International operation leads to the seizure of half a tonne of cocaine
Over half a tonne of cocaine has been prevented from reaching Australian shores during an Australian Border Force-led Operation.
The ABF working in partnership with Customs authorities from Jamaica, United States, France in French Polynesia and New Caledonia and New Zealand have combined efforts and resources targeting the ‘Rip’ concealment methodology within the Pacific maritime supply chain.
The operation presented a unique opportunity to upskill customs officers based in overseas ports, while also sharing intelligence and emerging technologies used to identify, examine and detect border-controlled drugs before they reach our shores.
The Rip concealment method utilises tampered shipping containers, usually by corrupt port workers, to insert illegal drugs into various locations on a shipping container after it has been cleared through local customs or, by recovering the narcotics from a targeted container prior to its examination.
The two month joint operation took place throughout April and May and used innovative data visualisation tools, tracking, inspection technologies and real-time information sharing which led to the seizure of over 500kgs of cocaine.
During the operation over 142kgs of cocaine was seized in French Polynesia hidden within insulation panels in a refrigeration unit. Another detection saw over 67kg of cocaine seized in New Caledonia buried behind panels in a shipping container, and over 285kgs of cocaine was detected – across three other separate seizures – hidden within shipping containers arriving into Melbourne.
ABF Commander International Claire Rees, said the success of the operation wouldn’t have been possible without the combined effort, dedication and transparent information sharing among all the countries involved.
“Organised crime groups are highly sophisticated enterprises, with incredibly deep pockets and a constantly expanding global reach.”
“The Rip method is becoming a hugely popular method of evasion, but it is only a possible strategy due to the increase of trusted insiders and criminal infiltration throughout the global supply chain”, Commander Rees said.
“The operation is one of many examples of ABFs commitment to deepening our connection and capabilities with our international counterparts and our valued Industry partners.”
“It was a great example of the ABF officers embedded overseas and in Australia, working with international partners, combining trust, effort and resources for a common goal – to halt criminal intrusion on our global supply chain and keep our communities safe.”
Agencies involved in the operation included the Australian Border Force, French Customs (New Caledonia Regional Customs Directorate, French Polynesia Regional Customs Directorate), Jamaica Customs Agency, New Zealand Customs Service and United States Homeland Security Investigations.
Anyone with information about suspicious border activity or border-related crime can report it anytime through Border Watch at borderwatch.gov.au Information can be provided anonymously.
Quotes attributable to French Customs Agency
“French customs welcomes the excellent cooperation between its various overseas services and Australian authorities in this operation against international drug trafficking by sea.”
“The seizure of over 200 kilos of cocaine by customs officers from French Polynesia and New Caledonia demonstrates the effectiveness of a joint action and confirms the high level of collaboration in information sharing and intelligence between our territories.”
