The Australian/NZ Drug Busts Mega-Thread Part Triforce

[poledriver]

House shooting probe uncovers drug lab

Police are continuing their investigations into a shooting and drug laboratory at a house in Rockhampton in central Queensland yesterday.

Four shotgun blasts were fired into a home on Kerrigan Street on the city's northside early yesterday.

While investigating that incident, police later found drug-making equipment and chemicals.

Police have interviewed a 50-year-old resident and are still seeking a 36-year-old man who fled the house just after the shooting.

here

 

[poledriver]

Two arrested, drugs seized after warrant executed – St Clair

Two men are facing court after a child was removed from a western Sydney house that contained an alleged clandestine laboratory.

St Marys Police, with the assistance of the State Crime Command’s Chemical Operations Unit, today conducted a search warrant on a home in Merino Circuit, St Clair.

Police will allege they discovered an amount of drugs, believed to be amphetamines, at the premises.
The drugs are alleged to have an estimated potential street value of $150,000.

Chemicals and apparatus, allegedly used in the manufacture of illicit drugs, were also found at the house. The alleged laboratory has been dismantled by specialist emergency services personnel.

A loaded, unregistered handgun was also allegedly located on the premises.

A two-year-old boy, who was in the home at the time the warrant was executed, was removed from the house and placed into care.

Two men were arrested at the home and taken to St Marys and Penrith Police Stations.

A 41-year-old St Clair man was subsequently charged with possessing an unregistered firearm.

A 35-year-old St Clair Man was subsequently charged with supplying a commercial quantity of amphetamines and possessing precursor chemicals with intent to manufacture.

Both men were refused bail and will appear in Penrith Local Court tomorrow (17 June).

here

 

[poledriver]

Man charged after drug operation - Glebe

A man has been arrested and charged following a drug operation in Glebe.

Police attached to Leichhardt Local Area Command were conducting an operation that focused on the sale of illicit drugs in Glebe CBD.

A 56-year-old man was arrested today (16 June) at his home on Glebe Point Road, Glebe.

He was found to be in possession of a quantity of cannabis.

Police subsequently executed a search warrant on the residence and located a further quantity of cannabis and cannabis seeds.

He was taken to Redfern Police Station and charged with five counts of supply prohibited drug and three counts of possess prohibited drug.

He was granted conditional bail and is due to appear at Balmain Local Court on 6 July 2011.

here

 

[poledriver]

Clandestine laboratory, Frenchville (Rockhampton)

Rockhampton police this morning located a clandestine drug laboratory at a Frenchville residence.

Police located glassware and chemical suspected of being used to produce methamphetamines at a house in Kerrigan Street.

Police investigations are continuing.

here

 

[poledriver]

Footy coach convicted on drug charges

Former Tasmanian footballer Justin Richard Maynard has been found guilty of drug trafficking.

His trial lasted more than a week but the jury took less than four hours to find the 37-year-old guilty.

Police found methyl amphetamine worth more than $48,000 in cash, two handguns and ammunition inside a PVC pipe buried in the backyard of Maynard's Rokeby home during a raid in April last year.

The jury heard the former Brighton Football Club coach had twice been prosecuted for possession of methamphetamines.

Maynard has been remanded in custody for sentencing later this month.

here

 

[poledriver]

Man charged, cannabis seized– Budgewoi

A man has been charged after police allegedly located a large-scale hydroponic cannabis set-up at a property in Budgewoi today.

About 6.45am, officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Tuggerah Lakes Local Area Command, executed a search warrant at the property on Scenic Drive.

It will be alleged the cannabis set-up was located in a shed at the rear of the property.

More than 200 plants were allegedly located, with an estimated potential street value of $600,000.

A 46-year-old man was arrested at the address and taken to The Entrance Police Station where he was subsequently charged with numerous offences relating to cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, and electricity theft.

He was refused bail to appear in Gosford Bail Court tomorrow, 18 June 2011.

As part of the operation, the AFP also executed search warrants at two Sydney residences, in Earlwood and Lewisham, seizing cannabis, cash and documents.

here

 

[headdah]

Man arrested for drugs after falling asleep in car

A man has been arrested for drug offences after being found asleep in a vehicle at Klemzig at about 11am yesterday.

Holden Hill patrols searched the man's car and allegedly located a quantity of drugs, cash and knives.

The 41-year-old man was arrested and his Enfield house was then searched by Holden Hill CIB detectives, where more drugs were allegedly located.

The 21-year-old female occupant of the house was also arrested.

