The Australian/NZ Drug Busts Mega-Thread Part I

[lil angel15]

Drug bust on Yorke Peninsula
August 16, 2007 10:32am

A 19-DAY crackdown on drug offenders on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula has unearthed two hydroponic cannabis crops and other illegal activity.

Police said officers conducted 130 searches during the operation and found drugs in about 60 instances.

At one location at Kadina a husband and wife were arrested and charged with numerous drug offences after an elaborate hydroponic cannabis crop was found in a sealed room of a house.

A second man was arrested after another hydroponic crop was found on a neighbouring property.

He was charged with possessing cannabis for sale and numerous firearms offences.

At a house in Balaklava two people were charged with possessing cannabis for sale after 17kg of the drug was found inside their home.

An Ardrossan man was charged with cultivating cannabis and possessing the drug for sale after 15 plants and 4kg were found in a shed.

Police said the shed had been divided into a cloning room, a growing room and a drying room.

The officer in charge of the drug crackdown, Chief Inspector Steve Ryan, said drug enforcement was a priority on the peninsula.

"By targeting illicit drug offences we believe we are having a positive impact on reducing or deterring other criminal conduct," he said.

Adelaide Now

 

[lil angel15]

Drugs found in the post
August 15, 2007 12:00am

CUSTOMS officers have foiled a bid to smuggle drugs into Australia in miniature ceramic model houses through the post.

They found about 2kg of ecstasy concealed in the bases of nine ceramic model houses sent in two parcels from the Netherlands.

The parcels, labelled souvenirs, were examined when they arrived at the Melbourne International Mail Centre on July 19.

An X-ray of the parcels revealed possible concealments. Officers drilled holes in the bases of several of the tiny houses and white powder was detected and tested.

The drugs were then seized by the Australian Federal Police.

Australian Customs manager Graham Krisohos said drug smugglers often went to great lengths to get illegal substances across our border.

"This seizure demonstrates the effectiveness of screening international mail and the use of technology to protect the community," he said.

An investigation into the drug smuggling bid is continuing. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment and a fine up to $825,000.

News.com.au

 

[PrisonTrip]

Sentence after 482 pills embossed with Shrek

A BRISBANE man was yesterday jailed for possessing almost 500 ecstasy tablets embossed with images of one of the world's favourite children's movie characters - Shrek.

The Brisbane Supreme Court yesterday was told Graham Hanson was found with 482 green tablets after police searched his Margate house, north of Brisbane, in October 18 last year.

The court was told Hanson, 25, who was unemployed and using the drug at the time, had planned to consume some of the methamphetamine and sell the rest for a profit.

He yesterday pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and was sentenced to 30 months' jail.

Defence barrister Julian Wagner, in arguing for a suspended sentence, said Hanson had made a "sincere" attempt at rehabilitation and that since his arrest had set up a cleaning business, become engaged, and stayed away from all drugs.

The court was told Hanson paid $7500 for tablets that were 46 per cent pure MDMA and planned to sell them for between $25 and $30 each to other recreational users.

However, Justice Margaret Wilson said she was compelled to fashion a sentence that would punish Hanson and deter others.

She set a fixed parole release date of July 18, 2008.



News.Com.AU

The following information has been gathered by lawyers, RDO's and people that have had experience/problems with the law before.


I'd like to point out that when the QLD Police test a suspected MDMA pill they are searching for MDMA quantity only, unless the person arrested specifically says they do not know what they contain, which will then get a full analysis which can take upto 12 months, and most of the time longer.

And just for the record, there were multiple batches and varied doses and/or chemicals in the Green Shreks which originated from Holland. But these ones tested were one of the better.

