Joint AFP and Chilean Police Operation Foils Alleged Plot to Import 23kg of Cocaine
Four individuals have been arrested in Australia and Chile following a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Policia de Investigaciones de Chile (PDI) into an alleged plot to import 23 kilograms of cocaine into Australia.
According to authorities, inquiries by the PDI uncovered plans by an organized crime syndicate to transport the illicit drugs into Australia aboard a commercial aircraft. Chilean police intercepted and seized the 23kg of cocaine, which has an estimated Australian street value of $17 million, before sharing operational intelligence with the AFP.
AFP investigators substituted the seized cocaine with an inert substance and conducted a controlled delivery operation on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, at a car park in Port Botany. Police allege two 33-year-old men arrived at the location to take possession of the packages. Both men were arrested and charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug under the Criminal Code (Cth), an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The two men appeared before Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, where they were refused bail. They are scheduled to reappear in court on 9 December 2026.
Following the arrests in Australia, the AFP executed search warrants at residences in Liverpool and Georges Hall. Investigators seized approximately 5kg of MDMA, $8,000 in cash, digital scales, and roughly 10kg of a suspected drug-cutting agent.
Simultaneously, AFP officers stationed in South America collaborated with the PDI to execute search warrants in Chile. These actions resulted in the arrest of two foreign nationals—one Bolivian and one Argentinian—who have been charged with drug trafficking and criminal association offences.
Prefect Inspector Erick Menay, National Chief of Organised Crime (Jenaco) of the PDI, stated that the investigation, designated "Operation Killer," dismantled a drug pipeline running from Chile to Australia and identified operational methods that included cryptocurrency financing.
Australian Federal Police (AFP)
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