video transcript

(ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATION) Australian police have smashed a major drug ring, seizing half a tonne of illicit drugs worth over A$500 million ($525 U.S. million dollars) and arresting seven alleged smugglers. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said on Tuesday (July 31) they had seized 306 kg (624 lbs) of ice and 252 kg (555 lbs) of heroin. It is the largest seizure of ice and the third largest of heroin in AFP history. People arrested in the operation include four nationals from Hong Kong and three Australians. They faced court on Tuesday for charges including conspiracy to import illicit drugs. On July 19, Australian customs officers detected two large shipments of 3,200 terracotta pots arriving in Sydney, among which 100 pots held significant quantities of drugs. SOUNDBITE: AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER , ANDREW COLVIN, SAYING (English): "The investigation is still going and we have high prospect of further arrests. We are confident that we have got the people responsible for this importation. It's easy to say the 'Mr. Bigs'. At the end of the day there's a lot of 'Mr. Mediums' and 'Mr. Littles' that work with 'Mr. Big'. I think we've got a good combination of the people responsible for this importation." The seizure comes a year after the AFP started the investigation into an international drug syndicate after receiving tips from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.