AN0M bust: $288m of meth seized in Brisbane and in NSW
The AFP’s encrypted app AN0M has led them to a $288 million dollar stash of meth with drug syndicate links from Queensland to NSW.
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Four men alleged to be part of a drug-trafficking syndicate have been charged after police using information from the encrypted app AN0M seized $288 million worth of methamphetamine.
The Australian Federal Police swooped on a freighter which arrived into port in Brisbane, and searched two properties in New South Wales, seizing a total of 461 kilograms of the illicit drug.
The arrests formed part of Operation Ironside, the three-year covert police instigation built around the Trojan horse app AN0M, which was secretly being run and monitored by law enforcement.
On May 12, the AFP and New South Wales drug and firearm squad raided a property at Doyalson, in regional NSW. The AFP’s specialised forensics imagery and geomatics team uncovered what police allege was a hydraulically-operate drug hide located in a void under the try of an unregistered truck found at the property.
Police allege they found 20kg of methamphetamine, more commonly known as ice, in bags inside the void.
On May 13, police raided a property at Seven Hills in suburban Sydney, allegedly locating two large duffel bags containing 23kg of ice, inside a roof cavity.
Two men were charged with trafficking in a commercial quantity of controlled drugs.
George Chambour, 36, of Roselands, and Mitchell Peter Jones, 25, of the Central Coast, have appeared in court and been remanded to appear again on August 4.
On June 5, police and the Australian Border Force examined a consignment of goods which arrived into Brisbane on board the Norwegian-flagged car carrier the Tirranna, which had come from the United States.
The consignment consisted of a hydraulic press and a large industrial gearbox. Police allege a search revealed 52 individual packages of ice, weighing 223kg, were found inside the hydraulic press.
They further allege 96 packages of methamphetamine, weighing approximately 195kg, were found hidden inside the gearbox.
On 7 June 2021, a 39-year-old Bardia man, John William Filipe, was arrested and accused by police of being the onshore controller of a drug-importation syndicate.
He had previously been charged with allegedly directing activities of a criminal organisation and importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drugs, and remanded in custody to appear in court on August 4.
Also on June 7, police raided a home at Erina Heights on the Central Coast and seized $47,000, including $40,000 they allege was hidden in a shoebox inside a cupboard.
Frank Farrugia, 37, of Erina Heights, was arrested and charged with entering into an agreement to import a commercial quantities of a border controlled drug, and remanded in custody until August 4.
Filipe was also charged with the same alleged crime. All four men are listed before the Sydney Central Local Court for a brief mention.
Do you know more? Email us at crimeinvestigations@news.com.au
Originally published as AN0M bust: $288m of meth seized in Brisbane and in NSW
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