Each pill weighed 180mg. Which means the pill (or the average of the pills of the batch seized) contained 83mg of MDMA. Alot different to what people were saying about these being the best pill, or as good as Green Mitsi's, however there was speculation (by testing and user reports) that Ketamine and Meth appeared alongside of MDMA in certain batches. And it's probably possible that the police were only checking for MDMA content, or only releasing the MDMA content to the courts as that was the charge they were after (Possessing the Schedule II Dangerous Drug, 3,4-MethyleneDioxyMethylAmphetamine)

If the user denied they were ecstasy, they would of got the full lab test results, which would of taken longer, and also yielded him a much harsher sentence.

I'd also like to point out this guy wasn't a bad guy at all. He liked to party and was pretty kind and threw his profit around for others to have fun, but he did get caught up in the wrong crowd and was arrested for a pretty large quantity of tablets. I think his sentence was just the yearly warning for young people, that you will go to jail for dealing and possessing large amounts of drugs, and it was purely an example, but he did have a prior drug and weapon offence (without record).


Moderators, if this does not fit here, could it please be moved to a new thread?

 

[lil angel15]

Police seize hydro cannabis in house raid
August 18, 2007 08:40am

CANNABIS worth $290,000 has been seized in a raid on a house in Sydney's south-west, police say.

Two men have been charged with numerous drug offences after police allegedly found a hydroponic cannabis set-up in a house at Edensor Park during a raid at about 4.15pm (AEST) yesterday.

Police allegedly seized 145 large cannabis plants and a quantity of equipment.

A 44-year-old Condell Park man has been charged with seven offences, including cultivating a prohibited plant.

An Edensor Park man, also 44, has been charged with six offences, including cultivating a prohibited plant.

The arrests are the latest in Operation Plante, which has been investigating an organised drug syndicate in Sydney's south-west.

Detectives from Operation Plante have executed search warrants on 16 houses so far, arresting seven people and seizing 2,938 cannabis plants with an estimated potential street value of about $5 million, police said.

Daily Telegraph

 

[Splatt]

Weapons, drugs siezed in bikie club raid
August 17, 2007 10:54am

POLICE have seized weapons and drugs after executing a raid on a motorcycle gang clubhouse in Brisbane's east.

Officers from task force Hydra, established to investigate Queensland's outlaw motorcycle gangs, executed a search warrant on a premises in Hemmant at 5am (AEST) today, police said.

They are owned or rented by the Highway 61 motorcycle gang, a spokeswoman said.

A quantity of drugs, weapons and alcohol was found and one man was currently assisting police with their inquiries.

Police are conducting further searches of two buildings, one of which is the gang's clubhouse, and of an array of motor vehicles.

news.com.au

 

[hoptis]

Man charged after Griffith drugs raid
Posted 11 hours 0 minutes ago

A man has been charged after a raid in Griffith, in southern New South Wales, where police allege they found a gun, cash and drugs.

The 30-year-old Griffith man was arrested after police searched industrial premises in the city on Friday.

Police have urged anyone with information on illegal drugs in the Griffith local area command to contact Crime Stoppers.

ABC News

 

[hoptis]

Police say Wodonga drug problem no worse than elsewhere
Posted 8 hours 5 minutes ago

Wodonga police are not overly concerned by two separate drug raids in the city last week.

Police arrested five people in the raids and uncovered drug trafficking and manufacturing operations.

Senior Sergeant George Bedson says local police deal with drug users every day.

But he says Wodonga's situation is not worse than other regional cities.

"We get it all the time, we don't want to see it in the town, we're no worse than any other city in Victoria and we're working hard, we're working hard to stop what activity is going on," he said.

ABC News

 

[lil angel15]

Trafficker walks
21Aug07

A DRUG dealer who sold an ecstasy tablet that caused a girl to collapse outside a Surfers Paradise nightclub has avoided being sent to jail.

Timothy Jon McKenzie, 22, yesterday pleaded guilty to trafficking and possessing MDMA at bars and clubs on the Gold Coast, buying up to 200 tablets and distributing them mainly to friends.

The Supreme Court in Brisbane was told McKenzie was 19 when he sold a tablet to a male acquaintance who then shared it with his girlfriend in the nightclub.

