Dozens of pickle jars containing enough methamphetamine for more than one million street-level deals have been intercepted en route from Canada to Australia.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police made the jarring discovery in January, untwisting 115kg of methamphetamine worth an estimated $106.3 million, according to Australian Federal Police.
The meth was confiscated and swapped out for a dummy substance in Canada before police allowed the pickle jars to resume course for Australia.
The jars arrived on March 4 and were sent to an address in northern Melbourne 13 days later.
Police sealed the lid on the alleged smugglers on March 17, arresting a man in southeast Melbourne and another in Sydney.
They had allegedly already been on to the two men in relation to drug smuggling when the pickle jar consignment was discovered in Canada.
The Sydney man, 40, is accused of conspiracy and attempt to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs, and faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted.
At his residence, police seized a Ford Mustang, jewellery, watches, electronic devices, drug paraphernalia, eight 1kg silver bars and $400,000 cash, which they suspect are the proceeds of crime.
Extradited to Melbourne, he faced a magistrates court on Wednesday and was remanded until his next court mention in July.
His alleged southeast Melbourne accomplice, 63, is accused of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
He faced court on March 18 and was remanded in custody until June.
Canadian drug and organised crime police also arrested a 46-year-old man in rural British Columbia over the alleged plot.
Australian Federal Police acting commander Simone Butcher underscored the volume of the seizure.
"Ensuring these drugs did not find their way into the Australian community has no doubt saved countless lives," she said on Friday.
"It sends a clear message: criminal networks that exploit international borders will be met with an international response."
