The Australian/NZ Drug Busts Mega-Thread Part Triforce

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Drug arrests justify call for more police: Mayor

The Dungog Mayor says the arrest of three people for allegedly supplying drugs to local school students vindicates the community's push for more police in the town.

Two 53-year-old women and a 51-year-old man are facing more than 40 charges of supplying cannabis to students on a regular basis from two neighbouring homes in Common road, Dungog.

Mayor Harold Johnston says with an extra officer now allocated to the town, police are able to be more proactive in tackling crime.

"This community's been vindicated in its request for more policing," he said.

"We have had of course a police presence but they've been just so overloaded with work.

"We have a new officer who's only been here for a matter of weeks and all of a sudden we see the results of just that extra policing.

"I mean, really well done."

Detectives involved in yesterday's arrests say they are still monitoring other drug operations in the Port Stephens region.

Detective Sergeant Scott Metcalf says the arrests serve as a warning to others in the community who are dealing drugs.

"This isn't an isolated incident," he said.

"We are conducting operations right throughout the Port Stephens area all the time, so if people persist in this type of activity then rest assured they will be caught and dealt with."​

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Police seize 200 cannabis plants

A 61-year-old man is facing drug charges after police seized about 200 cannabis plants at Irymple yesterday.

Police searched the Cowra Avenue property in a dawn raid and found the plants in a sophisticated hydroponics system in a shed on the property.

The Irymple man was due to appear in an out-of-sessions hearing last night.​

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Large cannabis seizure - Kidman Park

Drug Investigation Branch Detectives have arrested a man and woman after approximately 60kgs of dried cannabis was allegedly found at their home at Kidman Park yesterday.

The cannabis was found inside a number of drums concealed in an extremely well hidden vertical underground bunker in the rear yard of the premises.

Approximately 2kgs of an unknown white substance and two firearms were also allegedly located within the premises.

A 45-year-old man and 26-year-old woman, both of Kidman Park, were arrested for trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and firearms offences.

Both persons have been remanded in custody. The woman is due to appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court later today. The arrested man is due to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today.​

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Man and wife charged over illegal drug manufacturing - Gorokan

A man and wife will appear in court this morning charged with making and supplying illegal drugs following a police raid on the Central Coast yesterday.

Police from Tuggerah Lakes Local Area Command formed Strike Force Trueman earlier this month to investigate the manufacture and supply of methylamphetamine in the local area.

Yesterday (Thursday 28 July), officers arrested a 35-year-old man after raiding a house on Dalnott Road at Gorokan.

Inside the house they discovered a clandestine drug laboratory allegedly being used to manufacture methylamphetamine.

Police also arrested the man’s 35-year-old wife at the scene.

Investigators will allege the pair had been employing a number of ‘pseudo runners’ to purchase cold and flu tablets for use in the clandestine drug lab.

The man has been charged with two counts of manufacturing prohibited drugs, supplying and possessing prohibited drugs.

The woman has been charged with the manufacture and supply of prohibited drugs.

Both have been refused bail and they will appear in Wyong Local Court later today.​

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Man charged after drugs found in car - Wagga Wagga

A man is due to appear in court today after more than 750 tablets of precursor drugs were allegedly found in his car in Wagga Wagga yesterday.

Police from Wagga Wagga Local Area Command were conducting random breath tests on the Sturt Highway, Wagga Wagga about 10.55pm (Thursday 28 July 2011), when they stopped a 2010-model silver Hyundai Getz sedan.

Police spoke with the driver, a 34-year-old man from Hoppers Crossing, Victoria, before conducting a search of the vehicle.

Police will allege 792 tablets – believed to contain pseudoephedrine – were found in the car. These are precursor drugs used in the manufacture of methylamphetamine.

Police arrested the man and took him to Wagga Wagga Police Station where he was charged with possess precursor with intent to manufacture.

He was refused bail and is due to appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court today (Friday 29 July 2011).​

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Charges laid over cannabis in bunker

Adelaide police have laid charges over 60 kilograms of dried cannabis found at a house at Kidman Park.

A man, 45, and woman, 26, have been charged with drug trafficking and firearms offences.

Police allege the cannabis was in drums hidden in an underground bunker in the backyard.

Two kilograms of an unknown white substance and two firearms allegedly also were found.​

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'Pseudo runner' nabbed by Wagga police

A man allegedly caught with nearly 1,000 cold tablets is in custody in southern New South Wales, accused of being a "pseudo runner".