The woman had a 'bad reaction' to the drug and was taken outside the nightclub unconscious in the early hours of November 6, 2004.

When police arrived McKenzie was identified as the man who sold the ecstasy to the couple and was found to have about 10 more tablets still left in his pockets.

During his interview with police, McKenzie admitted buying about $6000 worth of ecstasy on credit from a NSW dealer and selling about 170 tablets, mostly at cost price to friends in the two weeks before his arrest.

He said he was also a recreational user of the drug and was unemployed at the time.

Crown prosecutor April Freeman yesterday said McKenzie had only a minor criminal history but trafficking ecstasy often led to jail.

"Drugs are particularly prevalent in the nightclub scene on the Gold Coast. A deterrent sentence is required for those who continue in the business of selling drugs," she said.

Defence barrister Jeff Hunter said McKenzie, who now had an infant son, was a young man who could be rehabilitated and all the evidence of his 'low level trafficking' came from his own admissions to police on the night.

He said considering his age and nature, jail would not be an easy place for McKenzie and questioned the futility of incarceration. He also said McKenzie had been 'very distressed' when he heard of the woman's reaction to the drug.

However, Justice Martin Daubney, SC, said such feelings would have been little comfort to the community. "Not half as distressed as the young lady or the young lady's family I suspect," he said.

"This court deplores any involvement in the trafficking or supply of dangerous drugs, particularly the insidious beast known as ecstasy.

"It simply will not be tolerated."

Justice Daubney sentenced McKenzie to two years and six months' prison for trafficking and convicted him for the ecstasy possession.

In allowing immediate parole yesterday, Justice Daubney said jail should only be imposed as a last resort.

McKenzie was ordered to report to parole authorities at Burleigh Heads by today.

News.com.au

 

[lil angel15]

Two of six offenders faced drug charges
21 August 2007

ARARAT - The first of six alleged offenders involved in an Ararat drug ring have appeared at the Ararat Magistrates' Court to answer charges.
Jayden Waterston, 23 of Hewitt Street and Matthew Jackson, 20 of Hakea Street appeared at the court to plead guilty to charges relating to drug trafficking.

Waterston pleaded guilty to trafficking methamphetamine, three counts of trafficking cannabis, trafficking Ecstasy and one count on trafficking cannabis.

Jackson pleaded guilty to trafficking Ecstasy, trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking cannabis, dealing with proceeds of crime and cannabis possession.

The charges follow operation Uncurl carried out by the Wimmera Tactical Intelligence Unit, from January to July this year, targeting the trafficking of illicit drugs in the Ararat and surrounding area.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Glenn Abbott told the court Waterston conducted the majority of his drug transactions using his mobile phone.

"There were numerous instances that have been identified by investigators where the defendant (Waterston) has sent SMS text messages to `customers' informing them that he was in possession of cannabis, amphetamine and Ecstasy," Senior Constable Abbott said.

"Upon receiving the text from the defendant `customers' would either call or text the defendant arranging a drug type, quantity and price that they were prepared to purchase the drug at.

"A meeting place would then be arranged between the defendant and his `customers'."

Between March 3 and July 6 Waterston made or received 6,260 calls or SMS text messages on his mobile phone.

Senior Constable Abbott said Waterston had a large customer base that included people from Stawell and Ararat, he said Waterston's main customer base was 10 people.

"The defendant would traffic cannabis on a daily basis and would traffic amphetamine or Ecstasy when it became available to him," Senior Constable Abbot said.

During the operation Police observed Waterston travel to Melbourne three times to purchase drugs. He made two trips to Melton and one to Deer Park.

On April 18 Waterston and an alleged female co-offender purchased 100Ecstasy tablets and an unknown quantity of amphetamine from an alleged male co-offender. Just 10days later Waterston again met with the alleged male co-offender and purchased seven grams of amphetamine. On the third occasion in June Waterston purchased 145grams of cannabis.