The man was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of cannabis and trafficking a controlled drug. He was refused police bail and is due to appear in the Holden Hill Magistrates Court today, 17 June.

The woman was charged with cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis for sale. She was bailed to appear in the Holden Hill Magistrates Court on 4 August 2011.

Anyone with information on the manufacturing or sale of illicit drugs should report it to BankSA Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.sa.crimestoppers.com.au.

http://www.sapolicenews.com.au/more-news/2267-man-arrested-for-drugs-after-falling-asleep-in-car.html

 

[poledriver]

Foster kids removed from drug lab home

Four foster children have been removed from a house in Sydney's west after police uncovered an alleged drug lab.

Police say they found $150,000 worth of amphetamines, drug-making equipment and a loaded gun at the house at St Clair yesterday morning.

Inspector Simon Maund says officers soon discovered the children were living there.

"Immediately they became aware of the children being present, DOCS (Department of Community Services) were notified," Inspector Maund said.

Two brothers, aged 31 and 45, were arrested.

Police say the children, aged between two and 10, were in the care of the men's mother.

The children have now been taken back into the care of the department.

DOCS says there is no suggestion the woman was involved in criminal activity, and that her sons had recently moved back in with her.

They have been kept in custody to face court today.

here

 

[poledriver]

Bali Nine ringleader loses final appeal

One of the Bali Nine drug smuggling ringleaders, Andrew Chan, has lost an appeal against his death sentence.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were found guilty of organising a shipment of more than eight kilograms of heroin from Bali to Australia in 2005 and sentenced to death.

Indonesia's supreme court has now rejected his final appeal.

The decision was made on May 10 but was only posted on the supreme court website this afternoon.

His lawyer, Todung Mulya Lubis, says he is shocked at the result and could not comment further until he has spoken with his client.

The supreme court judges reviewing Chan's appeal say they found no obvious error in the original decision to impose the death penalty.

But Chan's Balinese lawyer, Nyoman Gede Sudiantara, says the legal team is shocked because Chan was not caught with any of the drugs the Bali Nine planned to smuggle to Australia.

Chan's last chance for a reprieve would be an appeal for clemency to Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The decision is a bad sign for Sukumaran, who is also waiting on the results of his appeal.

Chan and Sukumaran both launched final appeals in August last year.

The appeals rested on evidence that the men have been successfully rehabilitated and are role models inside prison.

Chan and Sukumaran had both been running education courses for fellow inmates inside Bali's Kerobokan prison as part of their efforts to rehabilitate.

Chan, 26, told the Denpasar District Court last year he knew he could not change the "stupid things" he did in the past.

"But I have genuinely changed my behaviour and I really want to focus on what I can do now and in the future," he said.

Chan, who has also been studying for a bachelor's degree in theology while in prison, said he hoped to become a minister or a counsellor so he could help others avoid his mistakes.

"I accept that I deserve to be punished for my crime but I beg the court that I not be executed," he said.

"I hope I am given another chance in life."

At the hearing, both men apologised for previously pleading not guilty, blaming bad advice from their previous legal team.

They also apologised for their behaviour at earlier court appearances, conceding they did not show appropriate respect.

A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd says the Government will vigorously support clemency for Mr Chan.

She says the Minister's thoughts are with Mr Chan and his family at this deeply distressing time.

A supreme court decision in May spared fellow Bali Nine death-row inmate Scott Rush the death penalty, instead sentencing him to life in prison.

Five other members of the drug smuggling plot - Martin Stephens, Matthew Norman, Michael Czugaj, Si Yi Chen and Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen - are also serving life sentences.

The final member of the drug ring, courier Renae Lawrence, is serving a 20-year sentence.

here

 

[poledriver]

Wanted Australian surrenders in Thailand

Australian fugitive Adam Freeman has handed himself into the Australian embassy in the Thai capital Bangkok.

The 27-year-old former nightclub owner left Australia in December after a friend was allegedly caught with nearly 20 kilograms of ecstasy.

His lawyers have issued a statement saying he was not aware of any police interest in him when he went to Thailand, where he was pursuing pre-existing business interests.

It says he later learnt that New South Wales police had issued a warrant for his arrest and he decided to return home to fight the charges.

Adam Freeman is the son of George Freeman, who was a high-profile figure in Sydney's Kings Cross in the 1970s.

here

 

[poledriver]

Family shattered by Chan's failed appeal

A lawyer for convicted Bali Nine ring leader Andrew Chan says his client's family is deeply saddened by news he has lost his appeal against the death sentence.

