Police seize 28 kilograms of cocaine worth nearly $9 million hidden behind TV on luxury bus aboard vessel in South Australia; all you need to know

An incident has surfaced in South Australia where the Australian Federal Police (AFP) seized more than 28 kilograms of cocaine after searching a luxury bus held on a ship, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) said in a joint press release.

The seizure took place following an interception by the ABF, who searched a bus aboard a "roll on roll off" vessel anchored at Outer Harbor, in the Port of Adelaide, on February 16, 2026. ABF officers examined the vessel (known as a RORO) based on intelligence-led targeting, the release stated.

“A forensic search by ABF officers, using technology including videoscopes and the deployment of detector dogs, identified several one-kilogram packages of a white powdered substance hidden behind a television inside a luxury bus,” the joint media release said. Presumptive testing returned a positive result for cocaine, with an estimated weight of 28 kg, it further stated.


ABF officers referred the detection to the AFP, who seized the illicit drugs and commenced their enquiries. The release also stated that if this amount of cocaine had reached the Australian community, it would have had an estimated street value of about $9 million, with the potential for about 140,000 street-level deals.

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Simon Lalic said the AFP – together with its state, Commonwealth and international law enforcement partners – was committed to disrupting and dismantling organised criminal syndicates threatening Australia.

“Criminals are driven by their own greed and profit and will attempt any method to import harmful illicit substances into our country,” Det a/Supt Lalic said, as quoted in the release. “No matter how creative these criminals attempt to be, our message is clear – we are onto you.”

ABF Superintendent Jody Griswood said ABF officers were determined to stop the importation of illegal substances into Australia. “Every detection of illicit drugs at the border reduces drug-related crimes in the Australian community and takes money out of the hands of international criminal syndicates,” Superintendent Griswood said, according to the media release.