AFP's '$1 billion' crystal meth seizure claim questioned

have been raised about the value of
the Australian Federal Police's reported '$1
billion' seizure of methamphetamine on Monday
- some on social media claim this value is over-
exaggerated.
By SBS NewsIt was reported on Monday that a joint operation in
Sydney busted a massive ice syndicate in what
officials said was the largest drug seizure in the
nation's history.
More than 720 litres of methamphetamine has been
seized in the operation between the Australian
Federal Police (AFP), the NSW Police, Australian
Border Force, the Australian Crime Commission and
the NSW Crime Commission.
Their calculations stated that 720 litres of liquid
methamphetamine can be converted to 504kg of ice.
The AFP said it reached the $1.26 billion figure based
on the amount of street hits it calculated from 504kg
of methamphetamine. However, in a January press
release the AFP claimed 159 kg of methamphetamine
had a potential street value of up to $106.5 million,
prompting many to question the figure of $1 billion.
Some took to social media to suggest the value was
less than $1 billion and had been inflated to grab
headlines.
Police claim they've seized '1 billion' worth of
ice. If it's just the 720L of methylamphetamine
mentioned that is less than 500mil.
— Lucy Carter (@lucethoughts) February 15,
2016
Just gonna hesitantly call bullshit on the AFP
figure of the mega seizure… they say 720 litres
of methylaphetamine = $1 billion (1/2)
— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) February 15,
2016
The AFP declined to make an official comment to SBS,
but confirmed they used information from the
Australian Crime Commission Illicit Drug Data Report
to formulate the total.
According to the ABC, the AFP have confirmed they
are using a new 'upper range' approach to calculating
the value.
That would explain the exaggerated scale
of the bust https://t.co/0JtgbblX35
— Stephen Murray (@smurray38) February
15, 2016
in January, the AFP said 159kg of ice = $
106million
But today, 720kg = $1 billion.
Hmm. https://t.co/ydK6q3VidG
pic.twitter.com/78wmmnRBHg
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) February 15,
2016
Justice Minister Michael Keenan said this seizure was
huge success.
"This has resulted in 3.6 million individual hits of ice
being taken off our streets with a street value of $1.26
billion," Mr Keenan told reporters in Sydney on
Monday.
Officials said the operation began in December last
year when the Australian Border Force examined a
shipping container out of Hong Kong.
"That shipping container was found to contain gel bra
inserts and hidden inside those gel bra inserts was
190 litres of liquid methamphetamine," said
Commander Chris Sheehan.
An additional 530 litres of liquid methamphetamine
were found during the investigation by joint
organised crime investigators.

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