Mega Merged Drug Bust Thread v2.0

[Jabberwocky]

Ice in the microwave and a mixing bowl full of meth: Cops seize $500,000 of the deadly drug from the kitchen of a 60-year-old man

Ice worth more than $500,000 has been found inside the kitchen of a property raided by police on Monday.

Queensland police have issued one image from the property showing a large quantity of the deadly drug inside a mixing bowl with a kitchen knife perched on top. Another image shows two glass bowls of ice sitting on a microwave.

Officers seized two kilograms of methylamphetamine with a street value in excess of $500,000 and an illicit drug laboratory after raiding the Darra property in southeast Brisbane.

A 60-year-old man has been charged with seven offences after the bust including producing and possessing dangerous drugs.

Detective Inspector Mark Slater of the Drug and Serious Crime Group said the bust is a testament to the commitment of police in dismantling drug trafficking networks.

'The production and trafficking of methylamphetamine is a high priority for the Queensland Police Service and part of the Drug and Serious Crime Group's commitment to disrupting these drug trafficking networks throughout Queensland,' he said.

The man is due to appear in the Richlands Magistrates Court on Tuesday in relation to the charges.

It comes after Queensland police intercepted eight kilograms of ice hidden in parcels from China in the lead up to Schoolies Week on the Sunshine Coast.

 

[poledriver]

French police make record-breaking cocaine seizure near Calais

Customs officials have seized at least 2.4 tonnes of cocaine from a cargo ship off France's northern coast, a record for the country.

The Carib Palm, a Moldovan-flagged freighter, had sailed from Colombia and was headed to Gdansk in Poland.

It docked at the northern French port of Boulogne-sur-Mer on Thursday night, a source close to the investigation said, confirming a report by France 3 television.

"The ship was intercepted yesterday (Thursday) at 6:30pm at sea and at 8:00pm was brought to the dock at Boulogne-sur-Mer, where the search operation began," the finance ministry said in a statement.

"The drugs were concealed behind a metal partition."

Finance minister Michel Sapin described the drugs as "the largest seizure of cocaine" ever in mainland France. The haul has a street value of around 50 million euros ($76 million).

Customs officials were continuing to search the ship, which was carrying raw materials.

The 12 crew members, who are Turkish and Ukrainian, were being held by customs and were set to be formally detained.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-12/tons-of-cocaine-siezed-in-mediterranean/7022946

 

[poledriver]

Record GBL seizure in Sydney

11-12-2015 -

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers yesterday detected and seized a record 62 litres of the border controlled drug, gammabutyrolactone (GBL), commonly used to manufacture the drug known as ‘Fantasy’.

A 37-year-old man was selected for a full baggage search after he arrived on a flight from Thailand.

During the search, ABF officers identified a number of bottles containing a liquid substance, which was later identified as GBL.

The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for further investigations and the man was charged with the importation of a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

The man appeared before court today (11 December) where his bail was refused.

ABF Regional Commander NSW, Tim Fitzgerald, said the detection was an important one for the community.

“This is dangerous substance, capable of ruining many lives in a single incident,” Commander Fitzgerald said.

"This record seizure—our largest airport seizure of this drug to date—demonstrates the ongoing hard work of officers at the border, who continue to intercept illegal substances every week to keep our communities safe,” he said.

AFP Airport Police Commander Sharon Cowden said bringing a substance like GBL into Australia is a serious offence and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, or a fine of $1,350,000—or in some cases both.

“From a policing perspective, it is particularly satisfying that such a large quantity of such a dangerous drug will not be available in the Australian community this holiday season,” Commander Cowden said.

GBL, also known as ‘coma in a bottle’, metabolises into the drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in the body. It can cause abrupt loss of consciousness, memory loss, respiratory difficulties, coma and death.

http://newsroom.border.gov.au/releases/record-gbl-seizure-in-sydney

 

[S.J.B.]

