Child pornography, drugs and firearm charges - Eastern Beaches
Child pornography, drugs and firearm charges - Eastern Beaches
A man will face a Sydney court tomorrow after being charged with possessing child pornography, prohibited drugs, prohibited weapon and prohibited firearm.
About 8.45am today (Thursday 15 December 2011), police from Maroubra Police Station attended a unit in Anzac Parade, Kingsford, after being contacted by the Australian Federal Police.
Federal Police had been conducting a search warrant relating to child pornography when they allegedly located a number of items requiring investigation by state police.
It is alleged during the search warrant, police located prohibited drugs, a taser and a firearm.
A 48-year-old man was arrested and taken to Maroubra Police Station where he was charged with possess child pornography, three counts of possess prohibited drugs, possess prohibited weapon without permit and possess unauthorised prohibited firearm.
The man was refused bail to appear in Central Local Court tomorrow (Friday 16 December 2011).
A 51-year-old man has pleaded guilty in the District Court in Kalgoorlie over charges related to the cultivation of a large amount of cannabis.
The court has heard in a police raid in April, officers found nearly 2.7 kilograms of cannabis and a number of cannabis plants in the house of Rex David Hayward.
Hayward yesterday changed his plea from not guilty to guilty over charges of cultivating a prohibited plant and possession of prohibited drugs with intent to sell or supply.
He has received bail and is due to return to court in March.
Burns victim charged with making drugs in Sydney unit
Burns victim charged with making drugs in Sydney unit
A burns victim, who had been admitted to intensive care after a unit fire in western Sydney, has been charged with making drugs in the unit, police say.
The 34-year-old man was severely burnt in the blaze, which broke out at the unit in Nagle Street, Liverpool, about 2.30am last Friday.
He was transferred to the intensive care unit at Concord Hospital. He has since been released from hospital.
His wife and three-year-old daughter were uninjured.
Police allegedly seized a number of items, including chemicals, from the unit after the fire was extinguished.
They will allege the unit was being used to make drugs.
The man was arrested yesterday and charged with exposing a child to manufacturing a drug and possession of a precursor for use in drug manufacture.
He was refused bail and is due to appear before Liverpool Local Court today.
Police in Sydney’s west have charged a man with drug offences after he allegedly ran away from a Random Breath Testing site in Smithfield.
About 3.50pm yesterday (Friday 16 December 2011), police from Fairfield Highway Patrol were breath testing drivers at a stationary site on the Cumberland Highway.
A vehicle stopped before the site and, as police approached, the driver exited his vehicle and commenced to walk away.
Police spoke with the driver, who then allegedly ran away, throwing an item into the front yard of a house in Polding Street.
Police chased the man for a short distance before he was stopped and searched by police, who found a large sum of cash on him.
A quantity of amphetamine was found in the front yard of the Polding Street home.
The 39-year-old man was arrested and taken to Fairfield Police Station.
He was charged with supply prohibited drug, possess prohibited drug, proceeds of crime and use unregistered vehicle.
The man was refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court later today.
Two men charged after drugs, cash seized by police - Tamworth
Two men charged after drugs, cash seized by police - Tamworth
Two men have been arrested and charged after police seized cannabis and cash at Tamworth, in the state’s northwest.
Detectives from Oxley Local Area Command executed a search warrant on a Manilla Road residence about 11.30am today (Friday 16 December 2011) and seized almost 1kg of high-quality cannabis, drug paraphernalia, ammunition and a significant sum of cash.
Police arrested two men at the scene and took them to Tamworth Police Station.
They were subsequently charged with various offences – including supply prohibited drug, possess prohibited drug, possess ammunition and knowingly deal in the proceeds of crime.
The 34-year-old Tamworth man and 37-year-old Oxley Vale man were subsequently refused bail to appear in Tamworth Bail Court tomorrow (Saturday 17 December 2011).
Drug Investigation Branch investigators have dismantled a significant cannabis trafficking syndicate operating between South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.
In the past two days, 19 premises have been searched in South Australia with a number in the Kadina/Wallaroo area. Two premises in New South Wales and one in Queensland were also searched. Thirty kilograms of cannabis, 88 cannabis plants, firearms, steroids and over $450,000 cash was located and seized. Seven people were arrested.
A 27-year-old man from Salisbury Downs and a 29-year-old man Paralowie have been charged with traffic in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and money laundering. Both have been remanded in custody until 11.30 am on Wednesday 21 December 2011 at the Adelaide Magistrates Court.
