The Australian/NZ Drug Busts Mega-Thread Part I

[lil angel15]

Canadian charged over hidden cocaine
June 17, 2007

A CANADIAN man has been charged over 6kg of cocaine found hidden inside car parts in Sydney.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said its officers arrested the 29-year-old man at Sydney airport yesterday before he boarded a flight out of the country.

The AFP seized three packages of car parts from a delivery facility in Mascot on June 8, before substituting the packages and monitoring their delivery to an address at Cronulla in Sydney's south.

The man was charged after a search of a vehicle in Cronulla, a storage facility in Moore Park to which the packages had been transported, and his house police said.

He was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of border controlled drug and was expected to appear in Parramatta Local Court today.

The maximum penalty for the offence is $825,000 and/or life imprisonment.

The Australian

 

[lil angel15]

Police seize drugs and stolen gear from Darwin home

Northern Territory Police have found drugs, cash and stolen electrical equipment during a search of a home at Coconut Grove in Darwin's northern suburbs.

A 28 year old man has been arrested for possessing more than 700 grams of cannabis and supplying the drug.

Police say he was found this morning with almost eight thousand dollars cash and a stolen laptop, satellite phone and digital camera.

He's been released on bail to face three charges at Darwin Magistrates Court on a date to be set.

ABC Online

 

[lil angel15]

Amphetamines seized in Yangebup
19th June 2007, 10:00 WST

Police came across a large quantity of amphetamines during a raid by the Tactical Investigation Group in Yangebup yesterday.

Officers stopped a Ford Falcon driven by a 39-year-old man and allegedly found the drug under the cover of the front passenger seat.

The amphetamines had allegedly been split up into even amounts and placed in clip-seal bags.

Police say they also found a small amount of the drug after searching the 25 year-old female passenger.

Officers then raided a Yangebup house where police allegedly located more amounts of amphetamines along with cannabis and other drug paraphernalia.

The man from Yangebup, has been charged with possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell and supply, possessing a prohibited drug and possessing a smoking implement.

The woman, also from Yangebup, has been charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited drug.

Both received bail and are scheduled to appear in Fremantle Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

The West Australian

 

[lil angel15]

Two convicted after police drug raid
Karen Matthews
19Jun07

TWO GEELONG men busted during a drug raid on a Geelong motel have appeared in court.

Anthony Bidmade, 19, of Aldershot Rd, St Albans Park, and Ben Whitworth, 20, of Highland Way, Leopold, fronted Geelong Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Bidmade pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis and amphetamine and Whitworth, guilty to one count of possessing cannabis.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Geoff Lamb said Bidmade and Whitworth were booked into a room at a motel in La Trobe Tce on March 2.

Sen-Constable Lamb said police armed with a drugs search warrant forced the door to the pair's room about 9am.

Inside they found several items, including a small plastic container containing a small quantity of cannabis and a toiletries bag containing seven small plastic bags.

``Two of the bags contained half a gram each of amphetamine, while the remaining bags contained white powder residue,'' Sen-Constable Lamb said.

``A small quantity of cannabis head was also found.''

David Barrese, appearing for both men, said the two had planned a night on the town and, rather than cause a problem coming home late to Bidmade's place, decided to book into a motel room for a couple of days.

Mr Barrese said the pair drank heavily during the period and claimed they would have used the drugs if they hadn't passed out due to over-consumption of Jim Beam.

He said Whitworth had no prior convictions but Bidmade did have a criminal history.

Mr Barrese said Bidmade had remained clear of drugs until earlier this year, when his girlfriend dumped him to become a lesbian.

Magistrate Duncan Reynolds placed Whitworth on a 12-month good behaviour bond without conviction and ordered him to pay $150 to the court fund.

Bidmade was convicted on both counts, fined $500 and remanded in custody to July 6 on a separate charge of drug trafficking.

Geelong Advertiser

 

[lil angel15]

NSW police seize $200,000 worth of ice
June 21, 2007 - 7:15AM

Police say they seized $200,000 worth of the drug ice during a search of a Victorian car stopped for a random roadside breath test in southern NSW.

Police in Hillston say they found a number of bags containing crystal methylamphetamine, or ice, with a street value of more than $200,000.

They stopped the man's four-wheel drive about 9.30am on Wednesday and after speaking with the driver searched the vehicle.

Numerous satchels of a prescription drug - Viagra gel - were also allegedly found during the search.

The 49-year-old Epping man was later charged with possessing a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and possessing a restricted substance.

He is due to appear before Griffith Local Court later on Thursday.

© 2007 AAP

The AGE

 

[lil angel15]

Heroin found at Brisbane Airport
Thursday, 21st June 2007
Joint media release - Australian Customs and the Australian Federal Police

A dual United States and Nigerian citizen is expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today charged with importing heroin concealed inside the lining of a suitcase.