Record GBL seizure in Sydney

Oh wow, a press release related to a GBL seizure and they didn't use the word "rape" once!

 

[Jabberwocky]

Oh wow, a press release related to a GBL seizure and they didn't use the word "rape" once!

How can someone be so stupid to go over the border with that much baggage and not expect for something to happen?

 

[Jabberwocky]

Australia police arrest man over A$15.4m Darwin meth bust

Australian police have arrested a man over the discovery of 23kg (50lbs) of methamphetamines hidden inside fridges.

The drugs, with a street value of A$15.4m ($11.1m; £7.4m) were found inside 27 separate packages at the port of Darwin in November.

Police delivered the drugs to their intended destination in Sydney, from where they were collected by the 51-year-old suspect.

Australia is facing a methamphetamine - known as ice - epidemic.

Use of the highly addictive substance has doubled in less than a decade and there are now an estimated 200,000 users in the country.

The government says there were a record number of drug busts in 2013-2014 and 26,000 arrests for possession or distribution of amphetamine-type stimulants.

Last week, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pledged A$300m in new funding to tackle the crisis, saying Australia "cannot arrest our way out of the ice problem - we must also work to reduce the demand for this drug".

The pledge included funding for education, addiction specialists and family support and for "significant investment" in rural services.

The detained man, who has not been named, was arrested in a police raid at his home in Sydney after he collected the consignment.

Supt Mark Setter of Australian Federal Police's Darwin office said the arrest had been "a complex operation" and praised the co-ordination of police departments.


Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-35048255

 

[Jabberwocky]

Man hid drugs, guns in wine cellar, cash in washing machine

A MAN hid guns and drugs in his wine cellar and roof — and kept cash in a washing machine, a Perth court has been told.

Justin Glen Rinaldi appeared to wipe away tears as he pleaded guilty in the WA District Court on Monday to 39 charges, including possession of drugs with intent to sell or supply and possessing firearms without a licence or permit.

Prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo said police raided Rinaldi’s Belmont home in February last year and found MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, 14 firearms, more than 2300 rounds of ammunition, a GPS jamming device and more than $330,000 in cash.

Defence counsel John Korn told the court the weapons had been left at the house by another man who had since died.

Rinaldi’s trial had been scheduled to begin on Monday until he changed his plea.

He is due back in court on Tuesday.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/wes...e/news-story/470af07d109ab613b3a739375fb9ff4f

 

[Jabberwocky]

Wollongong: Balkan drug ring, three killings and a new crime syndicate

THE gangland executions of three men have led to the establishment of a new crime syndicate operating in parts of southern Sydney and Wollongong, according to police investigating the murders.

The three men were believed to be linked to a Balkan mafia which was involved in the distribution of drugs, mainly in the Illawarra area, until their deaths.

Homicide detectives are certain the murder of Saso Ristevski in 2011, the disappearance of Goran Nikolovski a few months later and the killing of Darko Janceski the following year are connected. Both Nikolovski and Janceski had links to the Comanchero bikie gang.

“The three are all of Balkan background and known to each other,” Detective Chief Inspector David Laidlaw said.

“We believe an o rganised crime syndicate comprising of caucasians and Pacific Islanders are involved in one or two of the murders and are still operating in the area.”

Police now believe that a Melbourne underworld figure is also involved after a weapon, possibly linked to Ristevski’s shooting, was seized by Victoria police.

“There is a loose association of members of Balkan background from that area which crosses over with people in Melbourne,’’ Insp Laidlaw said.

Police do not believe it was an orchestrated plan to kill the men and take over their drug operations but their deaths left a void.

“Wollongong is a large city and an area which is very profitable for criminals,’’ Insp Laidlaw said.

Darko Janceski, 32, was shot several times by a gunman riding a trail bike while the former bikie was outside his parents’ home in Berkeley on April 14, 2012.