A 23-year-old woman and a 50-year-old woman both from Salisbury Downs and a 54-year-old man from Paralowie have all been charged with cultivate cannabis for sale. A 49-year-old woman from Wallaroo has been reported for cultivate cannabis for sale.
The two premises searched in New South Wales resulted in the seizure of 8 kg of cannabis and $65,150 cash.
A 40-year-old man from Adamstown NSW has been charged with supply a prohibited drug. Queensland Police arrested a 50-year-old man from Woody Point QLD in possession of $377,100.
He was remanded in custody for extradition and will return with Drug Investigation Branch detectives this afternoon.
He will be charged in South Australia with traffic in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and money laundering.
Police have charged a 23-year-old Dalby man with a number of drug-related offences after officers located equipment allegedly used in the production of amphetamines in Warwick this morning.
Police attended a Grafton Street address around 10am and executed a search warrant where they later located the materials.
The man has been charged with two counts of posses relevant substance or thing and one count of possess anything for use in the commission of crime.
He is due to appear in the Warwick Magistrates Court on Monday.
Two charged over alleged clandestine laboratory, Raceview
Two charged over alleged clandestine laboratory, Raceview
Police have charged two people with a number of drug-related offences after officers allegedly located a clandestine drug laboratory at Raceview this morning.
Police attended a South Station Road complex just after 10.30am and executed a search warrant.
They later located materials allegedly used to produce amphetamines.
A 19-year-old Leichardt woman and 35-year-old Willowbank man have both been charged with two counts of posses substance or thing, and one count each of possess of prohibited combination of items, possess relevant substance or thing, possess dangerous drugs and posses utensils.
They are due to appear in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday.
Queensland man fined for attempting to import a tablet press
Queensland man fined for attempting to import a tablet press
A 23 year old Nambour man, Mr Justin Steinhardt has been fined $31 000 for the attempted importation and possession of tablet presses and providing false information to Customs and Border Protection.
In November 2010 Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a shipping container at the Port of Brisbane which originated from China. After examination of the container it was found to contain a tablet press.
Customs and Border Protection officers executed search warrants at the container delivery address and at Mr Steinhardt’s residence where another tablet press was seized.
Mr Steinhardt appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to three charges relating to intentionally giving false information to Customs and Border Protection, unlawfully importing a tablet press and unlawfully possessing a tablet press.
Customs and Border Protection National Manager of Investigations Kingsley Woodford-Smith said Customs and Border Protection is serious about preventing Prohibited Items such as tablet presses from entering Australia.
“Anyone who is trying to import tablet presses into Australia for non legitimate or criminal purposes will be identified and face criminal charges,” Mr Woodford-Smith said.
“Tablet presses are used to manufacture illegal substances, such as methamphetamine and ecstasy, which are a serious problem in Australia and provide a large source of revenue for organised crime groups across the country.”
Under the Customs Act 1901, the maximum penalty for importing a tablet press without permission is $110,000. All states and territories have restrictions or bans on the possession or use of tablet presses without lawful excuse.
Chinese man jailed for attempting to import pseudoephedrine
Chinese man jailed for attempting to import pseudoephedrine
A 21-year-old Chinese national, Mr Jie Wang has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for the attempted importation of two kilograms of pseudoephedrine into Victoria.
In July 2011, Customs and Border Protection officers at Melbourne Airport intercepted an air cargo consignment from Hong Kong consisting of two boxes labelled as 'heaters'. Each box contained a kitchen-style water urn.
Further examination by the officers revealed 6.4 kilograms of pink and yellow granules, thought to be ContacNT, concealed inside the water urns.
ContacNT is commonly sold in China as a cold and flu remedy however it is illegal to import it into Australia because it contains a high level of pseudoephedrine which is a precursor used to produce illicit drugs.
Mr Wang was arrested by Customs and Border Protection officers after he collected the parcel.
Mr Wang will be deported to China when he is released from prison.
Customs and Border Protection National Manager Investigations, Kingsley Woodford-Smith said Customs and Border Protection have noticed a trend in the way packages containing ContactNT are delivered, where young international students are approached by criminals to collect parcels on their behalf in return for payment.
“This sentencing serves as a strong warning to individuals that whether or not you know what is inside a parcel you are collecting, you are ultimately responsible for the parcel and its contents. If you are found to be in possession of illicit drugs or related substances, you will face the full consequences of the law,” Mr Woodford-Smith said.
