Lilyfield raid: Balmain Rd AFP raid over Mexican meth operation

The AFP has revealed a criminal syndicate is operating in Sydney’s inner west, using stolen IDs to import meth from Mexico.

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The AFP has revealed 10 plain-clothed officers descended on a Lilyfield townhouse last week as part of an investigation into Mexican meth being peddled by a criminal syndicate operating in Sydney’s inner west.

Police believe the illegal network is using the identities of otherwise innocent people to bring large quantities of the illegal drug into Australia.

Federal officers raided the property on Balmain Rd last Friday after a package from Mexico labelled “gloves, t-shirts and helmets” containing 1kg of methylamphetamine was detected by Australian Border Force officials on February 11.

The meth was found hidden in the lining of the package.

The AFP confirmed the recipient of the package recently had his identity stolen.

Police allege the Lilyfield property was connected to the importation of meth through the postal system.

During their search, police allege they seized a small amount of drugs, cash and identity documents.

No arrests were made but a 40-year-old woman at the property was given a court attendance notice.

Officers began their search in Lilyfield about 7am, not leaving until noon.

A driver’s licence found at the home, it will be alleged, belonged to someone who had recently reported having their identity stolen.

The AFP also confirmed the raid was part of a week of co-ordinated activities by Commonwealth and state law enforcement agencies, looking at the issue of drug importations through the postal system.

“From the latest Australian government data, one in four Australians have been a victim of identity crime at some point in their lives; and every 20 seconds an Australian is a victim of identity crime. You’re far more likely to have your identity stolen than to have your home broken in to,” an AFP spokesman said.

“Criminal networks will look to exploit any method to try to legitimatize their illegal enterprises.

The search was part of a nationwide operation

“Operations like this are a reminder of what criminal networks will try to do once they take hold of someone’s identity.”

Police believe the inner west syndicate is allegedly preying on victims of identity theft, before shipping drugs from Mexico in their names.

The raid was one of 15 across the country, with officers making five arrests and 150kg of meth being seized nationally.

Some of the drugs seized by the AFP this week.

The ramp up in activity comes amid the feared Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel targeting the Australian market, leading Australian authorities to warn of a new generation of the drug called “meth 2.0”

Booming demand has driven Australian drug users to pay among the world’s highest prices for ice, with a street value of $750 a gram compared to an average $53 a gram in the US, drawing growing focus from the cartels.

“We have a problem with methamphetamine coming out of Mexico,” Australian Federal Police Detective Superintendent Conrad Jensen told News Corp last November.

“It’s certainly on a super-size scale.”

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