gregington
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2001
- Messages
- 133
Found this today (hard to miss, front page news
). Link to article.
Anyone know what was locally made?? Was it that powder that was around a bit earlier or was it actually pills?
Full text of the article follows.....
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Drug factory - ecstasy bust ends belief WA supplied by imports
By Ben Martin and Ben Harvey
POLICE fear the discovery of a rare backyard ecstasy laboratory means the party drug is being manufactured in WA and not imported, as crime authorities believed.
Fremantle detectives investigating unpaid fines yesterday discovered a complex chemical manufacturing system hidden in the back shed of a dilapidated house on North Lake Road, Myaree.
Organised crime officers who had been conducting a secret operation aimed at the house's occupants, raced to the scene. It is believed to be the first ecstasy laboratory found in WA in five years. Most ecstasy sold in WA has been imported from the eastern States or overseas.
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre spokesman Paul Dillon said last year the proportion of the population using ecstasy had more than doubled in three years. About 40,000 West Australians use the drug each year.
The West Australian understands the Myaree laboratory was equipped with rare glassware used only in chemical processing and the chemicals were nearing the final stages of manufacture.
Fire & Rescue Service and ambulance officers were on stand-by as police clandestine laboratory specialists worked in protective suits amid fears the chemicals could explode.
Police last night charged 50-year-old Peter Rudzitis with attempting to manufacture MDMA, commonly known in the nightclub scene as ecstasy. Officers also raided a home in Hope Street, White Gum Valley, where they questioned 51-year-old taxi driver Peter William Humphrey, an alleged associate of Mr Rudzitis.
Mr Humphrey was last night charged with cultivating cannabis with intent to sell or supply over a hydroponic cannabis-growing operation allegedly found in his home. He also faces a charge of failing to ensure the safekeeping of a firearm.
Acting Det-Insp. Jim Cave said the Myaree laboratory was the second clandestine drug-making operation found in a residential area in three days and police were concerned for public safety. Three men were charged over an amphetamine laboratory in a home in Crandon Street, Gosnells, on Tuesday.
"With a lab like that there's got to be chemical smells," Acting Det-Insp. Cave said.
Suspicious chemical smells or unusual activity should be reported to Crime Stoppers or local police.
Australian Federal Police spokeswoman Beryl Janz said 18kg of ecstasy was intercepted coming into WA last year.
Some small time drug "mules" smuggled the drugs through Perth International Airport strapped to their bodies or packed in suitcases. Big seizures at the airport included a 19,000-tablet haul in February and a 5533-tablet haul in November.
In February last year, Federal agents seized 40,424 tablets with a total weight of 9.6kg and worth $2.2 million after a two-day watch on a cattle ship docked at Broome.
Federal police said the seizures showed how profitable the ecstasy trade was.
Anyone know what was locally made?? Was it that powder that was around a bit earlier or was it actually pills?
Full text of the article follows.....
--------------------------------------------
Drug factory - ecstasy bust ends belief WA supplied by imports
By Ben Martin and Ben Harvey
POLICE fear the discovery of a rare backyard ecstasy laboratory means the party drug is being manufactured in WA and not imported, as crime authorities believed.
Fremantle detectives investigating unpaid fines yesterday discovered a complex chemical manufacturing system hidden in the back shed of a dilapidated house on North Lake Road, Myaree.
Organised crime officers who had been conducting a secret operation aimed at the house's occupants, raced to the scene. It is believed to be the first ecstasy laboratory found in WA in five years. Most ecstasy sold in WA has been imported from the eastern States or overseas.
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre spokesman Paul Dillon said last year the proportion of the population using ecstasy had more than doubled in three years. About 40,000 West Australians use the drug each year.
The West Australian understands the Myaree laboratory was equipped with rare glassware used only in chemical processing and the chemicals were nearing the final stages of manufacture.
Fire & Rescue Service and ambulance officers were on stand-by as police clandestine laboratory specialists worked in protective suits amid fears the chemicals could explode.
Police last night charged 50-year-old Peter Rudzitis with attempting to manufacture MDMA, commonly known in the nightclub scene as ecstasy. Officers also raided a home in Hope Street, White Gum Valley, where they questioned 51-year-old taxi driver Peter William Humphrey, an alleged associate of Mr Rudzitis.
Mr Humphrey was last night charged with cultivating cannabis with intent to sell or supply over a hydroponic cannabis-growing operation allegedly found in his home. He also faces a charge of failing to ensure the safekeeping of a firearm.
Acting Det-Insp. Jim Cave said the Myaree laboratory was the second clandestine drug-making operation found in a residential area in three days and police were concerned for public safety. Three men were charged over an amphetamine laboratory in a home in Crandon Street, Gosnells, on Tuesday.
"With a lab like that there's got to be chemical smells," Acting Det-Insp. Cave said.
Suspicious chemical smells or unusual activity should be reported to Crime Stoppers or local police.
Australian Federal Police spokeswoman Beryl Janz said 18kg of ecstasy was intercepted coming into WA last year.
Some small time drug "mules" smuggled the drugs through Perth International Airport strapped to their bodies or packed in suitcases. Big seizures at the airport included a 19,000-tablet haul in February and a 5533-tablet haul in November.
In February last year, Federal agents seized 40,424 tablets with a total weight of 9.6kg and worth $2.2 million after a two-day watch on a cattle ship docked at Broome.
Federal police said the seizures showed how profitable the ecstasy trade was.