Wagga Wagga police charged the Victorian man last night after they stopped and searched his car.

Inspector Rod Smith says the 34-year-old appears to be part of a drug manufacturing ring.

"We're alleging this man is being paid by an illegal drug manufacturer to go from place to place buying as many packets of cold and flu tablets as he can, which each contains 30 milligrams of pseudoephedrine," Inspector Smith said.

"(He's) what we call a pseudo runner, to pass on to somebody else for the purpose of manufacture of amphetamines."

Inspector Smith says it is difficult for chemists to track all sales of cold tablets.

"Unfortunately because these people get around using different names and so forth, and quite often there's a number of people involved, it can be very difficult to detect and pick up," he said.

"Fortunately last night, some good work by our highway patrol pulled this fella up and searched the car and found quite a substantial amount of pseudoephedrine-based drugs in the car."

The man was refused bail and will face court today.​

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Drug related charges Kingaroy

Police have charged an 18-year-old Kingaroy man after the alleged discovery of a quantity of drugs and chemicals yesterday afternoon.

Around 2pm officers search a residence in Baron Street, where it is alleged a quantity of cannabis, amphetamine and various chemicals were located.

The man has been charged with production of a dangerous drug, three counts of possession of a dangerous drug, possess anything used in the commission of a crime, possess property suspected of having been acquired for the purpose of committing a drug offence, possess utensil and unlawful possession of suspected stolen property.

He is expected to appear in the Caboolture Magistrates Court later today.

Police investigations are continuing​

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Shifting values provide fresh hope for Bali Nine duo

A lawyer for two of the Bali Nine Australians facing the death penalty say a shift in attitudes in Indonesia may offer a glimmer of hope for the men.

Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan have exhausted all their legal avenues and have about 12 months to plead for presidential clemency.

If Indonesia's president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono does not grant clemency, the pair will face the firing squad.

Lawyer Julian McMahon says the death penalty debate has remained dormant in Indonesia for many years, but now it is on the national agenda.

He says it could be an opportunity for Indonesia to emerge as a leader in the region and get rid of the law.

"Indonesia is a country where there's been tremendous reform since 1998," he said.

"It's a country where there's vital debate, the press is free and vigorous, there's room for people to argue the point on any important issue.

"In that environment there's a great deal of hope, because the time has passed for the death penalty law."

Chan and Sukumaran are in jail in Bali for their roles in a plan to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin from Bali to Australia in 2005.

Melbourne University Asian Law Centre director, Tim Lindsey, says there is a growing trend towards human rights for offenders in Indonesia - except for drug smugglers.

He says this makes the Bali nine case more difficult, but not impossible.

He says the new debate in Indonesia should initiate ASEAN countries to commit to a regional agreement not to execute people from abolitionist countries.

"We need to find some sort of regional protocol, I don't think it will be easy to do," he said.

"Hopefully countries that execute will see their citizens facing the death penalty in protocol countries, while citizens of abolitionist countries will escape it and hopefully that will put pressure on death penalty countries to do something about that."​

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Drug court to help keep youth out of jail

The ACT will hold a two year trial of a new drug and alcohol court for children.

Magistrates in the ACT Children's Court will be able to refer young offenders to the Youth Drug and Alcohol Court, to plead guilty to charges carrying a prison term.

If they are eligible for the court, their sentencing would be deferred to allow them to undertake a rehabilitation program under the supervision of a magistrate.

Their sentencing would then take into account their rehabilitation.

Attorney-General Simon Corbell says it has been designed to help young people turn their lives around and keep them out of jail.

"We hope that we will prevent the need for those people firstly to serve a custodial sentence but secondly and more importantly to prevent their reoffending behaviour," he said.

"It's a very worthwhile trial, it's certainly worked in other jurisdictions and I'm pleased the Magistrates Court are taking it on here."

Mr Corbell says it will be a challenging process for offenders.

"This is about making those young offenders work, making them think about and tackle their offending behaviour and the reasons behind it," he said.

"If a young person is not living up to their side of the bargain, then of course ... a custodial sentence or other penalties will come into play."

Mr Corbell says it is important young people are diverted away from custodial sentences wherever possible.

"We know that if we simply continue to send young people to custodial sentences, don't give them any alternative, they're only going to end up in adult prison and committing more adult and serious offences," he said.

