The Australian/NZ Drug Busts Mega-Thread Part Deux

[kingpin007]

Police bust drugs labs

21 Dec 09 @ 03:54pm

TWO men and three women have been arrested after three-month investigation into an alleged drug ring in Melbourne’s north-west.

Fawkner police and Santiago taskforce and clandestine lab squad detectives this morning searched eight properties as part of Operation Chives.

Three women, aged 25, 27 and 28, and a 28-year-old man were arrested at a Fox St, St Albans, property, where an alleged clandestine lab was discovered.

They are assisting police with their inquiries.

Another alleged lab was also discovered in Weir Rd, Exford.

A 44-year-old Reservoir man appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court this morning and was remanded in custody until a later date.

Homes in Swan Ave, Westmeadows, McLennan St, Braybrook, Rosedale Cres, Dallas, Classic Place, Craigieburn, Samson St, Hadfield, and Melaleuca Drive, Meadow Heights, were also searched.

Santiago Taskforce detective Sen-Sgt Everett Moutsidis said the operation was a collaborative effort between the crime department and regional police.

“We will continue to target persons of interest to our taskforce, gather intelligence, identify and apprehend those that are part of organised criminal activity”, he said.

http://hume-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/police-bust-drugs-labs/

 

[kingpin007]

Collie man on serious drugs, assault charges

STAFF REPORTER

December 21, 2009 - 10:35AM

A Collie man accused of having almost 300g of ecstasy tablets in a sock hidden in his underwear before wrestling with police officers will face a Bunbury court tomorrow.

Police in the south west charged the 33-year-old with serious drug offences after stopping his Toyota Landcruiser in Roelands early yesterday morning on the Coalfields Highway.

During a search of the car, police said they located a large clip seal bag that contained a crystalline substance believed to be methylamphetamine.

Police then searched the man and claim they located a sock hidden in his underwear that contained 292g of ecstasy tablets.

The man started wrestling with officers who tried to arrest him and back-up officers were called to quell the scuffle. Two officers suffered cuts and soreness in the fight.

The man was charged with possession of ecstasy with intent to sell or supply, possession of methylamphetamine, obstructing police and two counts of assaulting a public officer.

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/collie-man-on-serious-drugs-assault-charges-20091221-l9gf.html

 

[hoptis]

83 caught in music festival drug bust
Posted Sat Jan 2, 2010 10:08am AEDT
Updated Sat Jan 2, 2010 11:22am AEDT

Police have arrested 83 people for drug offences during the Fuzzy Field Day music festival in Sydney.

Various drugs seized by police during the event include ecstasy, amphetamines, cocaine and cannabis.

A 21-year-old man believed to be linked to a outlaw motorcycle gang was charged after allegedly being found in possession of more than 17 grams of ecstasy.

Meanwhile two men, aged 23 and 25, were also charged after allegedly being in possession of ecstasy

ABC

 

[kingpin007]

Australian man nabbed in $30 million drug bust in Bali

* By Cindy Wockner and and Komang Suriad
* From: The Daily Telegraph
* January 12, 2010 12:26AM

AN Australian man arrested in Bali on the weekend was the target of a NSW police operation which seized drugs with a potential street value of $30 million and smashed a European drug syndicate importing ecstasy to Australia.

Timothy Geoffrey Lee, 44, was arrested on Saturday by Indonesian police at the request of Australian authorities, who said he was wanted to face charges in NSW. In documents he was described as possibly being "armed, dangerous and addicted to drugs".

Documents sent to Indonesian police by the Australian Federal Police, requesting his arrest, said that Lee was a target of NSW Crime Commission's Operation Lanyard, in regard to supplying a commercial quantity of drugs, MDMA, and using proceeds of crime.

Operation Lanyard seized drugs with a street value of $30 million in 2006, including 1kg of cocaine, 45kg of MDMA, 11kg of MDMA powder, 45 litres of MDMA oil and $200,000 cash.

Lee, who had been living in Kuta, is now in jail at Denpasar's police headquarters, where he denies any involvement in drugs.

