Enormous fentanyl cache discovered in Australia, enough for 5 million doses

() — The Australian Federal Police reported the seizure of more than 5 million doses of fentanyl, the largest shipment of this opioid ever recorded in the country.

Authorities said the drug was hidden in an industrial machine, known as a lathe, that arrived at the port of Melbourne in December 2021 from Canada.

However, the investigation did not begin until February, when Australian Border Force officials found the drug cache, which included 11.2 kilograms of pure fentanyl and 30 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Fentanyl is a highly addictive pain reliever, 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine.

“It is very unusual to find this drug in Australia outside of its medicinal use,” said Anthony Hall, acting commander of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), during a Press conference on Monday. “The seizure of 11 kilograms is of serious concern to the Australian community,” she added.

Before the huge drug cache, authorities had only detected small shipments (30 grams or less) of fentanyl illegally imported into the country, according to a AFP press release.

An unusual amount of fentanyl

In the Press conference On Monday, Australian Border Force Commander James Watson emphasized the importance of this seizure, given the amount of fentanyl that was discovered.

“Usually we see that fentanyl is usually detected in quantities of 1 gram or less. So to find 11 kg of pure (fentanyl) is quite extraordinary,” Watson said. “I would describe it as a total act of bastardy.”

Fentanyl is a highly addictive pain reliever up to 100 times more powerful than morphine.

Although fentanyl in Australia is used primarily for medical purposes, elsewhere it is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin, sometimes with deadly consequences. In the United States, the increasing prevalence of fentanyl has contributed to an increase in fatal overdoses.

Asked why the announcement is being made now, months after the drug was initially seized and identified, Hall responded that one of the main purposes was “to alert the community to the risks of fentanyl.”

Authorities also want anyone with information about the source of the fentanyl to get in touch.

“There’s someone in the community that knows more about it, so we’re asking that person or people to speak up and call the authorities, please,” Hall said.

Hall suggested that organized crime was responsible for the large drug cache, but clarified that no arrests have been made. The Federal Police, the Border Force and the Department of the Interior of Australia carry out a joint investigation into the events.