February 18,2026
RED FM News Desk
Eight men have been sentenced to a combined 95 years and seven months in prison following an international investigation into a transnational drug syndicate that attempted to smuggle massive quantities of methamphetamine from Canada to Australia concealed in canola oil bottles.
The scheme, uncovered between December 2022 and June 2023, involved four shipments sent from Canada and destined for Australia. Authorities seized more than six tonnes of liquid and crystal methamphetamine hidden in 17-litre containers of canola oil at ports in British Columbia. An additional 700 kilograms was seized in New Zealand and is suspected to be linked to the same criminal network.
The investigation, known as Operation Parkes, involved multiple agencies including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency, Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police Force, and New South Wales Police.
In one instance, authorities intercepted nearly 2.9 tonnes of liquid methamphetamine in January 2023 with an estimated street value of hundreds of millions of dollars. The drugs were removed and replaced with an inert substance before the shipment was allowed to continue to Melbourne under police surveillance, leading to arrests across Victoria and New South Wales.
The final member of the syndicate, a 27-year-old New South Wales man, was sentenced on February 18, 2026, in Coffs Harbour District Court to four years and six months behind bars, with a non-parole period of two years and six months.
Investigators said the drugs were intended for a clandestine laboratory operating in Melbourne. Authorities described the case as a significant blow to organized crime and a clear demonstration of international law enforcement cooperation to disrupt large-scale drug trafficking networks.
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