Yesterday he was visited by his lawyer, Erwin Siregar, and his parents, who it is understood are retired in Bali.

Mr Siregar said his client maintained he was not involved with drugs and had never been found guilty of anything. He said when police searched Lee's home in Bali they found no evidence of any drugs.

Lee was also the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, seeking his arrest. This document showed three photographs of Lee and underneath it had the words: "Warning: This person may be armed, dangerous and addicted to drugs."

The notice includes a section of judicial information which alleges that Lee was involved in supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and dealing with the proceeds of criminal offences.

It goes on to say that on June 17 and July 1, 2006 that police seized drugs including 1kg of cocaine, MDMA powder, 45 litres of MDMA oil and equipment used in the process of pressing powder into tablets.

The document says that about July 8, 2006 Lee left Melbourne for Bali.

In a letter dated November 9 last year the Australian Federal Police requested their Balinese counterparts to arrest Lee.

It said: "Lee left Australia before he was arrested and then travelled to Indonesia and finally he is presumed to be living in Bali. A request for his extradition to Australia has been sent to the Government of Indonesia through the Attorney-General.

"When Lee is found he is to be arrested and returned to NSW where he will be charged with violations as follows," the letter says.

The letter goes on to say that Lee's activities in Indonesia are unknown and that recently he has had contact via email with someone in Australia.

Lee was arrested on Saturday as he walked his dog in Canggu, a suburb north of Kuta. He has both Australian and British passports and was living in Bali on a visa which is valid until September this year.

In order for Lee to be extradited to Australia he must first face a court hearing and then the extradition must be approved by Indonesia's President, in a process which could take up to a year.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...rug-bust-in-bali/story-e6freuy9-1225818211809

 

[trippa]

Net closing on drug lords
By JOHN HARTEVELT

Last updated 05:00 12/01/2010

The "Mr Bigs" of New Zealand's illicit drug rings are being traced to their homes after a record haul of more than one tonne of pseudoephedrine was intercepted at the border last year.

Minister of Customs Maurice Williamson said yesterday the amount of pseudoephedrine – which is a principal ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine – seized was 66 per cent greater than the year before.

Drug lords were making 1000 per cent profits and treated their mules as expendable, Mr Williamson said. "It's not just picking this stuff up as it comes across the border ... that's the easy bit.

"It's a matter of trying to then trace it right back up the network so you catch the Mr Bigs, the ones who are making the big sums out of it."

The Government announced a "War on P" in October. Chief science adviser Peter Gluckman said New Zealand had the third-highest reported P use in the world, and the market for the illegal drug was about $1 billion a year.

Yesterday, it emerged that Customs is making controlled deliveries to drug lords of Contac NT, a pseudoephedrine-based cold medicine that is a class C controlled drug in New Zealand.

Customs work with police when they find illicit ingredients being imported and attach tracking devices to the offending packages.

"That's when we catch people quite significantly higher up the chain," Mr Williamson said.

"They're getting smarter all of the time ... they will try to run blind dummy runs and have parcels passed from car to car at traffic lights."

Mr Williamson admitted the Government had no idea how much of the precursor was not being captured. However, the street price of P was going up, indicating that supply was being choked off.

It is understood a gram of P now costs about $800, up from about $300 to $400 a year ago.

Tightening of the borders has also led to increasingly sophisticated smuggling techniques.

In one case, packs of baby powder and baby's booties were sent from a "grandmother" in China with a card to "my darling granddaughter".

One baby's bottle, despite being sealed and wrapped, was filled up with methamphetamine.

In another case, an X-ray showed the leg of a table had a space at the top of the desk. When the table was broken open, one leg was found filled with methamphetamine.

Mr Williamson said the amount intercepted last year was enough to manufacture at least 246 kilograms of P.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/3221692/Net-closing-on-drug-lords

 

[kingpin007]

Arrest leads to $300,000 cannabis house - Miller

Thursday, 14 Jan 2010 10:23am

Police have been led to a clandestine hydro-house after arresting a break-and-enter suspect in Sydney’s southwest.

About 4pm on Tuesday 12 January, police were patrolling Miller as part of Operation Callaghan, formed to target property theft.

