The Australian Border Force, along with the NSW Organised Crime Squad, were able to intercept 880 pounds of meth hidden in 768 bottles of Sriracha hot sauce that was headed to Sydney from the United States earlier this month, 7News reports.
The ABF took the shipment in for further testing after noticing some "inconsistencies."
Three men were arrested in connection with the alleged meth smuggling while a fourth suspect, 45, was detained Thursday morning. Two of them, who are in their 30s, were found with eight boxes of Sriracha bottles, box cutters, moving bags, and gardening gloves in their vehicle. Another 26 boxes of Sriracha was recovered in a hotel suite.
"This detection should serve as a warning to criminal groups that no matter how clever you think you are being in the way that you attempt to conceal and move your drugs, our officers have the skills, technology and the resources to find them and track down the people who are attempting to bring them in," Matt O’Connor, acting ABF regional commander for New South Wales, said.
The shipment of meth, which is roughly four million doses of the drug, is said to be worth an estimated $208 million.
The first three men have been charged with "attempt to possess a commercial quantity unlawful import: border-controlled drug and large commercial drug supply." No bail was set. Their next court date is set for December. The fourth person was granted conditional bail and will return to court on November 28.
