SYDNEY, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Australian police have appealed for public assistance to identify a criminal syndicate responsible for importing 350 kilograms of methamphetamine found in a shipping container that arrived in Sydney.

Authorities said on Thursday that the container was intercepted and examined by officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF) upon its arrival at Sydney's Port Botany from the Middle East in April.

During the examination, officers found the methamphetamine with an estimated value of 323 million Australian dollars (207.5 million U.S. dollars) hidden inside 35 specially manufactured metal pipes.

The drugs were seized by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the container was allowed to be delivered to its intended address in the western Sydney suburb of Kemps Creek, where it has remained since.

The AFP and ABF said in a joint statement on Thursday that investigators believe the details of a legitimate business were used for the importation in an attempt to avoid law enforcement.

According to the AFP, the seized volume of methamphetamine could have supplied 3.5 million street-level deals. ■