A truck that was allegedly transporting $50 million worth of cocaine was surrounded by heavily armed police after it broke through a police cordon in an attempt to flee.
Authorities in Sydney followed the truck on Tuesday after learning from UK police that it was a part of a global gang bringing drugs into New South Wales.
Officers in Sydney’s west followed the vehicle as it left a property in Cawdor, close to Camden.
However, the driver drove the truck into several police cars and continued driving when they first tried to halt the vehicle.
Dramatic video captures the moment the truck was eventually stopped, followed by the three suspects being taken into custody.
Corey Jones, 29, Aaron James Pearce, 29, Daniel John Skaines, 32, and others have been charged with multiple counts of narcotics importation and have had bail denied.
A Lane Cove property was also searched by officers later in the evening, and several things were taken into custody.
On Wednesday, the three men appeared before Sydney courts but did not request bail, which was formally denied.
Six people in total have been detained as a result of the operation, three of whom were detained in Britain.
According to a NSW Police statement, “all were detained on suspicion of conspiring to export a restricted narcotic and are currently being questioned by NCA agents.”
A collaborative police investigation between Australian and British authorities that was started earlier this year led to the truck’s discovery.
NSW Police joined forces with the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, the Australian Border Force, the British Border Force, and the National Crime Agency to conduct Operation Phobetor.
Police were “quite delighted with the findings,” according to NSW Police Organized Crime Squad Commander Rob Critchlow, but the probe will go on.
He stated that other properties are expected to be searched.
He declared on Wednesday that the organisation was “obviously highly coordinated” and had “gone to tremendous lengths” in both the United States and Europe to guarantee that their cargo of drugs arrived unhindered.
“This is a significant operation with global partners that has had considerable success.”
“This criminal business has been completely destroyed as a result of our intelligence sharing capabilities both domestically and abroad.”