Customs officers stopped the 21-year-old man when he arrived at Brisbane International Airport on a flight from Dubai yesterday morning (20 June).

An x-ray of the passenger's suitcase revealed a possible concealment.

Testing of powder allegedly found in the lining of the suitcase indicated the presence of heroin.

The man was arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) agents and charged with attempting to import a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug contrary to the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The concealment was later removed from the suitcase with the total amount of powder weighing 986 grams. Further forensic examination will determine the purity of the substance.

The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years imprisonment and/or a $550,000 fine.

Customs Media Unit

 

[lil angel15]

Man charged over Sydney drug lab
June 22, 2007 - 5:01PM

A Sydney man has been charged over his alleged involvement in what police say was a large-scale operation to manufacture ecstasy.

Police said chemicals and paraphernalia used in the manufacture of the drug were found during a search of a property at Artarmon, in Sydney's north, on May 21.

The search had taken place after a joint operation between Australian Federal Police and Customs resulted in the discovery of 3kg of cocaine in a vehicle part, they said.

After ongoing inquiries by the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad, detectives charged a 45-year-old man from Turramurra, on Sydney's north shore, over the Artarmon drug lab.

The man was questioned on Thursday and subsequently charged with manufacturing an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug and two counts of supplying a prohibited drug, police said.

The man was remanded in custody to appear in Central Local Court on July 25.

SMH

 

[lil angel15]

Man and woman charged with drug supply – Cronulla
23 June 2007

Police have charged a man and a woman with numerous drug offences after a month-long investigation into drug supply in Sydney’s south.

Operation Rose Common was established by the Miranda Proactive Crime Team in May to investigate the ongoing supply of amphetamines in the Cronulla area.

As a result of their inquiries, police executed a search warrant at a house in Links Avenue, Cronulla, last night.

Police will allege they located small amounts of ecstasy, cannabis and white powder believed to be amphetamine in the home.

A 35-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman were arrested at the house and taken to Miranda Police Station where they were spoken to by detectives.

The man was charged with three counts of supply prohibited drug, two counts of agree to supply prohibited drug and one count each of ongoing supply of prohibited drug and conduct drug house. He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court later today.

The woman was charged with supply prohibited drug. She has been granted bail to appear before Sutherland Local Court on 26 July.

NSW Police Media Unit

 

[lil angel15]

Customs and Australian Federal Police uncover alleged drug concealment at Sydney Airport
Tuesday, 26th June 2007
Joint media release - Australian Customs and the Australian Federal Police

A 41-year-old American national will appear in court today following an alleged attempt to smuggle approximately two kilograms of cocaine into Australia.

Customs officers selected the man for a baggage examination when he arrived at Sydney International Airport yesterday on a flight from Santiago, Chile.

An x-ray of the man's bag revealed a possible concealment.

Customs officers subsequently drilled into the sports bag for further examination.

Preliminary testing indicated the presence of cocaine. A Customs drug detector dog also reacted positively to the bag.

The man was arrested by the Australian Federal Police and charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug contrary to the Criminal Code 1995.

He is expected to appear in Downing Centre Local Court this morning.

The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $825,000 and/or life imprisonment.

Customs Media Release

 

[lil angel15]

Two charged over heroin in mail packets
June 26, 2007 - 5:14PM

A man and woman from Melbourne have been charged after customs officers found more than 500 grams of heroin hidden inside air cargo parcels sent from Laos.

A 58-year-old man from Rowville, in Melbourne's outer south-east, was charged with importing and attempting to possess a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug, Australian Federal Police (AFP) said.

A 47-year-old woman from Ferntree Gully was charged with aiding and abetting the man.

The charges follow a joint operation by Australian Customs Service (ACS) and the AFP which began on May 13, when customs officers intercepted an air mail package from Laos containing a wall plaque.

"An X-ray of the plaque revealed a possible concealment and preliminary testing of the plaque indicated the presence of heroin," a customs spokesman said.

"Customs officers intercepted a further four parcels from Laos and Thailand during May and June," he said.

Each parcel allegedly contained powder that tested positive for heroin, the spokesman said.

The matter was referred to the AFP who tracked the intended recipients of the packages to an address in Ferntree Gully.

The two people charged were expected to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates court later Tuesday.

The AGE

 

[lil angel15]

Clandestine drug lab uncovered in NSW
26th June 2007, 17:58 WST

A 40-year-old man faces charges after police uncovered an alleged clandestine drug-making laboratory on NSW's mid north coast.

Police say officers found chemicals and equipment used in the production of illicit drugs when they raided a property in River Street, Macksville, just before 9am (AEST).

"A number of cannabis plants with an estimated potential street value of $8,000 were also located," a police spokesman said.

A man inside the home was questioned and charged with knowingly taking part in the manufacture of prohibited drugs, cultivating a prohibited drug and also drug possession.