They arrested a 32-year-old man after reports he had been seen breaking-in to a house on Banks Road at Miller.

While speaking with the man, he informed officers the house was being used to grow cannabis.

A short time later, officers spotted a car stop in the driveway of the house.

Police spoke with the 38-year-old driver and discovered cannabis growing hydroponically in three rooms of the house.

Officers seized 158 cannabis plants in various stages of maturity, with an estimated potential street value of more than $300,000.

The home owner has been charged with the enhanced cultivation of a cannabis plants and one count of altering electricity.

The man has been bailed to appear at Liverpool Local Court on Thursday 4 February.

Meanwhile, the other man has been charged with one count of break-and-enter and appeared at Liverpool Local Court yesterday.

Green Valley Local Area Commander, Superintendent Mark Szalako said these significant arrest came as direct result of proactive and targeted policing.

“There is no doubt this result will have a significant impact on property theft and drug distribution in the area,” he said.

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/l...nb3YuYXUlMkZtZWRpYSUyRjk1OTguaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ==

 

[kingpin007]

18 million dollar cannabis crop located - Coffs/Clarence LAC

Friday, 15 Jan 2010 08:37am

Police have arrested and charged three men following investigations into the cultivation of cannabis on rural properties within the Chaelundi National Park near Dorrigo.

Strike Force Morison was established by the State Crime Command’s Drug Squad with the assistance of Coffs/Clarence and New England Local Area Commands to investigate the cultivation of cannabis within the Chaelundi National Park.

Investigations led police to two leased properties in the National Park where they identified cannabis crops being cultivated.

About 12pm Wednesday 13 January, 2010 police will allege they observed two men on the property in the process of watering the cannabis plants.

A search warrant was conducted on the property with the two men, aged 61 and 37, arrested and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station. Police allegedly located in excess of 9000 cannabis plants with an estimated potential street value of $18 million.

About 4:40pm the same day, police came across two men on a track leading to the property and subsequent checks revealed one of the men to be wanted on a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station.

The 37-year-old and 61-year-old men were both charged with cultivate cannabis greater than commercial quantity and refused bail where they appeared at Coffs Harbour Local Court yesterday.

They were refused bail to re-appear on 9 March, 2010. Meanwhile a 52-year-old man was charged with a revocation of parole warrant.

Coffs Harbour Detectives also executed two search warrants in connection with the arrests. A number of items have been seized including cash and financial records.
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http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/l...nb3YuYXUlMkZtZWRpYSUyRjk2MTAuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ==

 

[hoptis]

Drug dogs snag offenders at 'Hot Barbeque'
Sunday, 17 January 2010 04:01

Local police sent the dogs in for a sniff at Point Nepean’s ‘Hot Barbeque’ music festival yesterday, and they found more than ‘hot fat’.

Thirty six people were detained after Passive Alert Detection (PAD) dogs picked up the presence of illicit substances.

Nine of those searched were handed cannabis cautions, whilst another 24 will be required to undergo a drug diversion program.

Three others will face court; one for trafficking cocaine, one for trafficking ecstasy and the other for a number of outstanding warrants.

Whilst detecting a variety of drugs including amphetamines, cocaine and cannabis
Acting Senior Sergeant Michael Lamb from Hastings police said that the crowd was very well behaved.

“The event was extremely well organised and apart from an expected amount of detections, the crowd was in good spirits,” he said.

Vic Police News

 

[kingpin007]

US man charged over 'cocaine' choc bars

January 18, 2010 - 3:04PM


Featured on A Current Affair. Over100 Kg lost. See Actual Photos.

GabrielMethod.com.au/Dieting

AAP

An American citizen has been charged with drug smuggling, after chocolate bars allegedly containing cocaine were found in his suitcase at Sydney Airport.

Customs officers who searched the 42-year-old's luggage after he arrived on a flight from Buenos Aires on Sunday allegedly found "numerous" bite size chocolate bars and other chocolate products wrapped in clothing.

Closer examination of one of the bars revealed a white powder coated in chocolate, Customs and Australian Federal Police said in a joint statement on Monday.