"There's always a risk with custodial sentences, that you send them to a place where they frequent with other criminals and they learn from them. That's always a challenge in relation to any custodial sentence, whether it's an adult prison or a juvenile detention facility."

'Not an easy option'

Magistrate Karen Fryar says she proposed the idea because she was shocked by some young offenders.

She says it will serve as another sentencing option for magistrates who are frustrated by what they see.

"The number of young people that come before the Children's Court with very serious offending shocked me and also the fact of the entrenched drug and alcohol issues that most of them were facing," she said.

"It seemed to me that if we could just add another tool in the kit to addressing that issue, the community and those young offenders would be better off."

Magistrate Fryar says it will involve a very rigorous assessment process.

"That will be done by the joint-assessment and review team, that will include youth justice, care and protection services, alcohol and drug services, and hopefully education as well, to assess what other issues in the young person's life need addressing at the same time.

"Then a program plan will be prepared in cooperation with the young person. That plan will then be supervised by the magistrate who is sitting in the Children's Court."

Magistrate Fryar says it will not be an easy option for offenders.

"It will require a great deal of motivation by the young person to keep involved," she said.

"There's quite a few hurdles they have to jump throughout the process. If there is further serious offending or they're not engaging, they're reasons why they might be discharged from the program, and in that case the usual sentencing process would take place."

The new court has the backing of the ACT Law Society.

President Athol Opas says it is a great idea, and he has dismissed suggestions some offenders may take advantage of the program to avoid going to jail.

"It doesn't rule out the possibility of a young offender being sent to prison, rather it simply provides another sentencing option," he said.

"This rehabilitation process is not going to be a small or an insignificant commitment by the young offender.

"They're going to have to pull their socks up and actually participate if they're going to get themselves out of a prison sentence where that might otherwise have applied."

Mr Opas says if the trial proves successful, there would be potential to expand the idea to include adult offenders.

The trial starts in September and there will initially be places for six participants.​

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Three men face drug trafficking charges

Three Perth men accused of being involved in a commercial drug trafficking operation have faced court.

Australian Federal Police officers arrested Benjamin Lovett, James Webster and Lance Petter at a car park in South Perth yesterday.

They allege the trio were in the middle of a drug deal involving a large quantity of methamphetamine.

Police say they found two kilograms of the drug methamphetamine along with $300,000 in cash in two cars.

The arrests follow a ten-month surveillance operation set up after police identified plans by one of the men, James Webster, to import ten kilograms of cocaine from the United Kingdom.

The men were not required to plead today and have all been remanded in custody.

James Webster's lawyer David Manera says his client is being treated in hospital for serious injuries.

"It may have something to do with the manner in which he was arrested but I'll need to sort that out," he said.

The trio will face court again on August 12th.​

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Drug charges, Sugarloaf

A 50-year-old Sugarloaf man has been charged with possession of a significant quantity of cannabis this afternoon.

Around 9am this morning police executed a search warrant on rural residential property about 15km from of Stanthorpe. It is alleged that police located a large quantity of cannabis during the search.

The man has been charged with producing a dangerous drug, possession of a dangerous drug and posses anything used in the commission of a crime.

He is due to appear in the Stanthorpe Magistrates Court on August 9.

Police investigations are continuing.​

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Granny pleads not guilty to drug dealing

A 74-year-old grandmother has pleaded not guilty to selling drugs in central Sydney.

Noelene Edwards was arrested at Sydney's Central Railway Station in June during a police operation using a drug detection dog.

Police allegedly found 41 resealable bags containing cannabis in her handbag, and more of the drug when they searched her home at nearby Surry Hills.

Edwards was not present in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court today, but her lawyer entered a not guilty plea on her behalf.

Bail has been continued for Edwards until her case is heard again next month.

Edwards, who has seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren, is charged with possessing and supplying prohibited drugs.

Last month her bail conditions were relaxed so the grandmother did not have to report weekly to police.

Edwards' lawyer, John Gooley, told the court then his client had no criminal record, had lived at the same address for 20 years and has never held a passport.​

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Swimmer pleads guilty to drug charges

A former Australian swimmer has pleaded guilty to drugs charges in a Sydney court.

Ayrton Dickey retired from professional swimming last year after representing Australia in 2009.

The 25-year-old was arrested and charged in February over his involvement in what police allege is a multi-million-dollar international drug ring.

