Liquid meth disguised as oil seized in the rural town of Tooborac near Melbourne
Police have foiled an attempt to get their hands on a 312kg shipment of liquid methamphetamine disguised as vegetable oil from Australians.
The massive shipment was first discovered at Los Angeles International Airport in July, when U.S. Homeland Security Special Agents and Border Patrol agents found the drugs labeled “vegetable liquid oil” hidden in two black barrels.
The discovery set in motion a mission called Operation Tallow, in which Australian police worked with US authorities to track down the drugs as they made their way to Victoria.
The shipment was held in storage for a fortnight when it landed on Australian shores.
On September 5, it was delivered to a vacant rural property near Tooborac, about 100km north of Melbourne, the Australian Federal Police said.
Police have foiled an attempt to get their hands on a 312kg quantity of liquid methamphetamine disguised as vegetable oil
When no one came to collect the loot, investigators raided properties in Melbourne and Brisbane and interviewed a number of people.
However, you were not charged for the shipment.
Agents seized the drugs and federal law enforcement had no information to determine whether the shipment was intended to be moved to another location.
On Thursday, investigators called on anyone with information about the shipment to come forward.
“We are confident there are people in Australia who know something about this import, or have seen suspicious activity in the Tooborac area in recent weeks,” AFP Chief Inspector Kristie Cressy said.
The shipment was first discovered at Los Angeles International Airport in July. Australian and US authorities worked together to track down the drugs
The drugs were delivered to a vacant estate near Tooborac in Victoria, but no one came to collect the loot
US Homeland Security would continue to work with the AFP to track down who was responsible for the smuggled methamphetamine, said Regional Attaché Ernest Verina.
“Criminal organizations that show such deliberate disregard for the safety of our community to sell this deadly poison must be held fully accountable,” he said.
Researchers will further test the drugs to determine their purity.