Coke, meth and $1m in cash: Columbian-Mexican man allegedly flew to Sydney to set up drug labs

A dual Colombian-Mexican national allegedly flew into Sydney to set up drug labs for a network that supplied hundreds of kilos of methamphetamine, a court has head. A Sydney man (pictured) was also arrested during major raids across the city.

A dual Colombian-Mexican national who police allege flew into Sydney to set up drug labs for a network that supplied hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine has appeared in court after being nabbed in major raids across Sydney.

The AFP began an investigation last month after receiving a referral from the Australian Border Force regarding the arrival at Sydney Airport of 53-year-old Gilberto Enrique Osorio Garces.

They will allege that while in Australia, Garces prepared for the establishment of a clandestine laboratory.

He didn’t apply for bail when he appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday after being charged with manufacturing methamphetamines.

The AFP will allege Garces met with Greystanes man Clinton John McGee, 33, at a western Sydney property in September and in the days following, McGee returned to the property with a container full of precursor chemicals.

AFP officers found $1 million in cash during raids across western Sydney this week. Picture: AFP

Officers on Friday located a clandestine laboratory at the western Sydney property and a small cache of weapons, including an assault rifle.

McGee is also accused of taking suspected drug manufacturing materials into a Wentworthville storage facility he had rented.

Clinton John McGee in 2022. Picture: Social media

When investigators searched McGee’s home yesterday, they seized about $1 million in cash, 12kg of cocaine, 10kg of methamphetamine and a dedicated encrypted communications device.

He was charged with two counts of manufacturing methamphetamine for a commercial purpose and two counts of trafficking in commercial quantities of controlled drugs and dealing with property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

McGee was supported in court on Saturday by his father and brother, where he was described as working as a “mover” for the drug enterprise.

Despite concerns raised about the welfare of his family if he was kept in custody, he was refused bail.

Weapons and alcohol found during the raid on a drug lab in western Sydney this week. Picture: AFP

At a separate property in south west Sydney, AFP officers will allege they found Xuan Phuoc Tang in the middle of a chemical extraction at a clandestine laboratory.

Police allegedly found 120kg of methamphetamine at the property.

Another woman, 47-year-old Hien Ngoc Thi Pham was also arrested at the property. Both the man and woman were charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.

Both the man and the woman were also refused bail on Saturday.

All four are due to appear in court again in October.

NSW Police Chemical Operations dismantled both clandestine laboratories.

AFP Detective Superintendent Kristie Cressy said Australian law enforcement was united in the fight against organised crime.

“Through our combined commitment to combating organised crime, the AFP has stopped a production line of methamphetamine from hitting Australian streets,” Detective Superintendent Cressy said.

“With the assistance of our partners, particularly ABF and NSW Police, we have prevented millions of dollars of drug profit flowing back into the syndicate to fund their next criminal venture.

Some of the drugs seized in the raids. Four people have appeared in court. Picture: AFP

Police seized an assault rifle in the raids. Picture: AFP

“Criminal syndicates involved in drug manufacturing do not care about the harm they cause to Australian communities – they put our community at risk of violence for their own greed.

“The AFP is working tirelessly to make Australia a hostile environment to these criminal syndicates, to protect the Australian community.”

ABF Director Border Intelligence Geoff Quinn said the ABF was incredibly proud of the dedication of Border Force officers to consistently improve ABF targeting methodologies, and counter major criminal activity.

“Officers are alert for individuals travelling to Australia with the sole purpose of committing crimes,” Director Quinn said.

“Criminal tourism, including collecting imports of illicit drugs or manufacturing illicit drugs, is a threat we face every day, and we will work shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners to end the practice.”

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Originally published as Coke, meth and $1m in cash: Columbian-Mexican man allegedly flew to Sydney to set up drug labs