1.4 tons of cocaine seized in record-breaking bust

Australia has made its largest cocaine haul ever after seizing a yacht carrying 1.4 tons of the drug with an estimated street value of US$239m.

The boat was stopped off the New South Wales coast on February 2 and six men were arrested, police said on Monday, following a two-and-a-half year joint investigation between Australia and New Zealand.

"This is the largest cocaine haul ever seized in a single operation in Australia's history," said Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

Police allege the yacht sailed from New Zealand to a "mothership" in the South Pacific to pick up the drugs last month.