Sydney [Australia], May 11: Five people have been charged after police seized more than a tonne of cocaine allegedly found on a boat off the New South Wales (NSW) coast.
Police said they were tipped off before the drug bust following the "suspicious" purchase of a 13-metre motor cruiser paid in cash in Sydney's Sutherland Shire.
An investigation under Strike Force Blaine was then launched which targeted drug supply and money laundering.
NSW Police, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Strike Force investigators monitored the boat as it travelled up the NSW coast.
As the boat travelled back to shore towards South West Rocks, the vessel was intercepted by the NSWPF Marine Area Command around nine nautical miles from the coast of Nambucca Heads at about 9.30am on Friday.
Two men, aged 24 and 26, were arrested and taken back to shore.
Police allege around 1110 blocks of cocaine, weighing 1.039 tonnes in total, were discovered on the boat.
The street value of the cocaine amounts to around $623 million, police said.
A further three men, aged 28, 29 and 36, were arrested on shore after police stopped two cars attempting to leave the South West Rocks area.
An investigation into the origin of the drugs and the group's alleged associates remains ongoing.
Source: Emirates News Agency