"A Customs and Border Protection drug detection dog reacted positively for the presence of drugs in the chocolate bars and preliminary tests conducted by officers reacted positively for the presence of cocaine," they said.

"The matter was referred to the AFP and the man was placed under arrest."

He was charged with importing a marketable quantity of cocaine and was due to appear in court on Monday.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-new...ged-over-cocaine-choc-bars-20100118-mg2n.html

 

[kingpin007]

Pair charged over $20m 'ice' bust


GEESCHE JACOBSEN

January 22, 2010 - 10:27AM

Police say they have stopped a syndicate suspected of planning to import 50 kilograms of "ice" - with a street value of about $20 million - into Sydney every month.

Two Chinese men were arrested yesterday after the Australian Federal Police seized what they said were 50 kilograms of the drug hidden in car parts imported from China.

The shipment had arrived in Melbourne 10 days ago and was then trucked to a warehouse in western Sydney.

The seizure is believed to equate to half the monthly supply of ice in Sydney. Police allege the syndicate was set up to supply 50 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine a month and that the men arrested were near to the top of the syndicate.

Inquiries are continuing and police raided four Sydney and three Victorian addresses yesterday.

This one seizure nearly equals all the federal police's 56 ice seizures last year, which totalled 53 kilograms.

The Australian Federal Police Sydney manager Commander David Stewart said the amount seized was enough for about 50,000 street deals.

A 47-year-old Sydney resident and a 31-year-old from Hong Kong are due to appear in Central Local Court today, charged with trafficking commercial quantities of the drug. If convicted they face potential life imprisonment.

The 47-year-old man was arrested at the Glendenning warehouse allegedly in possession of the drugs, while the 31-year-old man was arrested at Sydney Airport as he was preparing to leave the country.

The operation and the arrests were a joint investigation between the Australian Crime Commission, Customs, the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/pair-charged-over-20m-ice-bust-20100122-mozw.html?autostart=1

 

[kingpin007]

Police arrest drug-taking drivers

Nikkii Joyce | 22nd January 2010

THE arrest of five motorists on drug charges and the seizure of $3000 worth of ecstasy tablets from a woman’s purse on Wednesday night were frightening, Sunshine Coast police superintendent Ben Hanbidge said yesterday.

Sixty police, including the Brisbane dog drug detection unit, the state traffic taskforce and Sunshine Coast police shut down the entire Bruce Highway near the Ettamogah Pub between 9pm on Wednesday night and 3am yesterday.

All north and south bound traffic was diverted off the highway on to Frizzo or Pignata roads, where motorists were subjected to roadside checks.

The large scale taskforce marked stage 13 of Operation Lasso which targets traffic, drug and property related crime.

No lives have been lost on Sunshine Coast roads this year, in comparison to the same time last year during which four lives were lost.

Supt Hanbidge said he witnessed the extent to which some motorists were affected by drugs.

“One female who had been found in possession of 174 ecstasy tablets was grossly affected by a drug substance,” he said.

“It was fairly frightening to discover people like this and on drugs are driving motor vehicles on our highways.”

The woman was among five people who returned positive drug tests for ecstasy and cannabis.

Twenty-two grams of methylamphetamine was also seized by police.

The ecstasy and “speed” were found in south-bound vehicles.

Seven drink drivers including one with a high range reading of 0.124 were detected. Eighteen heavy vehicle traffic infringement notices were issued.

Supt Hanbidge said operations similar to the one on Wednesday night, in which 1062 random breath tests were conducted, would continue.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/01/22/police-arrest-drug-taking-drivers/

 

[marley]

Police crack drugs supply ring in Newcastle

Police claim to have smashed a large ecstasy supply ring following raids across Newcastle and Sydney this morning.

Eight men have been arrested and police seized drugs and cash during an investigation into the sale of illegal drugs in Newcastle’s nightclubs.

Strike Force Sloman was established in June 2009 to investigate the large scale organised distribution of ecstasy and other drugs within the Newcastle City and neighbouring Local Area Commands.

