Russian 'master criminals' known as The Board have infiltrated Australian ports, moving contraband at will.

Detective Inspector Michael Ballard's relentless pursuit of the group's hierarchy, backed by colleagues John Henderson and the Serious Crime Taskforce Commander, Peter Donaldson, has struck a hurdle. The Board's tentacles have penetrated the state's political system, the police force, and even big business.

Alarmingly, direct threats have been made against Ballard and John and their families, warning them that should the homicide detectives' dogged investigations continue, their loved ones will suffer.

If that isn't shocking enough, The Board has now set its sights on the first shipment of nuclear waste due to be entombed in the Victorian outback—a scenario that has implications for millions of lives. The three detectives' expertise and resolve are about to be tested to the full.