SYDNEY, March 1 (UPI) -- Police in Australia seized nearly $9 million in cash in a series of drug-related raids across Sydney.
Police said that in one house they seized $7.8 million in cash, two money-counting machines a machine-pistol and a gold-plated Magnum handgun. They also impounded a boat, two automobiles and several motorcycles found on the property.
Raids on other homes found still more cash -- including $240,000 in U.S. bank notes -- cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis along with a Taser gun, an assault rifle, pistols and two rare GT Ford autos.
Deputy Commissioner Andrew Scipione of the New South Wales state police force said the amount of money seized during the raids had astounded even experienced detectives.
He told reporters the quantities of cash "are indicative of the scale of the proceeds of drug crime."
Scipione said he was "particularly alarmed at the discovery of several semi-automatic and automatic weapons" during the raids.
Five men were arrested during the raids and one, whose house was found to contain $200,000 in bundles of cash, was released on bail.