Police allege since September last year the network supplied more than 25,000 ecstasy pills which were distributed throughout the Newcastle area.

Around 10am today, officers executed search warrants at Wharf Road in Newcastle, Hunter Street in Newcastle, Corlette Street in Cooks Hill, Mackie Avenue at New Lambton, Charles Street in Warners Bay and a property at Kemps Creek in Sydney.

So far, police have seized a large amount of cash as well as a quantity of ecstasy, cocaine and steroids. The strike force has seized several motor vehicles and electrical goods for examination as potential proceeds of crime.

Those arrested include:

# A 23-year-old man from Warners Bay charged with three counts of supply large commercial quantity of prohibited drug (ecstasy) and one count of supply prohibited drug (cocaine)

# A 20-year-old man from Hunter Street, Newcastle, charged with five counts of supply commercial quantity (ecstasy), supply large commercial quantity (ecstasy) and three counts of supply prohibited drug (ecstasy, cocaine and LSD)

# A 22-year-old man from Wharf Road, Newcastle, charged with five counts of supply large commercial quantity and four counts of supply commercial quantity

# A 22-year-old man from Wharf Road, Newcastle, charged with supply large commercial quantity (ecstasy) and supply prohibited drug (ecstasy)

# A 26-year-old man from Wharf Road, Newcastle, charged with supply large commercial quantity (ecstasy)

# A 25-year-old man from Mackie Road, New Lambton, charged with eight counts of supply prohibited drug (ecstasy, LSD and cocaine)

# A 19-year-old man from Corlette Street, Cooks Hill, charged with five counts of supply commercial quantity (ecstasy), four counts of supply large commercial quantity (ecstasy) and use phone service to procure person under 16 for sexual act

# A 26-year-old man from Sydney, charged with supply prohibited drug (ecstasy) and possess prohibited drug (cocaine)

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...k-drugs-supply-ring-in-newcastle/1733307.aspx

 

[kingpin007]

No Wicks link to drug arrests: police

Posted 7 hours 9 minutes ago


Police say there is no link between the drug scandal involving former Newcastle Knights rugby league player Danny Wicks and the arrests of several alleged drug dealers today.

After raiding homes in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Sydney, police charged eight men between the ages of 19 and 26 with supplying 25,000 ecstasy tablets.

Police allege they are major players in an illegal drug ring in the Hunter Valley.

For the past six months, detectives have been investigating the large-scale supply of ecstasy in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie under "Strikeforce Sloman".

Last month, Wicks was charged with eight drug offences, but Newcastle Local Area Commander Superintendent Max Mitchell says the Knights player is not connected to today's matter.

"No. It's been an investigation that has been undertaken in isolation of the Wicks matter," he said.

"But what I would certainly believe and what it shows the general community is that we do have a problem with the supply of ecstasy within our community and that's very, very unfortunate.

"Conservatively, probably in the vicinity of 25,000 ecstasy pills have been supplied in the Newcastle area since September of last year.

"There's a number of further arrests that will be made in the forthcoming days."

Michael Hawcroft, 23, was refused bail today. His seven co-accused are due in court tomorrow.

Police raided homes in Newcastle, Warners Bay and New Lambton and also the Sydney suburb of Kemps Creek.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/25/2800935.htm?site=news

 

[kingpin007]

Would-be bikie accused of drug offences

January 26, 2010 - 1:22PM

Drug and firearm charges have been laid against a NSW man who police say is an aspiring bikie club member.

Officers investigating the sale of illegal drugs at Newcastle nightclubs arrested the 27-year-old man yesterday after raiding a property at Kemps Creek.

"During the search police will allege they located and seized an amount of drugs, including cocaine, cash, mobile phones, steroids, firearms and ammunition and other weapons, including an extendable baton," police said in a statement.

"Also found and seized was an orange corn snake, which is native to Central America.

"Police also allegedly located a disused hydroponic cannabis crop site and an inactive clandestine drug laboratory.

"A search of the laboratory allegedly revealed various chemicals, including hydrochloric acid, glassware and crystal substances believed to be amphetamine-based and used in drug manufacture."

