Upon further investigation, the substance tested positive to methamphetamine with a total approximate weight of 162kg and an estimated street value of $162 million.

The operation between the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the ABF resulted in 2 men, aged 22 and 42 being arrested in NSW and charged with importation and possession of a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs.

The ABF continue to use their expertise and technology to detect such concealments that threaten to infiltrate our shores and harm our Australian community.