Chan's Australian lawyer, Julian McMahon, has told ABC's AM he is still trying to confirm the reasons that Indonesia's Supreme Court gave for rejecting Chan's final appeal.

He says he has spoken to Chan's shattered family and knows that his client has also been told the news.

"His only concern is for his parents and how hard this news will be for them," he said.

"But they've all been assured that we've still got a lot of fight left in us and that's what we'll be doing now, aiming for clemency."

Another of Chan's lawyers, Todung Mulya Lubis, says he is stunned by the verdict to uphold the death penalty.

"I feel shocked, I feel very much disappointed and I don't think he deserved that. His right to life should be respected," he said.

Chan and fellow ringleader Myuran Sukumaran were found guilty of organising a shipment of more than eight kilograms of heroin from Bali to Australia in 2005 and sentenced to death.

Sukumaran is still waiting to hear news of his own fate.

He and Chan lodged appeals at the same time late last year, and Sukumaran's legal team is now worried he will share Chan's fate.

When the Bali Nine were arrested the police did not find any drugs on Chan, but Sukamaran was found at a hotel along with 350 grams of heroin.

Fight for clemency

Mr McMahon says Chan will keep fighting.

"Assuming the news is correct then we have a big fight ahead of us. We'll have to put a powerful case for clemency to the president and that will be what unfolds next," he said.

Granting clemency would be controversial - and it is unlikely.

Chan's appeal for clemency will have to be made directly to Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Professor Tim Lindsey from the University of Melbourne's Asian Law Centre says the president's life or death decision is Chan's final hope.

"If the president rejects the application then there's no further avenue - the execution will eventually go ahead. The president may however choose to commute it to a life sentence," he said.

A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd says the Government will vigorously support clemency for Chan.

The spokeswoman says the Minister's thoughts are with Mr Chan and his family at this deeply distressing time.

Death row

Chan has been on death row in Bali's Kerobokan Prison for more than five years. He has been working on a computer course for inmates and other ways to rehabilitate himself.

During Chan's appeal the jail's governor, Siswanto, told the court he was a changed man who has had a positive effect on other inmates and his life should be spared.

A former Supreme Court judge argued Chan should not have received the death penalty because police arrested the Bali Nine before the drugs had actually left the country - so there conspiracy to export the drugs had not become a reality.

But Chan's hopes were dashed by the panel of judges reviewing the case in Jakarta when they found no obvious errors in the original decision.

A Supreme Court decision in May spared fellow Bali Nine death-row inmate Scott Rush the death penalty, instead sentencing him to life in prison.

Five other members of the drug smuggling plot - Martin Stephens, Matthew Norman, Michael Czugaj, Si Yi Chen and Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen - are also serving life sentences.

The final member of the drug ring, courier Renae Lawrence, is serving a 20-year sentence.

here

 

[poledriver]

Drug charges, Upper Coomera

Police have charged two people with drug offences after allegedly locating a clandestine laboratory in an Upper Coomera unit last night.

A search warrant was executed around 9.10pm on the O’Connor Place premises.

A 30-year-old man has been charged with one count of produce dangerous drug and a 23-year-old man has been charged with one count each of produce dangerous drug and serious assault on police.

Both have been held in custody to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court today.

here

 

[poledriver]

Woman charged for importing heroin

57-year-old British woman is scheduled to appear in Parramatta Children’s Court today, charged by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for importing heroin into Australia, concealed inside her baggage and body.

Australian Customs and Border Protection officers stopped the woman for a baggage examination at Sydney International Airport, after she arrived on a flight from Malaysia on Thursday 16 June 2011.

During examination of the woman’s luggage, Customs and Border Protection officers located approximately 120 pellets in a black plastic bag.

At this time the woman also made admissions to Customs and Border Protection officers that she had swallowed more of the same pellets.

The woman was referred to the AFP and taken to hospital for a medical examination.

The AFP seized a total number of 160 pellets, containing 1088 grams of heroin.

The woman was charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, namely heroin, contrary to section 307.2 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 and possessing money reasonably suspected of being the proceeds of crime, less than $100,000, contrary to section 400.9(1A) of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The maximum penalty for these offences is 25 years imprisonment and/or a $550,000 fine and 2 years imprisonment and/or a $13,200 fine, respectively.

here

 

[poledriver]

Two arrested in alleged drug lab bust

Police have charged two men over the discovery of a clandestine drug lab on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Police say they found the lab during a search of a premises at Upper Coomera on the Gold Coast hinterland on Sunday night.

A 30-year-old man has been charged with producing a dangerous drug, while a 23-year-old man has been charged with producing a dangerous drug and serious assault on police.

