A man who allegedly tried to smuggle $5 million of cocaine and methylamphetamine into Tasmania by ferry has been nabbed in one of the state's biggest drug busts.
The 26-year-old Queenslander had his car intercepted by police on Friday evening in Devonport, in northwest Tasmania, after arriving on the Spirit of Tasmania from Geelong.
Police say he was screened by drug detection dogs, with a subsequent search of his car allegedly uncovering four kilograms of methylamphetamine and two kilograms of cocaine in the boot.
"This is one of the biggest seizures of methylamphetamine and cocaine in Tasmania's history," Tasmania Police assistant commissioner Rob Blackwood said on Tuesday.
"(It) will go a long way to reducing harm on our streets."
The haul equates to 42,600 street deals of methylamphetamine and 2300 of cocaine, police say.
Police have not confirmed whether the man was specifically targeted and say investigations are ongoing.
He was remanded in custody to appear in Devonport Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with drug trafficking.
His arrest was the result of a joint operation involving Tasmanian police and Australian Federal Police with the assistance of the Spirit of Tasmania.
AFP assistant commissioner Hilda Sirec said there was a "prolific" demand for drugs across the country.
"We want to send a message to criminals that, no matter what, we're going to work collectively with our partners to stop drugs coming in," she told reporters.
In March 2022, 15kg of cocaine was intercepted by police after arriving in Tasmania from Sydney in a shipping container. No one has yet been charged.