The story of a drug-dealer, his male model-turned bodyguard and a standover man
The story of a drug-dealer, his male model-turned bodyguard and a standover man
WHEN a drug dealer, his male model-turned bodyguard and a standover man got together in a Sydney house three years ago, it was never going to end well.
Suspicions were raised and guns were drawn. One ended up dead, his body dumped from the back of a boat in deep water off Sydney Harbour. The other two are now in jail.
Tuan Anh Tran has just been sentenced in the NSW Supreme Court to 20 years for his part in the killing of Paul Elliott, a rival drug dealer and close associate of the notorious Melbourne underworld family, the Morans.
Elliott came to Sydney in 2008 to settle a drug dispute with Tran, who he claimed had supplied him with poor-quality methylamphetamine.
But he knew things might turn ugly. Before leaving Melbourne for Sydney, Elliott told his girlfriend: "I have to go
to Sydney to a meeting. If this doesn't go right, you might not see me again." When he arrived in Sydney he met Tran in a drug house at Brighton-Le-Sands but sensing something was amiss, asked: "Why are we meeting here?"
Tran had hired former model Michael Christiansen as protection for his meeting with Elliott, who was demanding money back after returning the dodgy drugs, court documents showed.
Tran paid Christiansen for his services with the same drugs that Elliott had rejected.
When Elliott "loudly questioned whether there was someone else in the house and began entering other rooms", he walked around with a gun drawn.
Searching the house, he entered a room where the waiting Christiansen shot him several times in the head and chest. Elliott had his gun drawn but never fired.
Tran drove the Melbourne man's car to Redfern where it was later set on fire. He also organised for blood stains to be cleaned from the house.
Christiansen drove the body to his home in Annandale where he loaded it into a metal box he had bought in St Peters, with the help of old friend Jeremy Postlewaight.
The court heard Christiansen drilled holes in the side of the box, which contained Elliott's body and -- with others -- dropped it from a boat 12km off Sydney Heads.
Tran joins Christiansen, who was jailed in July for a minimum of 17 years. Tran pleaded not guilty in May but later changed it to guilty. He will be eligible for parole in 2025.
Ceduna police have arrested a 52-year-old man and 33-year-old woman, both from Western Australia for drug offences following a routine traffic stop early this morning.
At about 3.45am, police stopped a semi-trailer on the Eyre Highway at Ceduna when the passenger was seen to throw an object out of the truck.
After further investigation, police located 390grams of amphetamine which police will allege was the object thrown from the truck and also a radar detector inside the vehicle.
Both were arrested and charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of a controlled substance and the man was further charged with driving under the influence and issued with a $421 fine for possession of the radar detector.
The truck was seized for 28 days and remains in the Ceduna Impound Yard.
Both have been refused police bail and are expected to face court on Monday.
Police have seized drugs and an amount of cash during a search warrant in Armidale.
About 6am Saturday (17 December 2011), police executed a search warrant on a home in Hawthorne Close.
It is alleged inside the home, police located and seized approximately 530 grams of cannabis, some of which was contained in vacuum-sealed bags.
Police also seized a sum of cash they will allege was proceeds of crime and a single tablet believed to be speed (Amphetamine).
On Sunday (18 December 2011), a 27-year-old man was arrested at Armidale.
He was taken to Armidale Police Station, where he was charged with supplying a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug, self administering a prohibited drug and dealing with proceeds of crime.
He was refused bail and will appear in Armidale Local Court today (Monday 19 December 2011).
Two men from the Pilbara town of Wickham are due to appear in court this week on charges relating to the discovery of 13 ounces of cannabis in mid-west Western Australia at the weekend.
Police say the men were driving along the Brand Highway near Geraldton on Friday night, when they were pulled over by police and their vehicle was searched.
Police allegedly found 13 ounces, or more than 300 grams of cannabis, inside the men's car.
The 42-year-old driver and 49-year-old passenger were charged with possession with intent to sell or supply and are due to appear in the Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Police have arrested two people following a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking and supply on the Gold Coast.
Overnight a 29-year-old woman and 37-year-old man, both from Elanora were arrested by officers for drug trafficking and a string of other drug related offences.
It will be alleged the pair were involved in the supply and distribution of heroin in the southern Gold Coast area in the past 12 months.
Both have been charged with one count each of trafficking dangerous drugs, produced dangerous drugs, supply relevant substance, possess relevant substance, possession of things used in connection and possession of proceeds of a Drug Misused Act offence, seven counts of supply dangerous drugs and three counts possess dangerous drugs.
The pair are due to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court on December 20, 2011.