Snr Constable Abbott said Waterston would never exchange cash with his alleged supplier.

"The defendant or the defendant's associates would deposit money - up to $1400 - in a TabCorp Account at TAB venues in Ararat and Ballarat."

The account was in the name of the alleged male co-offender.

Between December 22 and June 20 a total of $47,900 was deposited into the TAB account.

Waterston and Jackson's barrister Allan Marshall said that Waterston was effectively a pawn for an alleged female co-offender and that Jackson became involved in the drug dealings as he was Waterston's friend.

Mr Marshall said Jackson was involved `peripherally' as he had deposited funds into the TAB account, had distributed the drugs on Waterston's behalf and had driven Waterston to Melton to meet with his supplier.

Mr Marshall said Jackson got involved in using and distributing drugs through sheer stupidity.

"What he has done can only be summed up as stupid, (a stupid way) in dealing with the problems in the world," Mr Marshall said.

Mr Marshall admitted that Waterston was deeply entrenched in the drug operation but said he was simply the pawn of an alleged female co-offender. Mr Marshall said Waterston suffered a mental disability and was not capable of organising such a sophisticated operation.

"He has enormous mental difficulties, he had little benefit (from the drug trafficking), he had little financial benefit," Mr Marshall said.

Magistrate Andrew Capell said he believed Waterston was plenty capable.

"He had 130 to 140 calls a day, he clearly has the ability to communicate with these people," Mr Capell said.

"It seems to me he has more involvement than is being suggested."

Mr Marshall told the court Waterston had little assistance with his mental disability, and suggested that his mental capacity needed to be fully assessed before sentencing.

Mr Capell agreed and adjourned the matter until October 5 in order for a psychological assessment be carried out and a pre-sentence report be prepared.

Given the extent of Jackson's involvement, age and co-operation with the police Mr Capell convicted Jackson and placed him on a community based order for 15 months.

Waterston had been remanded since July this year when police brought the charges against him. Mr Marshall asked that he be granted bail until his next court appearance.

Mr Capell granted bail under strict conditions that Waterston not leave his home address unless accompanied or with permission, not use a mobile phone or have contact with any of the co-accused.

Mr Capell urged Waterston to take the next two months to have a think.

"You are responsible, when you sell drugs, for what happens to other families," he said.

"Think about the damage you have caused to those families and your own."

Ararat Advertiser

 

[lil angel15]

Woman, 56, on drug charges
August 19, 2007

A WOMAN accused of being involved in the supply of ecstasy faced Parramatta Bail Court yesterday.

Lorraine Robinson, 56, of Lake Cathie, near Port Macquarie, was in court on four charges of possessing and supplying a prohibited drug.

Police allegedly found about 300 ecstasy tablets and more than $10,000 in cash in a house.

Robinson told police the house was owned by her son but she and her ex-husband were renovating the property.

Police facts tendered to the court said Robinson had been jailed in 2004 for other drug offences.

She was refused bail and the matter was adjourned to Central Local Court tomorrow.

SMH

 

[thinkpink]

"There were numerous instances that have been identified by investigators where the defendant (Waterston) has sent SMS text messages to `customers' informing them that he was in possession of cannabis, amphetamine and Ecstasy," Senior Constable Abbott said.

"Upon receiving the text from the defendant `customers' would either call or text the defendant arranging a drug type, quantity and price that they were prepared to purchase the drug at.

Do the police need some kind of warrant to read your text messages or is it just a free for all kinda thing?

 

[lil angel15]

Police dismantle drug supply syndicate - Queanbeyan
23 August 2007

Police have cracked a drug supply syndicate operating in the Queanbeyan area, in southern New South Wales, with the arrest and charging of six people.

Strike Force Northend - comprising detectives attached to Monaro Local Area Command - was established in May this year, to investigate the supply of crystalline methylamphetamine (‘Ice’) by an organised criminal syndicate.

In the past three months, it will be alleged members of the group supplied various quantities of the drug to undercover police.