He was granted conditional bail to appear before Macksville Local Court on August 9.

Police say inquiries continue and further arrests are expected.

The West

 

[lil angel15]

Four held on $5 million drug bust
June 28, 2007 02:00pm

FOUR people have been charged over a $5 million drug bust after police found 12kg of methamphetamine and ecstasy in a car near Eucla in Western Australia.

Police found the drugs in a metal container welded to the back of a utility after stopping the two occupants on the Nullarbor plain.

The box allegedly contained 12kg of Methylamphetamine and MDMA tablets.

Police later found a further 1.2kg of MDMA tablets and $30,000 in cash at a house in the northern Perth suburb of Connolly.

The 44-year-old driver was remanded in custody after appearing in Eucla court today charged with possessing the drugs with intent to supply or sell them.

A 48-year-old South Hedland man was released at Eucla Police station after being charged with possessing a prohibited drug.

A 46-year-old man, of Connolly, has been charged with possessing ecstasy and methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply it, possessing cocaine and possessing steroids.

The fourth person charged was a 44-year-old woman, of Connolly, over possessing the drugs with intent to supply or sell.

PerthNow

 

[lil angel15]

Accused smuggled heroin internally
June 29, 2007 - 9:25AM

A Singaporean man has been remanded in custody after allegedly trying smuggle up to 1kg of heroin pellets through Brisbane's international airport.

Teck Boon Ng, 40, briefly appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court today charged with importing a border controlled drug.

No application for bail was made after his legal representatives indicated they would need a Mandarin interpreter to discuss the charge with Ng.

He will reappear in court on July 6 and may apply for bail at that time.

Ng was arrested on Wednesday after customs officers searched his baggage when he arrived in Brisbane on a flight from Hong Kong.

During the search, customs officers became suspicious that the man may have been carrying drugs internally.

He was referred to the Australian Federal Police and taken to hospital for a medical examination.

He later passed 95 pellets with a net weight of between 700 grams and 1kg in total.

The pellets contained a white powder, which initial tests indicated was heroin, valued at about $280,000.

Brisbane Times

 

[lil angel15]

Police net $1m drug haul on North Shore
Erik Jensen
June 29, 2007 - 8:50AM

In two separate incidents at Sydney's North Shore, more than $1,000,000 worth of ecstasy and cannabis was uncovered by police yesterday.

The drug haul follows the discovery of a clandestine lab and 10 kilograms of cocaine at addresses in Artarmon, Turramurra and West Ryde last month, but police said the North Shore was not being targeted for drugs.

"It's more opportune than anything else. The timing is just coincidental, I would think," police spokesman David Rose said.

He said an operation focusing on the North Shore's drug trade was not under way, and the two arrests made last night were not planned in conjunction with each other.

In the first arrest, police took a 34-year-old man into custody as he left his apartment block on Toongarah Road at Waverton about 5.15pm.

Acting on information from the community and a surveillance operation carried out that afternoon, police then searched his unit.

Inside, they allegedly found 276 cannabis plants and eight kilograms of cannabis leaf.

The cache was estimated to have a street value of $620,000. There was also a sophisticated cultivation system inside the unit, police said.

The man was taken to North Sydney police station where he was charged with four separate drug offences, including cultivating a prohibited plant at commercial quantity and supplying cannabis at commercial quantity.

That night, in what was believed to be an unconnected arrest, a British man in a silver Toyota Corolla was stopped and 15,000 ecstasy tablets were allegedly found in his car.

About 10.30pm, the highway patrol began following the car on the Pacific Highway at Ku-ring-gai.

They stopped the vehicle on the F3 near the Berowra turn-off, and, after other inquires, searched the car and found four large plastic bags containing what was believed to be 3.12 kilograms of ecstasy.

The haul had a street value of approximately $450,000 and the man was charged with supplying a prohibited drug in a commercial quantity.

Both men were refused bail and will appear in court today.

SMH

 

[lil angel15]

Ecstasy worth $1.8m seized by police
June 30, 2007 - 8:49AM

Ecstasy worth $1.8 million has been seized in an undercover sting operation that ended with the arrest of three men, including the alleged head of a drugs ring, police say.

The three were in two cars when they were arrested by officers of the Asian Crime Squad at a service station on the F3 freeway near Wyong on the NSW Central Coast about 2.50pm (AEST) on Friday.

A search of the vehicles allegedly uncovered 11.5kg of ecstasy with an estimated street value of $1.8 million.

Two pistols, ammunition, a large sum of cash and a small amount of cannabis were also seized by police.

The men, aged 21, 34, and 39 were charged with supplying and possessing a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, participating in a criminal group and possessing prohibited weapons.

The three men were refused police bail and are due to appear in Gosford Local Court on Saturday.