DEAD ... Saso Ristevski. (Left) DEAD ... Goran Nikolovski. (Right)

Police will allege his murder was in retaliation for the murder of Goran Nikolovski, 35, five months earlier. Detectives are certain Nikolovski is dead.

A number of men have been charged with Janceski’s death after Strike Force Calligan was formed and led by Insp Laidlaw.

Insp Laidlaw yesterday said police would allege that those charged in connection with Mr Janceski’s death believed he was linked to the murder of 35-year-old Mr Nikolovski.

Detectives were also confident of making arrests in connection with the murders of both Saso Ristevski and Mr Nikolovski, Insp Laidlaw said.

Police arrest a man in connection with the death of Darko Janceski, shot several times outside his parents’ home in Berkeley on April 14, 2012.

Mr Ristevski was gunned down in front of his parents in their Lake Heights home at about 8.30pm on September 28, 2011.

Police hope the public may have information about a silver Holden Commodore spotted on CCTV after the murder.

Insp Laidlaw said the three men had been involved in drug trafficking in the Illawarra. Mr Nikolovski was also known to associate with Comanchero members and Janceski was reportedly kicked out of the club, but police have ruled out any involvement of the club in the deaths.

Goran Nikolovski's vehicle was found found burnt out at Macquarie Pass.

A second man is arrested in connection with the death of Darko Janceski in 2012.


Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-crime-syndicate/story-fni0cx12-1227643850858

 

[poledriver]

Police raid Elands property and find boy, 8, kept in a locked shed and an elaborate underground hydroponic set-up.

A boy has been discovered locked in a tiny room within a shed on a remote NSW property, on which his family allegedly built one of the most elaborate drug set-ups seen by police.

The eight-year-old, who was allegedly allowed out of the shed only to do chores, and three other children, aged between 12 months and nine years, have been placed into the care of the Department of Family and Community Services after police discovered them during a raid on the property at Elands, north west of Taree.

The boy was found in a two square metre room at the back in an uninsulated tin shed, the door locked on the outside and with only a single mattress and a bucket inside.

He has told police he had been kept in the shed for more than three weeks, enduring storms and extremely high temperatures and only allowed outside to help the household with chores.

But the boy was not the only discovery detectives made, with a highly-sophisticated cannabis set-up found inside three shipping containers buried under a deck.

The deck, which could only be moved using hydraulics and boasted a large outdoor spa, camouflaged a trap door opening up to steps and the hydroponic set up allegedly holding 225 cannabis plants.

Manning-Great Lakes crime manager Detective Inspector Peter McKenna said police had received intelligence about drugs being grown on the property, but had only found the children upon arrival.

"The door to the small room in the shed was locked from the outside and police will allege that the boy was mistreated and only allowed out of the shed for chores and sometimes food," he said.

But about two hours into the raid, and as officers wondered whether the information they had received about the drugs was wrong, an officer flicked a switch.

As wide-eyed officers watched, the outdoor deck rolled away, revealing the trap door.

Once inside, the detectives clambered down some built-in steel stairs before allegedly discovered the three shipping containers cut into a large room where the 225 plants were in various stages of maturity.

"I think it is fair to say it is very elaborate," Detective Inspector McKenna said.
The trapdoor leads to an underground passage.

"When the switch was flicked the humming noise kicked in and the deck started to roll back.

"It startled a few of them."

Two men, aged 28 and 19, and the 26-year-old mother of the boy were arrested at the home and charged with cultivate a large commercial quantity of cannabis.
Some of the cannabis plants allegedly discovered at the property.

The elder man and woman were also charged with detaining a person with intent for financial advantage.

The investigation into the raid, and the treatment of the children, was continuing.

The eight-year-old allegedly told police he had been forced to spend most of his time in the tiny room at the back of the steel workshed for weeks.

As well as the extreme temperatures and large storms, the boy survived with just a mattress and some blankets and a bucket for him to go to the toilet in.

