Police bust ‘meth lab’ on remote property at Harolds Cross
Two men who allegedly produced 45L of methamphetamine oil came dangerously close to blowing up as bushfires closed in on their secret drug lab in the bush, police say.
NSW
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A bushfire in the Southern Highlands came dangerously close to blowing up a clandestine meth laboratory where two men were arrested, police said.
Police allege 37-year-old Luke Drever, a South Australian with a Chemistry degree allegedly referred to as “the cook” by his associates, flew to Canberra last week and met his co-accused, 38-year-old Kevin Reilly.
The pair allegedly set to work producing 45L of methamphetamine oil inside two sheds on the property at Harolds Cross, southwest of Braidwood.
The sheds were a sophisticated production line according to police, with precursor chemicals, a pile of gas bottles, burners, large steel vats, ventilation and cooling systems. They allegedly also uncovered a shotgun, rifle, cash and phones.
“They were custom made and they had huge capacity in terms of a 1000L capacity, they could make multi-kilo yields at any one time,” Drug and Firearm Squad detective superintendent John Watson said.
Police will allege the 45L of meth oil could be distilled into 40kg of the drug ice, worth an estimated $34 million on the street.
The lab was found just south of the North Black Range fire which has burnt through more than 37,000ha.
“It was somewhere within 15 to 20km of the nearest bushfires, there was in fact backburning going on closer than that ... If anything was to happen or an explosion and obviously fire issuing right throughout that region,” Supt Watson said.
Police had been watching Drever and Reilly since they allegedly met in Canberra.
“We know that they met on Friday and we were able to continue our investigation and observation of them up until Saturday,” Supt Watson said.
Police on their way to the raid were cautioned about dangerous fires in the region by Rural Fire Service personnel.
Drever and Reilly both charged with manufacture prohibited drug and faced Queanbeyan Local Court this morning, where they did not apply for bail.