A giant seal allegedly scuppered two international drug smugglers’ chances of getting away with a A$1 billion (£560 million) haul, police say.

The pair allegedly sailed across the Indian Ocean to Western Australia with the stash of cocaine, methylamphetamine and ecstasy but ran their yacht aground near the city of Geraldton and fled on a dinghy to Burton Island.

Officers searched the island on Tuesday and found French man Antoine Robert Dicenta, 51, and 34-year-old British man Graham Kurt Palmer, as well as more than one tonne of illegal drugs in 40 bags hidden beneath seaweed on the island, Western Australia Police said.

The men allegedly attempted to flee the officers – but were stopped in their tracks after they woke a sleeping seal who “jumped up with its big chest out and bellowed at them,” the Australian Associated Press reports.

Damien Healy, vice commander of the local volunteer marine rescue service, told ABC Radio the men “basically had the choice of going through the seal or getting arrested”.

Alleged drug gang attempt to hide $1bn haul on Australian island Show all 7 1 /7 Alleged drug gang attempt to hide $1bn haul on Australian island Alleged drug gang attempt to hide $1bn haul on Australian island Five men in total have been arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle A$1bn worth of illegal drugs across the Indian Ocean to Western Australia. Two of the men were allegedly arrested after a giant seal thwarted their attempts to flee police on Burton Island, where the drugs were found apparently hidden beneath seaweed. Western Australia Police Alleged drug gang attempt to hide $1bn haul on Australian island Western Australia Police Alleged drug gang attempt to hide $1bn haul on Australian island Western Australia Police Alleged drug gang attempt to hide $1bn haul on Australian island Western Australia Police Alleged drug gang attempt to hide $1bn haul on Australian island Western Australia Police Alleged drug gang attempt to hide $1bn haul on Australian island epa07819586 An undated handout photo made available by Western Australia Police shows an aerial view of Burton Island, Western Australia, Australia (issued 05 September 2019). Australian police announced on 05 September 2019 that about one ton of illicit drugs has been found on a West Australian island on 03 September after a yacht ran aground on a reef at the Abrolhos Islands, with two foreign nationals, a British and a French, charged over the massive seizure. About 40 bags were located, with preliminary tests suggesting the haul included cocaine and ecstasy illicit drugs. EPA/WA POLICE HANDOUT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES WA POLICE HANDOUT Western Australia Police/EPA Alleged drug gang attempt to hide $1bn haul on Australian island epa07819585 An undated handout photo made available by Western Australia Police of bags of illicit drugs concealed under seaweed on a deserted West Australian island, Australia (issued 05 September 2019). Australian police announced on 05 September 2019 that about one ton of illicit drugs has been found on a West Australian island on 03 September after a yacht ran aground on a reef at the Abrolhos Islands, with two foreign nationals, a British and a French, charged over the massive seizure. About 40 bags were located, with preliminary tests suggesting the haul included cocaine and ecstasy illicit drugs. EPA/WA POLICE HANDOUT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES WA POLICE HANDOUT Western Australia Police/EPA

Mr Dicenta and Mr Palmer were charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

Three more men were also arrested in connection with the investigation on Wednesday.

A 45-year-old US national and a 35-year-old British national were arrested in Perth and a 50-year-old from New South Wales was arrested at Perth Airport.

All three men were refused bail and were due to appear at Perth Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Assistant commissioner Brad Royce, of Western Australia Police, said: “The sheer size and nature of this seizure clearly indicates the involvement of an established criminal network.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

“The arrests represent a significant development in the investigation.