(CNN) Australia police ended a two-and-a-half year drug investigation on Christmas day by busting a cartel and seizing 1102 pounds (500 kilograms) of cocaine.



The December 25 bust, along with a seizure of 1336 pounds (606 kilograms) of cocaine from the same syndicate earlier this year, was worth about $259 million (AUD$360 million) and is Australia's largest ever haul from a single cartel.

Police said it was among their ten largest seizures ever.

The investigation, codenamed Operation Okesi, was a joint effort between Australian Federal Police, New South Wales Police and Australia's Border Force.

Officials brief the media in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016.

Speaking beside a table piled high with heavy bricks of drugs, NSW Police Force State Crime Commander Mark Jenkins commended Australia's law enforcement and border protection agencies for working on bust, even at the cost of missing Christmas with their families.

"This job began with a thread of information to the NSW Police Force's Drug Squad two-and-a-half years ago," Jenkins said.

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