Federal police will analyse whether suspicious packages of white powder, believed to be cocaine, that washed up on beaches in far north Queensland and NSW are linked to a 2018 drug bust.

In February, 10 packages were discovered washed up on Ramsay Bay on Hinchinbrook Island, and then in March, a member of the public came across another package on a NSW beach.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Lesa Gale revealed to Scott Emerson on 4BC Drive the packages may be linked to an investigation where two men were accused of allegedly dumping nearly 600 kilograms of cocaine overboard while being chased by police in northern NSW.

“What I can say to you is that members of the public contacted Queensland police after locating 10 packages of white powder that had washed up on the beach at Ramsay Bay,” she said.

“The second incident that occurred in NSW, a man was walking along the Malabar beach when he located a suspicious package that had washed up on the sand and then he also contacted NSW police.

“What I can say to you is that enquiries are now ongoing in relation to the contents and origins of those packages, and their potential links to a drug importation investigation from 2018.

“On this occasion we believe that a previous Queensland joint organised crime taskforce operation in 2018 that had resulted in the arrest of two men and the seizure of approximately 600 kilos of cocaine, we believe it is linked to that.”

The packages will be forensically analysed.

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Image: AFP/Supplied