Monday, September 22, 2014
Australian authorities have seized 5.6 tonnes of cannabis resin, worth $280 million, from a boat off the coast of Somalia.
The haul was discovered after a five-day operation, 260 km off the coast of Africa, involving Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Toowoomba and a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion.
Australian navy officers found the cannabis resin in hessian bags stowed in hidden compartments.
HMAS Toowoomba is deployed to the Middle East and Indian Ocean region as part as maritime security operations aimed at combating illegal activities used to fund terrorism.