They were remanded in custody to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court today.

here

 

[poledriver]

Man arrested for possession of 'ice' S A

On Saturday, 18 June 2011 police from Western Adelaide Operation Mantle stopped and searched a vehicle at Woodville North and subsequently located approximately 540 grams of methylamphetamine in the form of 'ice'.

The seizure of 540g of ice is significant and equates to approximately 5400 street deals.

A 34-year-old male from Ferryden Park was arrested and charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of a controlled drug and he appeared in court today.

here

 

[poledriver]

Drug crop found - two arrested in Newton S A

Police wish to remind the public about the dangers and inherent risks involved with the manufacture and distribution of illicit drugs following an incident which occurred last night at Newton.

Just before 8.30pm police received several calls from residents in Josephine Street claiming that a break-in was in progress and people were jumping over fences and running through back yards in the vicinity of Vivien Avenue.

Upon arrival police located a 27-year-old man from Pooraka in possession of a canister of pepper spray along with an small quantity of ice.

Police were then called to a house in Vivien Street where they spoke to the occupant who alleged that a group of four to five men had just tried to break in by smashing the front windows and front door.

Police searched the victim's house and located 14 large cannabis plants being grown in three rooms along with associated cultivation equipment.

A 30-year-old man from Newton was arrested and charged with cultivate cannabis and he has been bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 22 July.

The 27-year-old man from Pooraka was arrested and charged with possession of a prohibited weapon and has been bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 18 July.

Police investigations are continuing in relation to the suspects who tried to break in to the victim's house.

The suspects are described as being of aboriginal appearance. There is no further description.

here

 

[poledriver]

[NZ] Drug baron faces losing ill-gotten gain

Former drug baron Ronald Terrence Brown will spend his 66th birthday in prison tomorrow as he battles illness and court action which could take away what remains of his millions.

Brown made his money by importing ecstasy and methamphetamine through a sophisticated network involving laundered money, forged identities, and ingenious methods of international drug transporting.

He drove a Porsche GT3 valued at $275,000 - one of his collection of six luxury cars - despite claiming the unemployment benefit for nearly 20 years.

In February, he was sentenced to 11-1/2 years' imprisonment after admitting importing ecstasy, LSD and methamphetamine, and using a passport in a false name - Richard Charles Gunn.

In the High Court at Auckland today, Justice Mark Woolford ordered that Brown forfeit to the Crown nearly $900,000 cash, $60,000 worth of jewellery and his six cars valued at $440,000.

Brown's lawyer David Reece said his client was seeking to retain his share of his Westmere property as its forfeiture would cause undue harm to people not involved in his offending, including his severely disabled son.


Brown had also suffered a series of debilitating strokes recently and would need a secure home to go to when he left prison, he said.

Justice Woolford adjourned the matter for one month to allow Brown time to recover so he could make his case to the court.

Brown's arrest followed a five-month investigation which began in 2008 when Australian authorities intercepted a container from Lithuania containing a large granite sculpture in the shape of a column, with 28kg of methamphetamine concealed inside.

Enquiries revealed that four stone sculptures from the same source had been imported, which police found were sent to Brown by Lithuanian drug magnate Rokas Karpavicius, who fled from New Zealand in 2001 while facing charges of importing cocaine.

Police said the sculptures had contained class A and B drugs.

Brown also couriered a Harry Potter book from Spain which had 35 tabs of LSD hidden in the spine.

The police summary of facts said payment for the drugs would be carried out by Karpavicius, who arranged for his associates to travel to New Zealand and collect the money and distribute it overseas.

Two of these ``money mules'', Martynas Cikas and his girlfriend Irina Mejeraite, were supplied with about $1.3 million by Brown while they were here.

Customs found 37,000 euro ($NZ74,415), US$99,000 ($NZ134,598) and NZ$122,000 in their luggage, along with false passports which they had used to wire money overseas.

Brown also set up a company called Chamo - the name of his dog - to re-route funds, and got his associates to clean drug money by depositing and then withdrawing cash from their own bank accounts.

He was also alleged to have been the intended recipient of a computer monitor intercepted in Germany which had 10,000 ecstasy tablets inside, with a street value of up to $1 million, but this charge was withdrawn.

A search warrant on his home found a small plastic container buried in the back garden containing about 1000 ecstasy tablets, with a street value of up to $80,000. There was also about $6000 strewn across his dining room table.

Police also seized about $60,000 cash from a bar he owned on Auckland's Karangahape Rd -- the K Rd Ballroom -- and about $300,000 from his bank safety deposit box.