After questioning, the man was charged with eight offences including the possession of firearms, protected fauna and illegal drugs.

The man, who "police will allege is a prospect for the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang", was refused bail and is due to appear in Parramatta Bail Court today.

A 32-year-old woman was also arrested during yesterday's raid. She has been issued a court attendance notice for three counts of possessing a prohibited drug.

Eight other men were arrested yesterday as part of the same operation after police swooped on properties at Newcastle, Sydney and Warners Bay, allegedly finding ecstasy, cocaine, steroids and a large sum of cash.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/wouldbe-bikie-accused-of-drug-offences-20100126-mv42.html

 

[kingpin007]

Court told of Newcastle drug web
BY DAN PROUDMAN CHIEF POLICE REPORTER
27 Jan, 2010 04:00 AM

Alleged drug suppliers Michael Hawcroft and Kyle Shepherd at a night club last month.

IT is the alleged drug network that fed off the Newcastle party scene's insatiable appetite for illicit drugs.

And it includes a member of a well-known Newcastle business family, a bikie gang "prospect", two chefs, a security guard, a former champion footballer and an illegal immigrant.

Details emerged yesterday of the players accused of heaping more than 27,000 ecstasy pills onto partying Novocastrians in three months in the lead-up to Christmas.

During those three months Strike Force Sloman detectives covertly watched and listened in on while intercepting more than 60,000 phone calls and text messages.

Newcastle Bail Court heard yesterday that the youngest of those charged, smash repair shop employee Zachary Aaron Carmichael, 19, admitted to police he had been supplying "large quantities" of ecstasy for about 18 months and "conceded that during one week he had made $15,000 cash".

A facts sheet tendered in court alleged Carmichael told police he had sold 900 ecstasy tablets the day before his arrest on Monday.

"In relation to the monies [he] has made from drug sales [Carmichael] stated that he has no money left as he spent it socialising and supporting friends," the facts sheet said.

Seven of the accused faced Newcastle Bail Court yesterday after being arrested in simultaneous raids across Newcastle and Sydney on Monday. Bail was refused in all cases.

Michael Hawcroft, 23, who is part of the family that owns Noahs on the Beach, was refused bail on Monday and was referred to in court yesterday as "top of the chain".

It was alleged in facts sheets tendered to court that Hawcroft supplied security guard Kyle Shepherd, 20, with large amounts of ecstasy.

Working out of his Hunter Street unit, Shepherd would sell the pills to Carmichael who would, in turn, use Crowne Plaza chef Ashley Josef Novotny, the court heard.

It is alleged Carmichael used Novotny's Wharf Road apartment as the storage unit for the drugs and cash, with Novotny's two flatmates, fellow chef Alex Thornton and illegal immigrant and Colombian national Jose Leonardo Diaz, also alleged to have helped in distributing the drugs.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/court-told-of-newcastle-drug-web/1734445.aspx

 

[0nk3l b3nn1]

Drug seizure, Forestdale
Queensland Police Service
December 24 2009


Officers from the State Crime Operations Command, State Drug Squad have charged a 32-year-old man in relation to the alleged distribution of the drug methcathinone from a Forestdale address.

Information was received that the drug was allegedly being imported to the address and the subsequent execution of a search warrant on the premises on December 24 resulted in the location of a significant amount of the drug.

It will also be alleged a vehicle and a large amount of cash were seized during the search. The man has been charged with one count each of trafficking a dangerous drug and possess anything used in the commission of a crime, two counts each of supply a dangerous drug and possess a dangerous drug, and three counts of possess property suspected of being proceeds of crime.

He is due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today.

QPS Media Unit

 

[Verybuffed]

Man charged over massive 2007 drug bust

A man has been charged and another is being questioned over the largest drug seizure in Australia's history - a half-billion-dollar ecstasy bust in Sydney.

In 2007, police seized 1,900 litres of a chemical capable of being turned into $540 million worth of ecstasy, from a Castle Hill warehouse in Sydney's northwest.

NSW detectives on Wednesday said they had charged a 45-year-old man from Prospect, in Sydney's west, with possessing and supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, participating in criminal activity and making a false statement.

