A drug syndicate operating in NSW has been busted and $375 million worth of methamphetamine seized in raids, police said today.
The 500 packages weighing 500kg of the drug ‘ice’ were hidden amongst clothes in a shipping container.
The NSW Crime Investigation Squad arrested four men in relation to the importation and supply of illicit drugs, all who were refused bail and were remanded to appear in court today.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said: “We have disrupted their activities utilising covert and intelligence-based resources to identify locations and links and associations of syndicate members, but we are not naïve enough to think our job is done.
“The Organised Crime Squad and the entire NSW Police Force is focused on working with our partners on targeting the criminal networks who import, manufacture, and supply illicit drugs.
“This operation doesn’t stop with these arrests. We will be following every thread of information, with the assistance of our partners – both here in Australia and across the globe – and the community can be confident we will investigate, arrest and put people before the courts.”
Police added $200,000 in cash was recovered during raids in Sydney.
Two men aged 33 and 36 were arrested in their homes in Carlton and Rhodes on Thursday. A t the same time a 33-year-old man was arrested walking down the street at Wolli Creek, and a 55-year-old Canadian national was arrested in a shopping centre in Hurstville.
Three of the men appeared in court in Sutherland today, where they were charged with the supply of prohibited drugs, participating in criminal groups, contributing to criminal activity and dealing with property proceeds of a crime. A fourth man was given conditional bail to appear at Burwood local court on August 12.
Minister for Police David Elliott MP said: “This poison is destroying our state and I will support police who are out on the streets dealing with this, along with their emergency services partners, to help reduce any risk of harm to the people of NSW.
“The community benefits every time we take drugs out of the hands of criminals and this result is a further demonstration of the ability of law enforcement agencies.”
The operation was assisted by the Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police.