US seizes record amount of meth intended for Australia
US investigators have seized almost two tons of methamphetamine and other narcotics bound for Australia, authorities in both countries said, the largest seizure of meth in US history.
US Customs and Border Protection said Friday that 1,728 kilograms (3,800 pounds) of the drug was seized mid-January at the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex in the state of California along with smaller amounts of cocaine and heroin.
The US border agency said it was the largest meth seizure in US history. It said the drugs were hidden in metal boxes labeled as loudspeakers.
Australian authorities said it was also the largest haul of the drug intercepted while bound for Australia and would have provided around 17 million hits of the substance also known as ice.
The drugs had an estimated street value of almost about $900 million (1.3 billion Australian dollars).
The US Department of Homeland Security and Australian Federal Police said two US citizens and four Australian citizens were arrested on Thursday and Friday in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales.
The suspects were tied to a US-based drug smuggling group under investigation.
Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Bruce Hill told a news conference in Melbourne that police now believe drug cartels are actively targeting Australia.
"They have been sending smaller amounts over the years. This is now flagging intent Australia is now being targeted," Hill said. "The cartel is among one of the most powerful and violent drug trafficking syndicates in the world."
The operation also involved raids in British Columbia on Thursday by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which resulted in the seizure of "a significant quantity" of suspected proceeds of crime, police said.
Jason Halls, Victoria manager for the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, said the drugs would have had an "immeasurable" impact on the Australian community.
Pro-Gaza protesters in NY's Columbia University stay put despite intimidation, crackdown
NYPD arrests multitude of pro-Palestine students at NYU campus
Google fires more employees over anti-Israel protests
UK suspends legal assessments of Israeli violations in Gaza
Students protest at US universities to urge end in financial ties to Israel
Biden signs war aid bill supplying Israel, Ukraine with more weapons
VIDEO | France, West warn Israel against escalation with Iran
Iran refutes Kuwait’s assertion of exclusive rights to Arash gas field
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
Region to benefit from Iran-Sri Lanka cooperation: Raeisi
Iran dismisses US allegation of ‘malicious cyber activity’
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