There was one small window to allow some natural light in, and the lock was only turned when he was needed to help out around the property.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/police-ra...rground-hydroponic-setup-20151223-glucpy.html

 

[Jabberwocky]

Cocaine smugglers busted in Sydney

About 37kg of cocaine has been found stashed inside checked-in bags which four Canadians and an American were allegedly trying to bring into Australia as part of a drug operation run by an international crime syndicate.

The group were caught after arriving at Sydney on a flight from Los Angeles on Tuesday, with 81 packages of drugs allegedly hidden in the lining of eight pieces of luggage, police said.

The accused drug smugglers are in custody and are expected to apply for bail when they front Sydney's Central Local Court on January 6.

AFP airport commander Sharon Cowden said the five passengers could face up to life imprisonment over the alleged attempted import.

A day later about 71kg of cocaine, worth an estimated $25 million, was found inside a hydraulic press sent to Australia from Panama.

Three Sydney men have been charged with drug importation offences, following raids at five properties across the city after the drugs were found by Border Force officers on Wednesday.


Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/bre...s/news-story/4a6b3a1242eba74fd37bececf2845283

 

[poledriver]

Lebanon seizes five tonnes of Captagon drug concealed in school desks

Lebanese customs officials have seized five tonnes of Captagon amphetamine pills and hashish at Beirut airport, concealed in primary school desks that were to be shipped to Egypt, a security source says.

Meanwhile, security forces in northern Lebanon found two workshops producing Captagon and other drugs during a series of raids, the source said.

Both events came after a number of drug seizures at Beirut airport in recent months, including one that led to the arrest on charges of smuggling of a Saudi prince.

Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said the operation at the airport was one of the biggest of its kind, and that the drugs could have been smuggled onto other countries after Egypt, without elaborating.

"We will not allow Lebanon to be a transit point for drugs," Mr Khalil said, quoted by Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).

The NNA said that the quantity seized was three tonnes.

There were no immediate reports of arrests.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-30/5-tonnes-of-captagon-seized-at-beirut-airport/7059228

 

[Jabberwocky]

Police seize 60 kilograms of methamphetamine destined for Adelaide, man with Hells Angels links arrested

A man with bikie links has been arrested after 60 kilograms of methamphetamine, bound for the streets of Adelaide, were intercepted in a shipment of stones, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said.

Police estimated the drugs' street value at $40 million, and said they were hidden in a shipment of stones, sent from Indonesia, intended for use in tiles and floors.

The joint operation involved officers from AFP, Australian Border Force and South Australia Police.

South Australian AFP Commander Peter Sykora said it was "one of the largest seizures in South Australia's history".

"The ice was broken up into 60 lots of one kilogram each," he said.

Police charged a 43-year-old Flinders Park man with the importation of a commercial quantity of drugs and said he was an associate, not a member, of the Hells Angels.

"We believe that these drugs were going into the South Australian market, in both metropolitan and country areas," SA Police Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Crameri said.

Commander Sykora said the drugs were found just before Christmas before police hatched a plot to track them.

"It was within those four cardboard boxes that the ice was located," he said.

"Police at that stage substituted the narcotic and replaced it with an inert substance, and then put [that] back within the consignment."

Officers tracked the drugs to a business at Royal Park where police alleged the man checked on the delivery yesterday.

He left the premises before waiting officers swooped.

Police also searched his home at Flinders Park and a storage facility at Royal Park that was allegedly being used as a drug lab.

"[There] we located 10 kilograms of cannabis and various items including chemicals that are associated with a clandestine laboratory," they said.

Commander Sykora said the man dropped on to the AFP's radar after travelling to Indonesia last year, prompting them to carry out checks on the man's business background.

"I would suspect he has used his company and a similar method of importation previously," he said.

He said South Australia may be considered a soft target, but said the bust proves "that's not the case whatsoever".