Police said Dickey and his co-accused arranged for 11 kilograms of the drug ice to be picked up by a courier from a unit in Sydney's east.

The van was stopped by police in The Rocks in inner Sydney and the drugs were seized.

The courier driver was cleared of any involvement.

Police allege a raid of Dickey's Bondi home uncovered more drugs, luxury cars and $8,000 in cash.

Today Dickey pleaded guilty to eight charges over the bust, including possession and supply of drugs and dealing with the proceeds of crime.​

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Drug related charges, Avondale

Police have charged two men and a woman after the alleged discovery of a large quantity of drugs at Avondale yesterday.

Around 11.30am officers executed a search warrant on a residence in Avondale Road, where it is alleged a significant quantity of cannabis and amounts of methamphetamine and cash were located.

A 57-year-old Avondale man has been charged with four counts of possess dangerous drugs, two counts of supply dangerous drugs and one count each of possess proceeds of drugs, and possess utensils.

A 44-year-old Bullyard woman was charged with one count each of possess dangerous drugs and possess utensils.

A 28-year-old Bucca man has been charged with two counts of possess dangerous drugs and one count of possess utensils.

They are due to appear in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court today.

Police investigations are continuing​

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Man arrested after drugs seized at Ridleyton

A 34-year-old man from Salisbury was arrested and charged with trafficking in a controlled drug and unlawful possession over the weekend.

Police attached to Operation Mantle stopped and searched a motor vehicle travelling through Ridleyton on Saturday.

The search revealed about 14 grams of heroin and about 7 grams of methyl amphetamine.

This equates to approximately 210 street deals of illicit drugs.

A quantity of cash was also located and seized.

He appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court yesterday.​

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Three charged for Perth drug deal

Three men have been charged with drugs and proceeds of crime offences following a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Western Australia Police and Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

This investigation resulted in the seizure of two kilograms of a substance suspected to be methamphetamine and $320 000 cash in Perth yesterday.

The men are scheduled to appear in Perth Magistrates Court today.

The joint investigation commenced 10 months ago during which time investigators identified a 37-year-old Carramar man attempting to source methamphetamine for distribution on the WA market.

It will be alleged in court that the man arranged a meeting at a South Perth car park to arrange the purchase of two kilograms of methamphetamine, for which $320 000 was paid.

It will be alleged in court that a 31-year-old Carramar man and a 40-year-old Kallaroo man assisted with the purchase by taking possession of the methamphetamine.

All three were arrested at the South Perth car park with the assistance of the Western Australia Police Tactical Response Group.

A search of two vehicles resulted in the seizure of two one-kilogram bags of a white substance suspected to be methamphetamine, and $320 000 in $50 and $100 notes located in two bags.

Subsequent search warrants were then carried out on two residential properties in Carramar, where investigators seized documents and electronic devices.

The 37-year-old man has been charged with:

Dealing in Proceeds of Crime more than $100 000 contrary to section 400.4 (1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
Attempt to traffic a commercial quantity of controlled drugs contrary to section 302.2 and 11.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
Possessing a controlled drug contrary to section 308.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
The 31-year-old man and 40-year-old man have been charged with:

Dealing in Proceeds of Crime more than $100 000 contrary to section 400.4 (1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
Attempt to traffic a commercial quantity of controlled drugs contrary to section 302.2 and 11.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
The maximum penalty for these offences is $825 000 and/or life imprisonment.​

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Cannabis grower appeals confiscation of house

A cannabis grower whose $465,000 house was confiscated as an alternative to an 18-month prison sentence is appealing against what he believes to be an unfairly harsh punishment.

Daniel James Brazendale, 54, was last year convicted by Justice Mark Cooper in the High Court at Auckland of cultivating cannabis.

Instead of imposing the 18-month prison sentence that he deemed appropriate, Justice Cooper ordered that Brazendale's house in Mangere Bridge, south Auckland, be forfeited to the Crown.

Changes to the Sentencing Act in 2009 mean property used to commit a crime can be forfeited as part of the sentencing process.

This was only the second time the law had been applied.

Brazendale maintains that his sophisticated cannabis growing operation - 30 plants were being hydroponically grown in a bedroom and 32 young plants were growing in a glasshouse - was to harvest cannabis for medicinal use to treat an old injury.


In the Court of Appeal at Auckland today, his lawyer Peter Kaye argued the sentencing judge had erred in his conclusion that the cultivation had a substantial commercial purpose and that he had failed to assess the potential yield of the crop.

