Police Have Seized 5 Million Lethal Doses Worth Of Fentanyl Shipped To Australia From Canada
This is the biggest bust in Australian history.
Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force officials have seized more than 11kg worth of fentanyl in the largest known shipment of the opioid in Australian history.
The fentanyl, as well as 30kg of methamphetamine, was found hidden inside metal working machinery sent from Canada to Melbourne back in December.
According to the AFP, the shipment was equivalent to more than five million lethal doses of fentanyl. For context, to date Australia has only ever recorded importations of less than 30 grams.
“So to have a detection of 11kgs pure is just quite frankly extraordinary,” ABF Commander James Watson said in a press conference.
Watson called the importation “bastardry”, noting that the fentanyl could’ve had lethal consequences, had it made it to the streets.
“We were absolutely shocked by the size of the detection and the audacity of the attempted importation,” Watson said.
“I’d describe it as a total act of bastardy, quite frankly. The impact of this on our community, had it reached the streets… it doesn’t bear thinking about.
“Quite frankly, we’ve all been living through COVID over the last few of years, it’s tough enough as it is, let alone to see this kind of impact reaching our streets that we live in.”
While fentanyl can be used for medical purposes, it is most commonly mixed or “cut” with heroin — which has led to fatal consequences.
Fentanyl has been blamed for a massive surge in accidental overdoses and drug-related deaths in the US due largely to the fact more expensive drugs like heroin can be cut with fentanyl to maintain similar effects while making a larger profit.
However, its high potency means that even drugs that have only been laced with a small amount of the substance can be deadly — especially if the user isn’t aware the drug they’re taking has been adulterated.
A joint operation with the AFP, ABF and Home Affairs Department aims to identify those responsible for importing the drug.
The shipment also included approximately $27 million worth of methamphetamine.
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Image: AFP