Police said they were unsure if there would be further arrests, and the 43-year-old would appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-08/ice-evidence/7077114

 

[Jabberwocky]

Hydroponic cannabis crop found in rented house

POLICE are hunting for a man who used a fake ID to rent a family home and then turned it into a cannabis factory.

Four rooms in the property were fitted out with hydroponic equipment to grow dozens of cannabis plants.

Officers said the owner of the house had advertised the property for rent online and leased it to a man of Asian appearance in August.

Police said the rent on the Forestville property was paid week by week every Thursday, but whenever the owner tried to organise a time to inspect the premises, the tenant always made excuses about being busy at work.

However, when the rent payments stopped in mid-December and the owner was unable to contact the tenant, he went to the property in Starkey St at about 1.30pm on Sunday.

When no-one answered the door he opened the garage.

When he walked inside the house he saw that one of the rooms had plastic sheeting on the wall, hydroponic lights and numerous large plant pots.

The surprised owner immediately secured the property and called the police.

It was discovered that four rooms had been converted for the cultivation of cannabis and that the plants had been removed from three of the rooms, while the 20 plants in the fourth room had all died through lack of watering.

Police found the power supply in the house was haphazard, with numerous cords running throughout the house to a central cupboard.

It appears circuit breakers had been bypassed.

There were numerous hydroponic lights above each of the cannabis setups in each room.

The Asian man provided identification and signed a tenancy agreement, but subsequent police checks have revealed that the man’s identification was false.

Anyone with information is urged to call the police.

Officers are now warning other landlords to be vigilant after similar incidents across Sydney.

It also follows an armed raid on an Airbnb holiday home on the Gold Coast, where a sophisticated marijuana setup was found in one of the bedrooms, which had been off limits to the innocent Sydney family who had been renting it.


Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-in-rented-house/story-fngr8hax-1227701823894

 

[poledriver]

Man charged after joint agency operation seizes 2500 MDMA pills

A 36-year-old man has been arrested in Darwin after Detectives uncovered a parcel containing 33 times the commercial quantity threshold for MDMA (Ecstasy).

Detective Superintendent Clint Sims said it will be alleged Detectives, acting on information, discovered approximately 2,500 MDMA pills inside a package at a local parcel delivery business yesterday.

“Detectives believe the man had posted the parcel to himself following a recent visit to Victoria,” Detective Superintendent Sims said.

“The man was arrested after he collected the package and returned to his vehicle.

“Another parcel collected by the man at the same time was found to contain 180 tablets of an alternate brand to Viagra.

“A search warrant served on his house allegedly uncovered a further small amount of MDMA.”

The man has been charged with possess and supply of a commercial quantity of a schedule two drug, unauthorised possession of a schedule four drug and possess a dangerous schedule two drug.

Detective Superintendent Sims said the operation was another example of how different jurisdictions can successfully work together for a common goal.

“This is a significant seizure for the Northern Territory and there is no doubt these drugs would have caused considerable damage within our community.”

The man was remanded to appear in the Darwin Magistrates Court on 10 February 2016.

http://newsroom.border.gov.au/relea...joint-agency-operation-seizes-2500-mdma-pills

 

[poledriver]

Two Sydney men arrested for cocaine import

14-01-2016 -

A joint operation has resulted in two Sydney men being arrested for the alleged importation of more than three kilograms of cocaine with a street value of approximately $1 million.

Earlier this month, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers intercepted 18 packages sent from the USA via air freight following information received from an airfreight company. All were declared to contain ‘documents’, ‘tech sheets’ or ‘legal documents’, however, the consignments were found to contain clip-seal bags of white powder. ABF officers presumptively tested the powder which returned a positive result for cocaine.

The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and yesterday (13 January) search warrants were executed at three residential premises in the Sydney suburbs of Bondi and Zetland.

During the search warrants approximately$US90,000 and $AUD255,000 was discovered as well as scales, clip-seal bags, courier slips, bank transfer slips and other material associated with the alleged drug importation and distribution.

