Three males have been charged for allegedly possessing and trafficking greater than 55kg of illicit medicine hidden in secret compartments inside various autos transported between NSW and Victoria.
The AFP will allege two Victorian males and a NSW man have been key members of an organised prison syndicate suspected of concealing illicit medicine, together with cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamine, inside a fleet of autos and transporting them through tray vehicles from Sydney to Melbourne this yr.
The boys allegedly used purpose-built hides, situated within the rear seat space of Toyota Camry sedans, to hide and transport the illicit medicine and greater than $1 million of prison proceeds.
The AFP, with help from Victoria Police, executed various search warrants at residential properties in Deer Park, Niddrie, and Maribyrnong, Victoria, and a automobile at Wagga Wagga, NSW, on 25 June, 2024.
Through the searches police situated and seized illicit medicine, together with 22kg of cocaine, 3kg of MDMA, 1kg of methamphetamine, a amount of money, and two loaded firearms.
The AFP arrested a 23-year-old Niddrie man at Deer Park, and a 20-year-old man from NSW at Maribyrnong.
The boys have been every charged with:
- One depend of trafficking a business amount of managed drug, opposite to part 302.2 (1) of the Felony Code Act 1995 (Cth);
- One depend of possess a business amount of border managed drug that’s moderately suspected of getting been unlawfully imported, opposite to part 307.8 (1) of the Felony Code 1995 (Cth).
The Niddrie man was additionally charged with one depend of possess a traffickable amount of firearms, opposite to part 7C of the Firearms Act 1996 (VIC).
On 28 June 2024, police recognized a 3rd man allegedly linked to the organised crime syndicate and executed a search warrant at a Craigieburn property. Investigators seized varied digital gadgets for additional forensic evaluation and arrested a 23-year-old man.
The AFP will allege the person was chargeable for 25kg of methamphetamine, 5kg of cocaine and greater than $1 million of suspected prison proceeds situated and seized with the help of Victoria Police, within the flooring of a van at Airport West, on 16 Might, 2024.
The Craigieburn man was charged with:
- Two counts of trafficking a business amount of managed drug, opposite to part 302.2 (1) of the Felony Code Act 1995 (Cth);
- Two counts of possess a business amount of border managed drug that’s moderately suspected of getting been unlawfully imported, opposite to part 307.8 (1) of the Felony Code 1995 (Cth); and
- Coping with cash or property believed to be proceeds of crime, and on the time of dealing the worth of the cash or property was $1 million or extra, opposite to part 400.3 (1) of the Felony Code 1995.
All three males have been remanded in custody and are scheduled to reappear within the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court docket on 29 October, 2024. They’re every dealing with a most penalty of life imprisonment.
AFP Detective Superintendent Simone Butcher stated police suspect the autos have been modified with secret compartments to hide a big quantity of illicit medicine in a failed try and evade detection from authorities.
“Organised prison syndicates will proceed to evolve and devise inventive new concealment strategies to keep away from detection from legislation enforcement,” Det. Supt Butcher stated.
“Our message to criminals is obvious: your efforts will fail and the AFP is all the time one step forward of your plans.
“I wish to thank the AFP officers concerned within the investigation and spotlight their relentless efforts to disrupt prison syndicates inflicting Australians immense hurt by means of the vile drug commerce.
“The quantity of illicit medicine seized from this syndicate had an estimated avenue worth of greater than $11 million and had the potential to facilitate greater than 37,500 particular person avenue offers, if it had reached Australian streets.
“This seizure demonstrates the significance of collaboration between the AFP and Victoria Police, working tirelessly collectively to disrupt makes an attempt by organised crime teams to import and visitors massive portions of illicit medicine into Australia.
“The AFP would additionally wish to alert members of the general public about purpose-built compartments in autos used to cover illicit commodities and encourage individuals to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au, to report suspicious exercise anonymously.”
