The Australian Border Force (ABF) has advised that it has seized 71 kilograms of cocaine concealed within approximately 67 packages within the shaft of a hydraulic press imported from the Central American country of Panama. With an approximate street value of AUD 25 million the cocaine was stashed in one kilogram blocks within the shaft.

Australian Federal Police officers raided five locations around Sydney on December 23 2015 which led to the arrest of two people from Merrylands and Pyrmont. They were charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of an unlawful drug.

A third man from Canley Vale was also arrested and charged with aiding or abetting and may have been acting as a broker to clear the cargo through customs with knowledge of the consignment. Federal Police believe the seziure to be a significant blow to the crime syndicate involved.