Australian police have arrested a man after they found drugs worth 18 million Australian dollars (around 11.6 million US dollars) hidden in his car, reports Digi24.
The drugs included methamphetamine and cocaine. The man, 26 years old, was stopped by police on Tuesday as he was traveling from Sydney to Melbourne, a distance of around 700 kilometers.
When police searched his vehicle, they found 25 kilograms of methamphetamine and 10 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the doors of the car.
Some of the drug packages had images of Russian President Vladimir Putin on them. The reason for using his image is unclear.
The man was arrested and charged with two drug-related offenses. He was denied bail and will face further investigations.
Police say this is part of an ongoing effort to stop the illegal drug trade in the area.
The drugs seized are part of a larger effort by authorities to crack down on drug trafficking.
The Australian police and other law enforcement agencies have been focusing on stopping large shipments of illegal drugs entering the country.
The high value of the drugs seized makes this arrest significant.
The use of a prominent figure’s image, like Putin, on the drug packages has puzzled authorities.
It remains unclear why the image was chosen or if it has any symbolic meaning related to the drug operation.
The case continues to unfold as police conduct additional investigations into the trafficking ring involved.
The arrest has brought attention to the growing issue of methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking in Australia.
Authorities continue to take steps to combat the illegal drug trade, aiming to reduce the supply of these dangerous substances across the country.