A 39-year-old Bondi man and a 28-year-old Bondi man were subsequently arrested.

The 39-year-old was charged with multiple counts of import a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug and attempt to possess a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug as well as dealing in the proceeds of crime with a value of more than $100,000.

The 28-year-old was charged with multiple counts of import a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, attempt to possess a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug and possess a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug.

Both men are expected to face the Sydney Central Local court today (14 January). They both face a maximum penalty of up to 25 years’ imprisonment.

http://newsroom.border.gov.au/releases/two-sydney-men-arrested-for-cocaine-import

 

[poledriver]

Man faces court after guns, drugs, large sum of cash seized at Wanniassa

Drugs, guns and $44,000 in cash have been seized and a man has faced court, following a police search in Canberra's south.

Nathan Davidson, 32, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court today, charged with drug trafficking, dealing in the proceeds of crime and firearm-related offences.

It came after officers from ACT Policing's Criminal Investigations Crime Targeting team found trafficable quantities of suspected ice, cocaine, MDMA and ecstasy, during a search at a property in Wanniassa at 9:00am on Thursday.

Cont -

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-...r-guns-drugs-cash-seized-at-wanniassa/7090842

 

[poledriver]

Guilty plea over 'banana' ecstasy seizure

A 21-year-old Drummond Cove man pleaded guilty yesterday to charges arising from the seizure of more than 200g of ecstasy in the shape of banana lollies.

Ryan Thomas Horton appeared before Geraldton Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilty to attempting to possess MDMA with intent to sell or supply, and possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained cash.

Police seized the drugs in a raid in Geraldton last December, along with $7100 in cash.

Pre-sentence and psychological reports were ordered for Horton’s next appearance before the District Court in Geraldton at a later date.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/30581216/guilty-plea-over-banana-ecstasy-seizure/

 

[Jabberwocky]

Crime lord Mohammad Qais Niazy to be kicked out of Australia and deported back to Afghanistan

NOTORIOUS crime gang member Mohammad Qais Niazy will be sent back to Afghanistan after his online taunts to police and alleged criminal activity finally caught up with him.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton signed off on the cancellation of Niazy’s permanent residency because of his alleged involvement in criminal activity, with Niazy expected to be deported once his current legal matters are finalised.

Mr Dutton said Niazy did not meet the character requirements for a residency.

Police sources said Niazy’s deportation would likely cause the early demise of a newly-formed gang, which included several members who spent the majority of last year in jail.

Niazy is in custody awaiting trial in the Parramatta District Court on charges including possessing a shortened firearm, unregistered firearm and prohibited weapon.

It is understood he will be immediately deported if he is acquitted or after the completion of any further jail time.

Niazy, an alleged core member of the Afghani Murderers gang, has previously used Facebook to regularly taunt police, posting pictures of large piles of cash and himself sniffing a white powder.

He posted several photos in the months before his jailing last year, including a photo spelling out the words “f ... all cops” in $100 notes.

Also known as Ace Niazy and Ali Gewad, Niazy was arrested by Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS) officers last year. On Facebook, Niazy had previously taken aim at MEOCS and other agencies.

Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...n/news-story/9ec50d4d9b1f41b8a73e14134915bf01

 

[Jabberwocky]

Bikie gangs: Police crackdown on outlaws costs gangs millions, drives many underground

OUTLAW bikie gangs across NSW are reeling from a police crackdown that has shut clubhouses and cut membership numbers, costing the gangs millions of dollars in a savage hit to their criminal activities.

The crackdown has driven many of the gangs underground and set them against each other in evermore desperate — and potentially violent — turf wars.

Last week, NSW police revealed they had moved to shut down one of Europe’s most violent outfits - the feared Satudara gang - from establishing a toehold in Australia.

At stake are tens of millions of dollars in drug trafficking, gun running, extortion, money laundering and other serious criminal activities.

