Where the Speed comes from.

Shipping container drug haul tops 600kg
By police reporter Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop and staff
Posted December 23, 2011 14:31:11

New South Wales police investigating a bungled multi-million dollar drug importation have now seized more than half a tonne of pseudoephedrine hidden in shipping containers from China.

Detectives says they are closing in on the syndicate responsible for importing the precursor, which is used to make amphetamines such as ice.

So far they have found more than 600 kilograms of pseudoephedrine in the frames of the shipping containers, which were empty and had been sold to legitimate businesses around the state.

It is the biggest seizure of the chemical in NSW history, enough to make more than $150-million worth of ice.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Mal Lanyon says they believe the containers were lost or abandoned.

"As well as the pseudoephedrine, we've also located 60 kilograms of amphetamine, which in itself is a significant seizure, and 15 kilograms of heroin, which has a street value wholesale of over $7.5 million, so incredibly significant in terms of quantities and value," Commissioner Lanyon said.

"The sheer quantity again is staggering."

Police say the 60 kilograms of ice is worth $40 million, taking the combined value of the haul to nearly $200 million.

The containers have been found at 18 locations, including various suburbs around Sydney and regional sites such as Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Dubbo and Tamworth.

The first drugs were found on December 7, but nearly half of the haul has been found in the past two days in containers at a yard in Sydney's south-west at Padstow.

The drugs had been hidden in metal tea canisters in the frames of the containers.

Police say they are still searching containers, and it appears some drugs had already been removed.

Commissioner Lanyon says detectives are closing in on those responsible.

"They should be very worried. We're well advanced in the investigation. The sheer quantity of the drugs that have been imported is significant and obviously the penalties that are attracted are significant and severe, so they should be very worried," he said.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-23/shipping-container-drug-haul-tops-...