DRUG SUPPLY: Police charge North Coast man after raids
Police allege illegal activity stretched from Coffs Coast, New England and Hunter regions
Lismore
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lismore. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A North Coast man will reappear in court today after being charged with manufacturing and supply a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs.
The 47-year-old man from Billy's Creek, 80km south of Grafton, was arrested after he and another man were stopped driving a white Nissan utility on Waterfall Way at Ebor at 5pm on Friday, August 14.
The traffic stop was made after extensive inquiries by officers from Strike Force Delisle with the assistance of Traffic and Highway Patrol police.
Strike Force Delisle was established in May 2020 by detectives from the Coffs/Clarence Police District's Firearm and Drug Unit to investigate the manufacture and supply of prohibited drugs in the Coffs Coast and Hunter Valley regions.
The men were arrested and taken to Armidale Police Station.
The 47-year-old Billys Creek man was charged with manufacture and supply a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs while the 45-year-old man from Murrurundi was charged with manufacture a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs.
Both men were refused bail and appeared before Tamworth Local Court on Monday 17 August, where they were formally refused bail.
At the same time, police executed a search warrant at a home at Murrurundi, where they located an inactive clandestine lab. A crime scene was established and underwent a forensic examination.
Following further inquiries, about 5pm on Saturday August 15, a 42-year-old Aberdeen man was arrested at Muswellbrook Police Station.
He was charged with manufacture a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs and refused bail to face Newcastle Local Court on Sunday August 16, where he was formally refused bail to next appear at Muswellbrook Local Court on Monday October 19.
On Thursday August 20, strike force detectives - with assistance from the Coffs/Clarence Target Action Group, Northern and Western Region Operational Support Group officers and AFP officers - executed a search warrant at two properties at Billys Creek.
During the searches, police located and seized glassware used in the manufacture of prohibited drugs, a kilogram of dried cannabis and approximately 10 litres of chemicals believed to be either prohibited drugs or precursors used in their manufacture. Police report the liquids have been sent for further forensic analysis.
Coffs/Clarence Police District crime manager Detective Chief Inspector Guy Flaherty said these arrests will disrupt the local supply network of methylamphetamine across several regions.
"We will be alleging this illegal activity not only affected the Coffs Coast area, their connections also stemmed into our Hunter Valley and New England regions," he said.
"Through fantastic collaborative work and information sharing with our neighbouring police districts, we have been able to interrupt a cross-region drug network of both manufacture and supply.
"Strike Force Delisle remains ongoing with further investigation and arrests expected."
Originally published as DRUG SUPPLY: Police charge North Coast man after raids
Lismore sale and auction results, week ending February 22
Lismore recorded 19 property sales over a million dollars last week, the latest auction and sales results reveal.
‘Melted’: Toddler horribly burned on playground slide
A shell-shocked mother is demanding answers after her two-year-old daughter suffered severe burns from an overheated council-owned playground slide. Here’s the latest.