A MONSTER meth haul worth more than $45 million that was heading for a Baldivis address has been seized after a joint operation by WA Police, the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force.
The operation began back in June when Border Force x-rayed sea cargo and identified concealment in nine timber logs and came to a head last week when four men were charged.
Upon forensic examination of the logs by police back in June, 45.6 kilos of meth was detected.
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READ NOWLater that month, the consignment was delivered to a Baldivis address where two men aged 42 and 54 were arrested and charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, namely methamphetamine.
Further inquires led to two other men being charged, a 33-year-old West Australian and 29-year-old Nigerian man arrested in Victoria, who will be extradited to WA.
The 42-year-old will reappear in Stirling Gardens Magistrate Court on August 31.
The remaining men will face court in November.
All men face life imprisonment.
WA Police state crime assistant commissioner Michelle Fyfe said the seized drugs had the potential to cause immense harm in the Western Australian community.
“We are pleased that this significant quantity of methamphetamine has been seized before it could reach our streets,” she said.
AFP Commander and WA state manager Matt Rippon said the operation was testament to how important it was for all agencies to work together.
“Strong relationships with our domestic and international partners are vital to identifying and disrupting importations of this extremely damaging drug,” he said.
“We are continuing to work together across jurisdictions and borders to break criminal networks, with our main priority being the safety of the community.”