Multi-million-dollar cocaine haul found on ship at Port Pirie

More than 20kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of $8 million has been found aboard a ship docked at Port Pirie after crew raised the alarm.

Nov 14, 2023, updated May 19, 2025
23kg of suspected cocaine has been found aboard a ship docked at Port Pirie. Photo supplied
23kg of suspected cocaine has been found aboard a ship docked at Port Pirie. Photo supplied

SA Police said on Tuesday afternoon that on Monday, crew from the ship contacted local police to report “suspicious packages” found onboard.

Police and Australian Border Force officers searched the vessel and found 23kg of suspected cocaine.

Cocaine found aboard a ship at Port Pirie: Photo: SA Police

“The discovery of this amount of cocaine is very significant, it is estimated that the street value of drugs would be in excess of $8 million,” said Officer in Charge of Serious and Organised Crime Branch, Detective Superintendent Billy Thompson.

“If this amount of illicit drugs had successfully entered the drug market it would have no doubt led to significant harm to our community.”

A full search of the ship is ongoing.

Photo: SA Police

 

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