Australia seizes record ecstasy haul
The drugs were destined for the Sydney market
Australian police have seized hundreds of thousands of ecstasy tablets in the country's largest haul ever of the popular party drug. The taskforce believes that those arrested are members of a major drug-trafficking syndicate
Ken Moroney NSW police commissioner
Some 750,000 tablets with a street value of over US$25m were confiscated after a raid on a van in a Sydney suburb.
Police said that three men who were arrested near the scene were members of a "major drug trafficking syndicate", and that the operation had dealt a major blow to the ring.
The operation, carried out on Christmas Eve, was the result of a four-month long investigation carried out in conjunction with the Dutch authorities.
New Year parties
The police commissioner for New South Wales state, Ken Moroney, said the seizure would have a significant impact on the availability and price of ecstasy in Sydney.
The city, Australia's largest, has a vibrant dance club scene - and demand for ecstasy is expected to rise as partygoers prepare for New Year celebrations.
Police said they were investigating whether the drug originated in the Netherlands, a primary producer of high-quality amphetamines.
Enquiries are expected to continue in Australia and overseas, with further arrests possible, according to police.
