Almost $5.5 million in cash has been taken off Sydney's streets in three days as well as $34 million worth of drugs in less than two weeks.
Despite the massive haul, the NSW Police squad at the centre of the major busts suspects it is only scratching the surface of Australia's prolific money laundering problem.
"I think we have underestimated the amount of money laundering that is going on," Organised Crime Squad boss Detective Superintendent Scott Cook said.
Since the squad was formed to tackle those at the top end of town just over 12 months ago, investigators have reeled in $16.6 million in cash off the street.
In the space of three days earlier this month, the squad uncovered $4.1 million in cash hidden in rubbish and sports bags at a plush city apartment, $200,000 in a bag allegedly exchanged between two men at a train station and $170,000 at a home in Kogarah Bay in Sydney's south.
At the same time, another $1 million in cash was seized during various raids across Sydney.
Police will allege the $4.1 million in cash found at the CBD apartment was planned to be divided into $200,000 lots and put through money remitters.
The organised crime squad was formed last year with money laundering one of its main targets.
The squad believes it has made inroads in tackling the issue but police concede the problem has been bigger than expected.
"We always knew that the drug problem was huge but I think we have underestimated the level of money laundering in Australia," Det Supt Cook said.
Across two strike forces, including with the Australian Crime Commission, detectives have also seized about $34 million worth of drugs since the start of March.
In a recent sting - under a operation focused on Sydney's cocaine trade - police targeted a man allegedly receiving a cocaine package from South America.
Police will allege the man's wife, after collecting the package, met her husband in a Sydney car park and handed him the parcel.
The husband, 42, was charged on March 3 with drug supply and dealing with proceeds of crime.
The women was released pending further investigation.
Police seized further packages on March 5 and on Monday of cocaine hidden in a shipment of biscuit jars and cutlery and another of toy helicopters originating from the Netherlands and Panama.
The hauls are part of the four tonnes in drugs the Organised Crime Squad have seized in the past 12 months.
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