NSW Police say they have seized Australia's biggest known ice shipment, which they suspect was organised by a major international criminal syndicate.
More than 1060 kilograms of methylamphetamine was found concealed in marble stone on 19 shipping containers that arrived in Sydney's Port Botany.
This follows last week's seizure of 748kg of ice in 24 containers that were part of the same shipping consignment, meaning this is the largest-ever seizure of methylamphetamine at the Australian border.
The total street value of the drugs is $1.6 billion.
Three men, aged 24, 26 and 34, have been charged over the first seizure and remain before the courts.
Detective Acting Chief Superintendent John Watson said the syndicate allegedly behind the shipments has international connections which are now being investigated with the help of Australian Federal Police.
"The Middle Eastern region is probably our main focus, but I certainly wouldn't restrict the investigation just to that region either," he said at a press conference in Sydney.
The intended final destination for the drugs was a factory in Homebush West, which was dedicated to the speedy dismantling of the pallets and removal of the drugs.
"The capability that this syndicate has demonstrated to us, in terms of volume and size, is enormous.
"These figures are staggering.
"I think we are all better off for these arrests and these seizures and certainly our communities are much better off for these seizures."
Australian Border Force (ABF) officials were acting on a tip-off when they searched the containers, which arrived on a ship from the United Arab Emirates.
Detective Watson said the results of the operation would be felt for weeks by high, mid and lower-level suppliers.
He described methamphetamine as an "insidious drug" that "rips apart people's lives".
"This type of amount has the potential to absolutely devastate rural or regional areas and had the potential to be distributed right across our nation," he said.
This morning NSW Police also announced a separate drug seizure, with 161kg of methylamphetamine and 30kg of cocaine found in a vintage Bentley.
Again acting on a tip-off, ABF officers examined a shipping container consignment which arrived into Port Botany from Canada earlier this month.
The container, which was declared to contain a 1960 vintage Bentley S2, underwent an X-ray and examination, which identified anomalies.
The drugs, worth more than $150 million, were concealed behind the headlights of the vehicle.
Two men, aged 20 and 23, were arrested at a Rooty Hill home yesterday afternoon and charged with multiple drug-related offences.
Another man, aged 25, was arrested during a vehicle stop where he was found with methylamphetamine and $1.1 million.
All three men were refused bail to appear in court later today.