About 12.50pm yesterday (Wednesday 22 August), police arrested a 35-year-old Queanbeyan woman and 20-year-old Ambarvale man following a covert operation.

They were taken to Queanbeyan Police Station and subsequently charged with a combined total of 27 offences and refused bail to appear in Queanbeyan Local Court later today.

Police executed search warrants at properties in Queanbeyan; Riverwood, in Sydney’s south-west, and Latham in the ACT.

They allegedly seized prohibited cash and drugs, including a quantity of a substance thought to be ‘Ice’ with an estimated street value of $700,000.

A 40-year-old Queanbeyan man, a 37-year-old Queanbeyan woman and 27-year-old Queanbeyan woman were arrested and charged with various offences. They were also remanded in custody to appear in Queanbeyan Local Court today.

A 35-year-old local man was arrested and charged with a single count of supplying a prohibited a drug and conditionally bailed to appear in Queanbeyan Local Court on 8 October 2007.

NSW Police Media Unit

 

[hoptis]

Cairns man confesses to cannabis plantation
Posted 4 hours 29 minutes ago

A Cairns court has heard a man tipped off police about his own cannabis plantation because he wanted to set the matter straight and move on.

Kenneth Thomas Rawnsley and two other men cultivated 1,180 cannabis plants near Mareeba in north Queensland last year.

In the Cairns Supreme Court yesterday the 29-year-old pleaded guilty to four drug-related charges.

The court heard whilst growing the plant Rawnsley soon became worried about the size of the crop and tried to destroy it. He then tipped off police.

Rawnsley's lawyer told the court his client helped set up the plantation to feed his own drug habit.

But Justice Stanley Jones was not convinced and believed there was a commercial element involved.

He said Rawnsley had shown some genuine remorse and sentenced him to two years jail. He will be eligible for parole in six months.

ABC News

 

[lil angel15]

Illiterate drug dealer admits ferry operation

A Hobart man has admitted running a drug trafficking ring which involved smuggling methylamphetamine aboard the Spirit of Tasmania ferry.

Garry Maxwell Billinghurst, 48, has pleaded guilty in the Hobart Criminal Court to trafficking speed in 2004.

The Prosecutor said Billinghurst and another man brought the drugs into Tasmania and provided them to several suburban street dealers.

Billinghurst's lawyer said his client is illiterate and unintelligent.

Billinghurst and two other men involved will be sentenced tomorrow.

ABC Online

 

[lil angel15]

Jail for Adelaide drug dealer

An Adelaide drug dealer has been jailed for three years by a District Court judge after being caught with several illegal substances during a police raid.

Andrew John Lush, 23, was found with almost 600 tabs of LSD as well as methylamphetamine and other drugs when police raided his Saint Agnes apartment two years ago.

Judge Malcolm Robertson said Lush had to borrow $26,000 to pay back his suppliers for the drugs taken in the raid.

The judge said that, while Lush had since stopped using drugs, it was commercial dealers such as him who helped spread what he called the "scourge" of illicit drugs within society.

He said the offending was too serious to suspend the prison term.

Lush will be eligible for parole after serving half his three-year sentence.

ABC Online

 

[hoptis]

Ice lab's $4m drug output: police
Arjun Ramachandran
August 23, 2007 - 4:41PM

Police are questioning a man after the discovery of a drug laboratory in a Sydney shed, which was allegedly capable of making methylamphetamine worth more than $4 million at a time.

Drug squad detectives were continuing to search the semi-rural property in Sydney's outer-west today, after a raid at 7.30am yesterday uncovered what police said was scientific glassware and other apparatus and a chemical stockpile.

The laboratory had the potential to make up to 20 kilograms of methylamphetamine at a time, with a street value of $4 million, a spokeswoman for the Police State Crime Command said.

Methylamphetamine can be converted into crystal methylamphetamine, the drug more commonly known as ice.

