Christopher Keith Maney, 38 to contest serious organised crime allegations

An accused participant in a Breaking Bad-style Brisbane meth lab was caught on a police phone tap saying “bro we’re doing a million years”, a court has heard.

An accused participant in a Breaking Bad style meth lab in Brisbane allegedly exclaimed “bro we’re doing a million years” after police raided the clandestine facility, a court has heard.

Police would later arrest the accused syndicate member and former Finks bikie- Cade Deane Fara, 37 – at Brisbane International Airport allegedly carrying $10,000 in cash and attempting to flee to Thailand, the court heard.

Earlier that day on June 6 Queensland Police had raided a warehouse in an industrial estate in Pinkenba allegedly discovering a clandestine drug lab along with an estimated 48 kilograms of meth and $583,000 in cash.

Christopher Maney was charged with trafficking and producing drugs following a Pinkenba raid.

Police allege Maney (pictured) and Fara controlled the syndicate.

While the raid was in progress police allege another syndicate member Christopher Keith Maney, 38, was driving towards the warehouse when he saw the cops and quickly reversed and left the area.

A short time later police will allege intercepted communications between Maney and Fara revealed the following conversation –

Maney: “HQ2 is covered in cop tape … I’ve been through this before … all the hazchem is there … they’re under the same name.”

Fara: “All the money is there … it’s (the premises) in our name too.”

Maney: “We need to say we subleased it to someone”.

Fara: “How? Our DNA is everywhere … bro we’re doing a million years you know that”.

Police will allege Fara and Maney told a third syndicate member to go to the warehouse as it was being searched by police.

Inside the clandestine drug lab raided by police in Pinkenba on June 6.

Police will allege the man told officers he was there for a job interview when he arrived.

Maney and Fara are facing charges of drug trafficking (serious organised crime), producing dangerous drugs, attempted possession of commercial quantities of unlawfully imported border controlled drugs, dealing in proceeds of crime along with other weapons and drug offences.

Maney appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday where his lawyer Andrew Owens, from Owens & Associates, applied for bail which was opposed by police prosecutor Eddie Fraser.

Police will allege they initially received a tip off in April from Homeland Security in the United States about 13 kilograms of cocaine hidden in car parts and consigned through FedEx to an address in Newport north of Brisbane.

Police allege they seized more than $500,000 in cash at the lab.

Police will allege it was Maney’s address.

Operation Victor Carpenter was set up and police allege they uncovered a drug trafficking network managed and directed by Maney and Fara, the court heard.

Police will allege Maney facilitated the delivery, pickups, production and storage of methamphetamine and cocaine through workers that he paid in cash.

At the Lavarack Ave warehouse in Pinkenba police will allege they also located a semiautomatic handgun with ammunition and a silencer, one kilo of cocaine, an amount of ketamine, a cash counter and a large amount of glassware and other items.

Police will allege Maney leased work offices in industrial estates in his name to store money, kilograms of meth and firearms and was responsible for training a co-accused in the cooking of meth.

Police have alleged the method of cooking used was the P2P method – the primary method for large-scale production in America and Mexico – and also the method used in the popular TV show “Breaking Bad”.

The alleged clandestine meth lab at Pinkenba.

Mr Owens said his client had battled drug addiction his whole adult life and if granted bail would reside in a rehabilitation centre for 12 months.

He said allegations Maney was a participant in a serious criminal organisation would be contested from the outset and the testing of the substances found at Pinkenba would probably reveal less quantity than originally thought.

Mr Owens said Maney was not a flight risk as he did not flee despite knowing there was an arrest warrant out for him.

“The evidence of trafficking is limited, there is conversation about delivering things but no evidence that happened,” he said.

Opposing bail Mr Fraser alleged it was a strong case against Maney who could spend significant time behind bars if convicted.

“Courts should be seen to send a clear message to the desistance and deterrence of such criminal activity and to the apex of these enterprises,” he said.

“The flow on effects are insidious to those vulnerable, susceptible members of the community that have access to these dangerous concoctions that have been produced in these facilities.”

Outside the alleged meth lab.

Magistrate Andrew Moloney said the allegations were serious and certain strong evidence seemed to implicate Maney however he was satisfied strict conditions could reduce the risk of granting him bail.

Maney was granted bail with conditions including that he reside in the rehab facility, surrender his passport, report to police weekly, consume no alcohol or drugs, have no contact with co-defendants and wear a GPS tracking device.

The matter was adjourned to July 10.