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Australian Officials Boast Largest Cocaine Bust In Country's History

The drugs would have been worth about $260 million on the street.
Posted at 10:46 AM, Dec 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-29 10:46:00-05

It took a two-and-a-half year investigation, but Australian officials are now touting the largest cocaine bust in the country's history –– over 2,400 pounds.

Police took almost half that amount from a boat 30 miles north of Sydney on Christmas Day.

That seizure is being combined with another in Tahiti back in March, when authorities said 1,300 pounds of cocaine was heading to Australia.

In total, the drugs would have been worth almost $260 million on the street.

Authorities arrested 15 men ranging from ages 29 to 63. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian navy announced their seizure of 53,000 pounds of cocaine. CNN reports the total worth was $2 billion.