Aggressive tactics by Strike Force Raptor, a special police unit formed to target the gangs, has slashed membership by 15 per cent over the past two years and closed at least 38 illegal clubhouses.

And tough new laws that forbid more than two convicted criminals from consorting together at one time have destroyed the bikies’ traditional “brotherhood” structure.

But the culture of bikie gang anarchy still thrives across Sydney, and it won’t disappear any time soon.

“There is no suggestion the gangs are still not a major crime problem,” the head of the Gangs Squad Detective Superintendent Deb Wallace told The Daily Telegraph.

“But it is encouraging to see their numbers falling and a reduction in overt acts such as drive-by shootings and brawling in public places.

“We are receiving intelligence that numbers are declining and there’s been a reduction in visibility of the gangs over the past 12 to 24 months.”

Bikies have also been banned from owning tattoo parlours or selling alcohol in their clubhouses.

At least four bikie gangs — Notorious, Mobshitters, Rock Machine and Highway 61 — appear to have collapsed under the constant police pressure.

The gangs have been badly hurt by the crackdown on traditional bikie runs and gatherings at clubhouses, which were used to recruit new members and discuss business.

By disrupting both the road runs and shutting down clubhouses, police have struck at the heart of many bikie operations, denying them the chance to congregate.

Those bikies who do still go on runs are junior members with no serious criminal records, because they are not subject to the non-consorting laws.

Strike Force Raptor has gained a fearsome reputation for “getting in the faces’’ and harassing bikies since it was formed in 2009 after the wild brawl at Sydney airport between the Comanchero and Hells Angels resulted in the death of Anthony Zervos.

Since then police have launched an all-out offensive on all the gangs, backed by strong legislation from the NSW government which appears to be now reaping results. Police are using other government departments such as the Environment Protection Agency and even local councils to pursue the gangs over any infringement, no matter how small, to disrupt them.

Nomads club house active / busted

Rebels club house active / busted

The Gang Squad works closely with Borderforce looking into the immigration status of members and also has a taxation officer working out of the squad room.

“There is no doubt some of the better-known bikie gangs will be looking at ways to counter police tactics and we have to be ready for that,’’ Supt Wallace said.

“They have moved away from the traditional brotherhood concept of the original bikie gangs, which really were symbols of rebellion to now being organised crime gangs only interested in money.’’

Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...d/news-story/2245c8f66b8a25164abac23442db598c

 

[poledriver]

Cocaine smuggled into Sydney Airport inside chocolate boxes: authorities

A 27-year-old Malaysian man has been caught trying to smuggle almost five kilograms of cocaine into Sydney by concealing it inside boxes of chocolate, authorities allege.

The man appeared before Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday, charged with importing a commercial quantity of cocaine inside his luggage.

Officers from the Australian Border Force allegedly found the boxes when they examined the man's bags after he arrived at Sydney International Airport on a flight from the United Arab Emirates on Monday.

Initial testing confirmed that the pellets inside the boxes were positive for cocaine, authorities claim.

The man was placed under arrest by members of the Australian Federal Police and later charged at Mascot Police station.

Australian Border Force Regional Commander NSW Tim Fitzgerald said people were becoming more creative in their attempts to smuggle drugs into the country.

"More and more we are seeing people try to evade detection by concealing drugs in an interesting way. From food packets and toys to books and tools, criminals can be very creative in their attempts to get these dangerous drugs into Australia," he said.

Earlier this month, Australian Border Force officers found almost 500 kilograms of illegal drugs, including a large quantity of ice, inside bar stools and soup-mix packets in shipping containers from China.

Last week, Australian Federal Police and Queensland police seized about 100kg of methamphetamine, with a potential street value of $20 million, hidden in boxes of Chinese New Year decorations that arrived at the Port of Brisbane.

The maximum penalty for importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs is life imprisonment.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/cocaine-s...uthorities-20160126-gmeghi.html#ixzz3yNdzFXN9