FILE: An undated handout photo received from the New Zealand Defense Force on February 8, 2023 shows the Royal New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui retrieving 3.2 tonnes of cocaine adrift in the Pacific in an historic drugs bust estimated to be worth around 316 million US dollars. (Photo by Handout / New Zealand Defence Force / AFP)
SYDNEY — Australian police said Wednesday they were scouring beaches after mysterious packages believed to contain more than 120 kilograms (260 pounds) of cocaine washed up over the Christmas period.
A first batch of 39 barnacle-encrusted, one-kilogram bricks of suspected cocaine was discovered on Friday near Magenta Beach, north of Sydney, police said.
Since then, another 85 packages of the same size had been spotted along about 80 kilometers (50 miles) of the New South Wales coastline, state police said.
Police urged people to report any suspicious packages, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Weinstein said in a statement.
“Detectives and specialist police are currently combing beaches and coastlines for any outstanding packages and working behind the scenes to make sure we find and hold accountable those responsible,” said Weinstein, who is director of the state’s crime command.
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