No charges or arrests have been laid, but the man, aged 58, from Londonderry, was assisting detectives with their inquiries, the spokeswoman said.

The raid followed an investigation into "unusually large purchases of specific chemicals", the spokeswoman said.

She would not elaborate on the chemicals purchased, or who bought them.

Drug squad detectives were assisted in the raid by forensic officers and a NSW Fire Brigades crew.

Drug Squad detectives are appealing for anyone with information about the manufacture of illicit drugs in the Londonderry area to contact investigators via Crime Stoppers.

Sydney Morning Herald

 

[lil angel15]

Police raids net dozens
Ursula Heger
August 24, 2007 12:00am

THIRTY-SIX people have been charged with drug offences in two separate drug operations in Queensland.

Police carrying out Operation Element in Gladstone, executed 40 warrants and charged 28 people with charges including supply, production and possession of drugs.
During those raids, police seized quantities of ecstasy, methylampthetamines, cannabis, cash and drug-making equipment.

When carrying out Operation Gander in the Ipswich area earlier this week, police laid 27 charges against a further eight people after a series of raids.

Most charges related to possession of drugs and firearms.

Police also uncovered two drug laboratories in Tivoli and Ipswich during the raids.

Courier Mail

 

[lil angel15]

Jail for members of commercial drug operation
August 24, 2007 13:23:00

Three men have been jailed over what's been called a major commercial drug operation in Hobart.

Garry Maxwell Billinghurst, Adam Arnol Jones and Jamie Barrett pleaded guilty in the Hobart Criminal Court to trafficking in methylamphetamine.

The court heard Billinghurst and Jones were major suppliers, travelling interstate to buy the drugs and bringing them back on the Spirit of Tasmania ferries.

Barrett was one of a number of street dealers who sold the drugs to the public.

Billinghurst was jailed for four years, with three years non-parole, Jones was jailed for four years, with two and a half years non-parole, and Barrett was jailed for two-and-a-half years with one-and-a-half years non-parole.

ABC Online

 

[lil angel15]

Man in court over alleged ecstasy haul - Centennial Park
24 August 2007

A 35-year-old man has been arrested after police seize a large amount of MDMA tablets, known as ecstasy, and cash in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs yesterday.

Investigators from Eastern Beaches Local Area Command have been conducting an ongoing investigation into drug supply in eastern Sydney.

As a result of a number of inquiries detectives arrested the man at a Centennial Park home shortly after 5pm.

Officers executed a search warrant at the residence allegedly uncovering a large amount of cash and 51 tablets believed to be ecstasy.

So far police have seized over 1000 ecstasy tablets and cocaine allegedly supplied by the Centennial Park man.

He was arrested and taken to Maroubra Police Station for questioning.

The man was charged with supply commercial quantity of prohibited drug, four counts of supply prohibited drug, and goods in custody of an amount of cash.

He is currently undergoing assessment at Prince of Wales Hospital and is expected to be bail refused to appear in Waverley Local Court this afternoon.

NSW Police Media Unit

 

[hoptis]

Raid nets 'significant' amount of drugs
August 26, 2007 - 8:57AM

Two people will appear in court on drug charges today after a police operation which included the raid of a popular Sydney nightclub.

About 1am (AEST) today police raided an Oxford St club at Darlinghurst where they allegedly found a "significant" amount of ecstasy and cocaine.

Officers arrested a 22-year-old man from Bossley Park in Sydney's west.

He was later charged with supplying illegal drugs and has been held in custody to appear in Parramatta Bail Court today.

Earlier in the night police arrested a 23-year-old woman outside her home at Sydney's Little Bay.

The woman was allegedly in possession of ecstasy tablets and police say a search of her home found more ecstasy and cannabis.

Police allege the woman has supplied drugs on a regular basis at the Darlinghurst nightclub.

She was charged with supplying a commercial and indictable quantity of illegal drug and was refused bail to appear in Parramatta court today.

AAP

Sydney Morning Herald