"Counsel submits that this inability to quantify any commercial benefit also affected the judge's consideration as to whether the forfeiture was appropriate," Mr Kaye said.

Furthermore, there was no evidence that Brazendale ever sold cannabis, while there was uncontested evidence of significant personal consumption.

"His honour did not direct himself as to the relevant standard of proof of disputed facts and made no express finding that he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that there was a commercial purpose to cultivation.

"It is submitted that this was an error which has permeated the remainder of the decision making process."

Brazendale's three daughters were to have benefited from the property and were therefore caused undue hardship as a result of the forfeiture. However, Justice Cooper failed to properly consider this, Mr Kaye said.

If the house was not forfeited Brazendale would be serving a sentence of 18 months' imprisonment and would likely be released after serving nine months.

Cabinet guidelines indicated a payment of $100,000 per year was generally paid for time wrongly spent in custody, which illustrated how disproportionate the forfeiture was, he said.

Crown counsel David Johnstone said Justice Cooper had no option but to find that the cannabis was for commercial use, given that Brazendale had no regular income and refused to disclose where his money came from.

The house that was confiscated was one of two properties belonging to Brazendale, which mitigated the hardship.

Mr Kaye's complaint that the judge did not adequately reference the standard of proof when delivering his judgment was one of form rather than substance, he said.

Justices Graham Lang, Ellen France and Paul Heath reserved their decision.

Mr Kaye said his client understood that if the appeal was upheld he would have to be sentenced again.​

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[NZ] Drug lord faces losing family home

A former drug baron could lose his share of a $1.3 million Auckland home.

Ronald Terrence 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, the Crown applied to have Brown pay a "pecuniary penalty" of $600,000.

If successful, the application will force the 66-year-old to sell his half share in the $1.3m Westmere family home.

Brown has already lost nearly $900,000 cash, $60,000 worth of jewellery and his six cars valued at $440,000 to the Crown.


Crown prosecutor Robin McCoubrey said selling the home was necessary after Parliament passed the Proceeds of Crime Act to show that crime "does not pay".

He said while the Crown could not recover the $4.5m that Brown has admitted to making from drug dealing, a clear message needed to be sent.

"We can't ignore that for years he made $4.5m from drug dealing and lived a life where he wanted for nothing because he was a drug dealer."

Brown's lawyer David Reece said his client's family did not want to lose the home where many of them grew up.

"When you go inside the house it is a humble abode - it reflects its history."

He said the Westmere home was bought by Brown's family 40 years ago and is now owned by Brown and his brother.

Mr Reece asked Justice Woolford to consider the "undue hardship" on the Brown family.

He also handed a letter up to the Judge from Brown that he said made it clear that Brown was "stupid and greedy".

"He thoroughly deserves to lose the whole lot - I think you could glean it from that."

He said Brown has suffered two strokes and will be at the mercy of his family and the state when he leaves prison.

He said the family might be able to buy out Brown's half share in the home if it was around the $250,000 mark but there was little chance of getting the $600,000 together.

He said Brown had already been sentenced to a lengthy prison term and had suffered two strokes, which would likely "end his days".

"And now he is set to lose pretty much everything."

Justice Woolford reserved his decision.

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 ($74,415), US$99,000 ($134,598) 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.​

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73yo charged over $12m ice bust

Detectives in New South Wales say they have caught a man with enough chemicals to make more than $12 million worth of the drug ice.

Officers from the Middle East organised crime squad allegedly found 25 litres of meth oil in the man's car yesterday afternoon near Phegans Bay, on the state's central coast.

A search of a nearby property allegedly uncovered another 25 litres of the liquid, plus two guns and ammunition.

Police say the 50 litres of oil could have been converted into 50 kilograms of ice, with an estimated street value of at least $12.5 million.

The 73-year-old from Mosman, on Sydney's north shore, has been charged with large-scale drug supply and possessing guns.

He was kept in custody overnight to face Gosford Local Court today.

The police squad's commander, Deb Wallace, says officers are also investigating potential accomplices, including the man's family.

"We would allege that when you take 50 kilograms of ice, technically, off the street it has a huge dent in any criminal organisation. And we would suggets that no-one operates alone in these matters," she said.

"There's an estimated wholesale value of 13 million dollars as a result of this seizure. Now that would have a huge impact on any criminal network that might be operating in this line of work."​

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