He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday afternoon.

A 30-year-old man, a Singaporean national, is being held at Parramatta Police Station and charges are expected to be laid, police said in a statement.

Both men had been arrested in Geelong in December 2006 on other related matters.

Their latest arrests relate to the seizure of chemicals at an industrial complex at Castle Hill in January 2007 during a joint NSW police and Victoria Police operation.

Police located boxes containing about 1,900 litres of a chemical believed to be methylenedioxyphenyl-2propanone (MDP2P), otherwise known as liquid ecstasy.

The chemicals were estimated to have the potential to make about two tonnes of ecstasy (MDMA), with an estimated street value of about $540 million.

Link

 

[kingpin007]

^^

I remember this bust ... the police pulled over a van and on a search found these plastic bottles with chinese writing inprinted on the plastic ...

Men charged over ecstasy haul

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 » 07:37pm


Two men already in jail have been charged over a drug stash worth about $540,000,000.


Two men already jailed over a liquid ecstasy haul worth $51,000,000 have been charged over a second drug stash worth more than ten times that amount.

The January 2007 haul of almost 2,000 litres of the drug capable of producing 18,000,000 ecstasy tablets with an estimated street value, of about $540,000,000 was the biggest in Australia's history.

45-year-old Patrick Pak Lamb Li from Padstow in Sydney's south-west, and 30-year-old Singaporean national Keng Chuan Koh were arrested in December 2006 after police stopped to help with their broken down hire van.

Inside the van they found 340 litres of liquid ecstasy.

LI is currently serving a minimum jail sentence of four and a half years, while Koh is serving four years over the first drug bust.

After being transported to Sydney from Victoria, where they're serving their sentences, LI and KOH were charged over the 2007 haul.

Neither man applied for bail and the cases have adjourned until March 25 in Parramatta Local Court.

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Nat.../27/Men_charged_over_ecstasy_haul_421892.html

 

[marley]

More arrest over alleged drug ring

STRIKE Force Sloman detectives this morning arrested another three men over the alleged drug ring which has supplied thousands of ecstasy pills to Newcastle's party scene.

A Gateshead man, 19, a Cardiff man, 20, and a Maryland man, 20, were all arrested at their homes are being interviewed by police at Waratah police station.

They are all expected to be charged.

It takes the number of people charged since Monday to 13.

Joel John Ayton, 20, of Heritage Avenue, Medowie, did not apply for bail after briefly facing Newcastle Local Court this morning.

Ayton faces four counts of supplying a commercial quantity of ecstasy and one count of supplying a large commercial quantity of the drug.

He will reappear in court on May 5.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/more-arrest-over-alleged-drug-ring/1736485.aspx

 

[thestudent14]

Police seize 3kg of ice; seven held
Fri 29Jan 12:21PM

POLICE have seized 3kg of ice and arrested seven people after the discover of two labrotories in sydney's west.

Heavily-armed police raided five home in bankstown, Hinchinbrook, Merrylands and West Ryde last night before discovering two labrotories in two Hinchinbrook homes.

So far police have seized 3.1kg of ice with an estimated street value of $3.7million, which they say equals 63,000 invdividual drug deals.

Chemicals and equipment allegedly used to manufacture crystal methamphetamine, as well as more than 200 ecstasy pills and $40,000 in cash were also seized by police during the raids.

Six western Sydney men aged between 33 and 44 and a 28-year-old Cromer woman were arrested and charged with supplying a prohibited drug.

The raids were part of Strike Force Forscythe, which was set up in November to target the distribution of ice in inner and southwest Sydney.

Acting Assistant Commisioner Stuart Smith said police had a major drug distribution ring out of business.

"In just three months, our expert investigators have managed to identify and dismantle what we allege is a significant drug operation peddding ice in Sydney's southwest and the city" he in a statement today

Mr Smith said police had been targeting drug suppliers at music festivals across NSW during the summer and were now "putting the squeeze on their streetlevel trade as well.

Investigations are continuing with further arrests expected.
2010 AAP

News.com.au