Australia Seizes $64 Million Worth Of Amphetamines Hidden In Spring Roll Shipment

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers have intercepted 900 kilograms of amphetamine worth more than $64 million in Sydney, in one of the largest drug busts ever recorded in New South Wales.

The officers targeted a shipping container that had arrived from overseas at Port Botany on Wednesday, 20 August 2025.

The cargo was declared as “vegetable spring roll and more”, but officers became suspicious after the container was x-rayed and anomalies were detected. When they unpacked the consignment, they found 100 boxes, each containing six rolls of plastic film wrapped around cardboard cores.

The ABF detector dog unit was called in, and one of the dogs reacted strongly after a cardboard roll was drilled into. Officers discovered white granules, which later tested positive for amphetamine, also known as “speed.”

In total, 600 rolls of plastic film were found to contain the drug, each estimated to hold 1.5 kilograms. Altogether, the concealed drugs weighed about 900 kilograms. Authorities estimated the street value at more than $64 million.

Further inquiries revealed that the drugs had been added into a legitimate business shipment without the company’s knowledge. Authorities believe the attempt was planned by a transnational organised crime group that tried to piggyback on the legitimate consignment.

AFP Detective Superintendent Morgen Blunden said investigators have uncovered multiple instances of criminal groups hiding drugs in shipments linked to genuine businesses. He said that Port Botany has become a common entry point where AFP officers regularly seize drug-filled containers.

ABF Superintendent Jared Leighton explained that containers are not checked at random but are selected through a sophisticated risk assessment approach, which has led to major successes.

Leighton added that the scale of harm the drugs could have caused in Australian communities was “unimaginable,” and he praised the work of all officers involved in the seizure.

Authorities confirmed that investigations are continuing to identify those responsible for the large-scale smuggling attempt.

Reference: AFP

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