More than 28 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside a luxury bus has been seized in South Australia following a targeted operation by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force.
ABF officers intercepted the shipment on Monday, 16 February 2026, after conducting an intelligence-led examination of a roll-on/roll-off (RORO) vessel berthed at Outer Harbor.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Simon Lalic said the agency, alongside its state, Commonwealth and international partners, remained resolute in its efforts to disrupt organised crime networks.
“Criminals are driven by greed and profit and will attempt any method to import harmful illicit substances into our country,” he said.
“No matter how creative these criminals try to be, our message is clear — we are on to you.”
During a forensic search of the vessel, officers deployed specialist technology, including videoscopes and detector dogs. The inspection uncovered multiple one-kilogram packages of a white powder concealed behind a television inside a luxury bus.
Initial testing returned a positive result for cocaine, with the total weight estimated at 28kg. The matter was referred to the AFP, which seized the drugs and launched an investigation.
Authorities estimate the seized cocaine would have had a street value of about $9 million and could have been divided into approximately 140,000 individual street-level deals.
ABF Superintendent Jody Griswood said each drug interception at the border helped reduce drug-related crime and cut off funding streams for international syndicates.
“Every detection of illicit drugs at the border reduces drug-related crimes in the Australian community and takes money out of the hands of international criminal syndicates.”
She praised the officers involved in the operation, saying their skill and vigilance had prevented significant harm to the community.
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