Federal police seize $270 million of ice from Mexico despite elaborate concealment

The drugs arrived in Sydney last month onboard a cargo ship. (Supplied: AFP)

Federal police are hunting a crime syndicate responsible for bringing in 300 kilograms of the drug ice hidden inside a heavy-duty hydraulic press.

Police said the discovery has prevented more than $270 million worth of methamphetamine from hitting Sydney streets, and authorities are hoping information from the public will help find who sent it, and where it was headed.

The large cache of drugs arrived in Sydney from Mexico last month onboard a cargo ship.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers became suspicious when they couldn't see inside the shipment using an X-ray, because the steel was too thick.

Investigators needed to bring in specialised engineers to drill into the hydraulic press, where they found the drugs deep inside the machinery.

Police had to bring in specialised engineers to drill into the hydrologic press. (Supplied: AFP)

Pulling the machine apart revealed 79 circle-shaped blocks of methamphetamine. 

It's one of the most elaborate attempts to conceal a drug shipment authorities have ever seen.

Well-funded syndicate

AFP Detective Sergeant Salam Zreika said only a well-funded criminal syndicate could have been behind the smuggling attempt.

"This seizure shows the extremes that drug trafficking syndicates will go to in their bids to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia, because of the profits they can make," she said.

AFP officers became suspicious when they couldn't see inside the cargo shipment using an X-ray.  (Supplied: AFP)

"Retrieving the drugs from this concealment in Australia would require significant resources, expertise and space, so someone in the community may have heard something that could help us to identify those involved."

Authorities believe the syndicate would have needed specially trained engineers to hide the drugs inside the thick machinery.

Australian Border Force Inspector Marc Rea said officers are trained to detect any suspicious anomalies, even with elaborate concealment methods.

"In this case, even thick steel couldn't dampen the determination of our officers in locating the concealed methamphetamine deep inside the hydraulic press," Inspector Rea said.

"The Australian border is one of our most critical national assets and criminals should know that we will relentlessly protect it to their utmost detriment."

Federal police have asked anyone with information about this importation to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report via the Crime Stoppers website citing 'Operation Withcott'.