The police officers were attached to Strike Force Whitbeck, which was established last September to investigate the alleged supply of prohibited drugs in Sydney's north western suburbs.

In April, officers charged a number of people over the seizure of ecstasy and cocaine worth a street value of more than $13 million during raids across the Sydney metropolitan area.

The AGE

 

[LSD]

Four charged over $5m drug bust

FOUR people have been charged over a $5 million drug bust after police found 12kg of methamphetamine and ecstasy in a car near Eucla in Western Australia.

Police found the drugs in a metal container welded to the back of a utility after stopping the vehicle on the Nullarbor plain.

The box allegedly contained 12kg of methylamphetamine and MDMA tablets.

Police later found a further 1.2kg of MDMA tablets and $30,000 in cash at a house in the northern Perth suburb of Connolly.

The 44-year-old driver was remanded in custody after appearing in Eucla court today charged with possessing the drugs with intent to supply or sell them.

A 48-year-old South Hedland man was released at Eucla Police station after being charged with possessing a prohibited drug.

A 46-year-old man, of Connolly, has been charged with possessing ecstasy and methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply it, possessing cocaine and possessing steroids.

The fourth person charged was a 44-year-old woman, of Connolly, over possessing the drugs with intent to supply or sell.

news.com.au

 

[lil angel15]

Police seize 'ice' in drug raid
Posted July 2, 2007 14:16:00

A hand holds a tiny plastic packet containing the banned drug metamphetamine hydrochloride also known as ice. (AFP)


Police say they have seized drugs with a street value of $250,000 after raiding a home in the Perth suburb of Huntingdale.

Officers attached to the South East Metropolitan Tactical Investigation Group say they found 718 grams of methylamphetamine, or ice, nine kilograms of cannabis and $30, 000 in cash.

Police have arrested a 34-year-old man in connection with the haul.

ABC Online

 

[lil angel15]

Nineteen on Live Earth drugs charges
July 08, 2007

POLICE have charged 19 people with drug offences during an operation at the Live Earth concert in Sydney.

Officers from Surry Hills Local Area Command used three drug dogs during the operation at Aussie Stadium between 10.30am and 3pm yesterday.

Police charged 18 people after they were found in possession of illegal drugs, including amphetamines and ecstasy.

A 23-year-old man was charged with possession and supply of illegal drugs after he was allegedly found with 13 ecstasy tablets.

A further 27 people were issued cannabis cautions.

The Australian

 

[lil angel15]

Drugs netted in Redfern police raid
July 7, 2007 - 9:15AM

A police raid on a unit in Sydney has uncovered almost $90,000 in illegal drugs and cash.

Officers found the ecstasy tablets, Ice (crystal methylamphetamine), cocaine, cannabis and cash at a unit in Renwick Street, Redfern in inner-city Sydney, about 7pm (AEST) on Friday night.

Two men, aged 42 and 35, who were inside the unit were also arrested and charged with drug-related offences.

"Officers from the Redfern Local Area Command Drug Unit executed a search warrant ... following a lengthy investigation into the supply of illegal drugs in the area," a NSW Police spokesman said.

The men were refused bail and they will appear at Parramatta Local Court later on Saturday.

The AGE

 

[lil angel15]

Lucky country turns sour for drug-smuggling 'dupe'
Jamie Berry
July 10, 2007

AUSTRALIA is known as the lucky country, but for one Scotsman it was anything but after arriving at Melbourne Airport almost two years ago.

John Joseph Alty had agreed to take two bottles of cognac in a duty free bag from a man named "Mark" whom he met at Hong Kong airport.

Promised a payment of $2000 and a receipt — which was later found to be bogus — Alty was intercepted by customs upon arrival on October 14, 2005. The two bottles were found to contain more than two kilograms of methylamphetamine with a purity of around 36.5 per cent.

The County Court heard yesterday that the value of the drugs ranged between the wholesale price of $188,000 and the street value of $905,000.

Alty, a former aircraft engineer who moved to south-east Asia to sell time-share properties, had agreed to take the bottles on the Qantas flight and was to deliver them to another man, "Rudy", at an airport hotel.

Prosecutor Andrew Sim said placing the methamphetamine in the bottles was sophisticated.

Alty, 52, of Bangkok, yesterday pleaded guilty in the County Court to one count of importing a prohibited import. The charge carries a maximum 25-year jail term and/or a $550,000 fine.

He has been in jail since committing the crime and his lawyer, Theo Kassimatis, said Alty would be deported after serving a sentence in Australia. His only prior drug offence related to cannabis after a serious car accident.

"It was stupid, momentarily stupid," Mr Kassimatis said. "It was opportunistic … and out of character."

Alty came to Melbourne for business purposes, but Mr Kassimatis said: "I doubt very much whether he would like to hear the word Australia ever again."

Judge Susan Cohen will sentence Alty on Thursday.

The AGE