Moorebank: Bennett John Jolley, Belal Bill El Badar charged after police allegedly seize 4.5kg of MDA
VIDEO: Two men have been charged after police allegedly uncovered a clandestine drug lab and seized more than 4.5kg of MDA - a psychedelic amphetamine - destined for the entertainment industry and music festivals.
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Two men have been charged after police allegedly uncovered a clandestine drug lab in Sydney’s southwest and seized more than 4.5kg of MDA - a psychedelic amphetamine - that investigators say was destined for the entertainment industry.
Strike Force Duckette officers arrested Minto Heights man Bennett John Jolley, 41, during a vehicle stop at Moorebank on Wednesday morning following investigations into the manufacture of prohibited drugs across southwest Sydney.
Shortly after the arrest, police executed a crime scene warrant at an industrial property in Moorebank and three search warrants at homes at Minto Heights, Lugarno and Mount Hunter.
More than 4.5kg of MDA was allegedly seized during the search at the Moorebank premises, where officers also allegedly found chemicals, precursors, solvents and equipment consistent with the manufacture of prohibited drugs.
During the search of the Minto Heights and Lugarno homes, officers allegedly seized a firearm, electronic stun device and ammunition, as well as electronic devices, documentation and an amount of methylamphetamine.
All items will undergo further examination.
Investigators made a second arrest on Wednesday afternoon, taking 42-year-old Lugarno man Belal Bill El Badar into custody.
Both men were taken to Liverpool Police Station where Jolley was charged with manufacture prohibited drug (large commercial quantity).
El Badar was charged with take part manufacture prohibited drug (large commercial quantity).
The pair today appeared briefly at Liverpool Local Court, where Magistrate David Degnan ordered the police brief be served by November 9.
Mr Jolley is expected to make an application for bail next Thursday, September 17.
Addressing the media on Thursday, police allege the Moorebank industrial lab — which had the potential to produce 200,000 MDA pills with a street value of more than $4 million — was producing the illicit substances for the entertainment industry.
Drug and Firearms Squad commander Detective Acting Superintendent Jayne Doherty said over 2000 exhibits had been identified in the Moorebank industrial unit which had allegedly been solely set up for manufacturing drugs.
“This type of pill is headed for the entertainment sort of area, so we have music festivals, around young people, around entertainment, licensed premises and so on, and although they’re manufactured in southwest Sydney, they can spread out across the whole of Australia.’’
Supt Doherty said the lab was formed so it would manufacture large commercial quantities of drugs.
“The lab itself was set up solely for the purpose of manufacturing prohibited drugs. It contained industrial-sized, purpose-built reaction vessels and a number of solvents and other chemicals consistent with the manufacture of prohibited drugs.’’
Supt Doherty said, like MDMA and MDEA, MDA was part of the ecstasy family of drugs.
“They all have similar effects, it’s just some are hyper than others so MDA generally will have a longer peak and depending on the user, may also have more incidents of hallucinations but they’re all the general sort of family.”
Investigations are ongoing.
“At this stage they’re the only two arrests that have been made but inquiries are continuing and other people, as they’re identified, will be charged,’’ Supt Doherty said.
“I don’t want to make comment on any prior history but they have been targeted by us for a number of months.
“Our investigations don’t stop at the arrests. We continue to look at the supply chain that they were (allegedly) involved in and any other persons that were involved in the manufacture or, prior to that, in supplying the chemicals and the reaction vessels.’’