The Solicitor General said Brown made about $4.5 million from his offending and was seeking a pecuniary penalty order from the court, which would see Brown give up his money and assets, including his 50 percent share in his Westmere property, which the Auckland Council valued at $1.45 million.

He turns 66 on Thursday.

here

 

[poledriver]

Overcome by fumes from suspected drug lab W A

A woman has been arrested and two police officers have been overcome by fumes after entering a suspected drug lab in a Homeswest unit in Carlisle.

Police allege the woman was allowing her unit in Mars Street to be used to manufacture drugs.

Police went to the complex last night after neighbours complained a chemical smell was making them ill.

Two police officers were overcome by fumes after they entered the unit and had to be taken to hospital to be treated for breathing difficulties.

Police from the Organised Crime Squad have spent the night removing chemicals.

A neighbour at the units, Belinda, says there has been a lot of anti-social behaviour and no-one has been evicted.

"I just want to write a letter and say get me out," she said.

"This has finally happened, it's finally been exposed and I just think how dare they still be living here.

"We've smelt stuff before and we just stay inside and keep the windows closed and just pray nothing's going to explode."

Another neighbour Jody says there has been nonstop trouble at the complex for four years.

"My husband works away and there's shenanigans going on at night time," she said.

"The amount of time the cops get called and there's nothing is done about it, so being a home owner, you pay rates, you want to enjoy your home but then you are living across the road from this.

"It puts a dampener on it, you don't like living in your own suburb."

A woman has been charged with permitting premises to be used to manufacture a prohibited substance.

She now faces eviction under the State Government's crackdown on anti-social behaviour in Homeswest properties.

Residents in the area are demanding Homeswest does more to evict troublesome tenants from its properties.

here

 

[poledriver]

Drug charges, Tanah Merah

Police have charged three people with drug and weapons offences after allegedly locating a clandestine laboratory and associated drug related items in two Tanah Merah homes last night.

A search warrant was executed at around 7.40pm yesterday on the two properties.

Subsequently a 30-year-old man has been charged with one count of produce a dangerous drug, two counts of possession of a dangerous drug and three counts of possession of a relevant substance

A 24-year-old man has been charged with one count of produce a dangerous drug, two counts of possession of a dangerous drug, three counts of possession of a relevant substance and three weapons offences.

A 31-year-old woman has been charged with one count of produce a dangerous drug, two counts of possession of a dangerous drug, three counts of possession of a relevant substance and three weapons offences.

They have been held in custody and will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today.

here

 

[poledriver]

Additional police as drug lab cases skyrocket

Additional police officers have been assigned to help deal with the increasing numbers of clandestine drug laboratories being uncovered in WA.

A 39-year-old woman has become the latest person to be charged after allegedly allowing her Homeswest unit in Carlisle to be used to manufacture drugs.

Two police officers were overcome by fumes after entering the property in Mars Street.

Detective Senior Sergeant Glenn Swannell says it is the 91st drug lab discovered this year, an increase of 60 per cent on the same period last year.

"Soon we will experience an increase of six additional police auxillary officers that will be able to assist us in dismantling the clan labs," he said.

"That's a significant increase to our resources and we welcome that."

Police went to the Carlisle unit last night after neighbours complained a chemical smell was making them ill.

A neighbour at the units, Belinda, says there has been a lot of anti-social behaviour and no-one has been evicted.

"I just want to write a letter and say get me out," she said.

"This has finally happened, it's finally been exposed and I just think how dare they still be living here.

"We've smelt stuff before and we just stay inside and keep the windows closed and just pray nothing's going to explode."

The Housing Minister, Troy Buswell, says of the drug labs detected this year, seven have been in Homeswest houses.

"We have a very clear message; if you're caught with a drug lab on a Homeswest property, that's not acceptable," he said.

"And, we'll take action a) to evict you and secondly that the department doesn't provide you with taxpayer funded housing again in the future."

Another neighbour Jody says there has been nonstop trouble at the complex for four years.

"My husband works away and there's shenanigans going on at night time," she said.

"The amount of time the cops get called and there's nothing is done about it, so being a home owner, you pay rates, you want to enjoy your home but then you are living across the road from this.

"It puts a dampener on it, you don't like living in your own suburb."

Mr Buswell says action is being taken.

"There are cases where the department is made aware of suspicious behaviour by neighbours," he said.

"In those cases, that information has been forwarded on to the police and subsequent action has been taken so what we're now seeing around this whole issue of anti-social behaviour is the police and department working much more closely together."

The woman is due to face court on the 12th of July.

here