Psychadelic_Paisly
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2003
- Messages
- 2,442
34kg of esctasy seized
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,8936073%5E1702,00.html
11mar04
POLICE believe they have smashed an international drug syndicate with the arrest of five men for allegedly importing 34kg of ecstasy.
The 255,000 tablets, which police said had a street value of $12 million, were packed into the wooden planks of crates containing antique chandeliers that arrived in Melbourne last month.
They were detected when the crates were X-rayed at the Customs Container Examination Facility.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) national manager Mike Phelan said the drugs had then been removed and replaced with an inert substance and the crates delivered.
"The delivery was monitored to a private address in Caulfield," he said.
"Following an extensive surveillance operation AFP agents last night arrested five men in connection with the importation, some of whom allegedly attempted to access the concealment."
Agent Phelan said three men aged 31, 28 and 23 from Caulfield and two men aged 41 and 23 from Sydney had been arrested and charged with drug-related offences.
Ecstasy seizures had risen by 400 per cent over the past 12 months, he said.
Customs regional director for Victoria Jenny Peachey said a total of 110kg of ecstasy had been confiscated this year in four seizures in Melbourne and Sydney.
The opening of the Customs Container Examination Facility in Melbourne 12 months ago had been the key to catching out drug smugglers, whose methods were becoming ever more elaborate, she said.
"I think they are becoming more sophisticated and intricate – the concealments are different every time," she said.
"So the use of technology like X-ray, like drug detector dogs, like ion scans ... are essential in detecting sophisticated concealments and they are paying off."
The five men arrested over the seizure will appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court today charged with crimes including attempt to posses a prohibited import and attempt to traffic.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,8936073%5E1702,00.html
11mar04
POLICE believe they have smashed an international drug syndicate with the arrest of five men for allegedly importing 34kg of ecstasy.
The 255,000 tablets, which police said had a street value of $12 million, were packed into the wooden planks of crates containing antique chandeliers that arrived in Melbourne last month.
They were detected when the crates were X-rayed at the Customs Container Examination Facility.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) national manager Mike Phelan said the drugs had then been removed and replaced with an inert substance and the crates delivered.
"The delivery was monitored to a private address in Caulfield," he said.
"Following an extensive surveillance operation AFP agents last night arrested five men in connection with the importation, some of whom allegedly attempted to access the concealment."
Agent Phelan said three men aged 31, 28 and 23 from Caulfield and two men aged 41 and 23 from Sydney had been arrested and charged with drug-related offences.
Ecstasy seizures had risen by 400 per cent over the past 12 months, he said.
Customs regional director for Victoria Jenny Peachey said a total of 110kg of ecstasy had been confiscated this year in four seizures in Melbourne and Sydney.
The opening of the Customs Container Examination Facility in Melbourne 12 months ago had been the key to catching out drug smugglers, whose methods were becoming ever more elaborate, she said.
"I think they are becoming more sophisticated and intricate – the concealments are different every time," she said.
"So the use of technology like X-ray, like drug detector dogs, like ion scans ... are essential in detecting sophisticated concealments and they are paying off."
The five men arrested over the seizure will appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court today charged with crimes including attempt to posses a prohibited import and attempt to traffic.
![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
