Police smash ‘prisons drug importation syndicate’ in NSW north coast raids
POLICE claim to have exposed a sophisticated organised criminal syndicate involved in the manufacture and supply of drugs into NSW prisons.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
POLICE claim to have exposed a criminal syndicate involved in the manufacture and supply of drugs into NSW prisons.
Officers attached to Strike Force Trevalsa arrested four men during a number of raids on homes on the NSW north coast and the Gold Coast. They are expected to face court today.
The man police will claim is the group’s ringleader was arrested at a service station on the Pacific Highway at Chinderah, before being taken to Tweed Heads Police Station, the Northern Star reports.
Richmond Police District crime manager Detective Inspector Cameron Lindsay said the investigation had unveiled what they allege is a large-scale drug production and trafficking operation that’s involved with supplying drugs to correctional centre inmates in NSW.
“We’ve uncovered what we will allege is a large commercial supply of cocaine and MDMA within the Byron Bay, Ballina and Lismore areas,” he said
TROUBLE IN PARADISE: BYRON BAY’S HARD DRUGS CRISIS
“The drugs we have seized during this operation are highly addictive and destructive and it is imperative to our community to get these drugs off our streets.
“We’ll also allege that this syndicate is responsible for the importation of drugs into correctional facilities and has been importing drugs through those facilities.
“I anticipate these men will face some very serious drug charges, ones which relate to large commercial supply.
“We’re talking about the top end and the major organised crime in drug supply within this area.”
He said police had today seized three kilograms of MDMA and a “large amount” of other material relating to the allegations.
“This investigation has gone over not only police district borders but also over state lines,” he said.
“There are also a number of inquiries in the Sydney metropolitan area in relation to these drugs.
“We will allege... this is part of a criminal group that has connections within correctional facilities and we will allege there has been the supply of drugs into correctional facilities by people attached to this syndicate.”