Australia’s biggest ever drug bust as WA police reveal how they thwarted a Mexican drug cartel

Twelve people have been arrested after an international operation prevented $1 billion worth of cocaine from entering the country as part of a Mexican drug cartel.

Operation Beech, a joint effort between WA Police Transnational Serious and Organized Crime Squad, the Sydney Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration and other police jurisdictions, began in November after the discovery of 2.4 tonnes of cocaine destined for Australia.

The shipment was off the South American coast, but intelligence officials suggested drug traffickers were unaware of the seizure, believing the drugs were on their way to their destination.

Knowing that the Australian portion of the syndicate would prepare to receive the drugs on December 28, WA police replaced the load with an inert substance and packaging identical to that of the cartel.

The police exchanged the cocaine for an inert substance after it was originally off the South American coast. Photo: WA police

During the sting operation, police dropped the dummy shipment about 40 nautical miles west of Perth, where a coastal party reportedly made several attempts to locate and retrieve it.

Police will allege that the syndicate’s Australian counterparts made three voyages to sea in inconvenient conditions between December 28 and 30 and were unable to locate the cargo.

On December 30, agents from the Tactical Response Group arrested three members who were in possession of 1.2 tons of the inert substance after their boat had steering problems and washed up on the beach.

The ‘inert’ Cocaine found on board Cool Runnings, the boat that washed up on the beach. Photo: WA police

WA Police Commissioner Colonel Blanch said it was a complex operation involving dozens of specialist officers and detectives. Photo: WA police

Police will further claim that other members of the syndicate removed the boat from its location and transferred the inerts to their own vessel.

On December 31, nine men were charged with attempted possession of 1.2 tons of cocaine after search warrants were executed in the metropolitan area.

After New Year’s Eve, another man was arrested and charged with attempted possession of 200 kg of cocaine.

Further intelligence led officers to a vehicle traveling on the Great Eastern Highway where they discovered more than $2 million in cash and charged another man and a woman.

In Coolgardie, approximately $2 million in cash was seized from a vehicle. Photo: WA police

WA Police Commissioner Colonel Blanch said it was a complex operation involving dozens of specialist officers and detectives.

“This operation enabled us to identify those members of the syndicate who were equipped and prepared to receive and distribute a significant amount of illegal drugs within the community who would otherwise have gone unnoticed and awaited the next shipment. , out,” said Mr. Blanch. .

“Our goal is to identify and arrest those responsible for shipping the drugs, as well as those land-based crime syndicates who are out to receive and profit from distribution in our community.

The operation resulted in the arrest of 12 people. Photo: WA police

“The operation sends a message to international drug traffickers – your deadly drugs are not welcome here, and we will work closely and innovatively with our onshore and offshore law enforcement partners to dismantle your operations.

The WA Police TSOC team is continuing this investigation with offshore partners to identify and prosecute those responsible for organizing this shipment.

“We want drug traffickers to actively prevent them from trying to use our coastline as an entry point.”

The WA Police acknowledge the assistance provided by other jurisdictions of the state during this operation.

The twelve accused are from America, NSW and the Northern Territory and will be dealt with through the legal system in WA.