Drug syndicate 'used drones to monitor police'

An international drug syndicate used drones to run 
counter- surveillance on police in a failed bid to import 78 blocks of cocaine into Australia, authorities say.

The drugs, with a street value of A$30m (£18m; $23m), 
were seized from three duffel bags inside a shipping 
container on a vessel that arrived in Melbourne from 
Panama, according to police.

Four Australians, two Canadians and a Briton were 
arrested. Police also seized A$580,000 in cash.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner John Beveridge 
said the operation demonstrated that alleged drug 
syndicates were becoming more sophisticated.

"They used aerial drones to run counter-surveillance
 on investigators while conducting their meetings," he 
said on Friday.

He praised the efforts of investigators for avoiding 
detection by the aerial surveillance.

Each bag seized from the cargo vessel Spirit of 
Shanghai, which arrived in Melbourne on Monday, 
allegedly contained 26 blocks of cocaine weighing a 
total of 92kg (200lb).

The money was seized when police conducted raids 
around Melbourne on Thursday.

The seven men arrested, all aged between 21 and 33, 
have been charged with drug importation-related offences.