Jason Gerges charged with meth importation

A Sydney concreting business director charged following a fiery alleged drug lab explosion is now accused of importing more than 12kg of meth secreted in machinery parts.

Jason Gerges, 30, has been charged over an alleged drug importation. Picture: Facebook

A concreting business director is back behind bars on remand charged with allegedly importing more than 12kg of methamphetamine following an investigation into a drug lab fire by the state’s bikie task force.

Jason Gerges, 30, has now been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug after Australian Border Force officers allegedly found more than 12kg of meth hidden in machinery parts in an intercepted consignment.

He was already on bail for serious drug supply and firearm charges related to the same investigation after spending three months on remand after his initial arrest in December 2022.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad had first begun investigating the alleged prohibited drug supply across Sydney under Strike Force Caste in October 2022.

St George Police Area Command officers called in the strike force detectives after a 51-year-old man was injured in a house fire at Austral St, Kogarah on December 12.

A court has previously heard the unit was allegedly being used as a drug lab, and co-accused Ho Jae Lee suffered significant burns following an explosion within the premises.

Items seized after the initial house fire at Austral Sr. Picture: NSW Police

The ongoing investigation into the Gerges, Lee and their co-accused Jason Khoury resulted in Australian Border Force officers intercepting a consignment on December 14 last year.

“Once examined, they found more than 12kg of methamphetamine allegedly concealed in machinery parts,” NSW Police said in a statement.

“The consignment was seized by Australian Federal Police Officers and Strike Force Caste detectives.”

Gerges was arrested again at Bankstown police station around 5pm on April 18, and subsequently charged in relation to the alleged importation.

He was refused bail to appear at Bankstown Local Court on April 19, where he did not apply for bail, it was formally refused, and his matter was adjourned to June 14 at Downing Centre Local Court.

Gerges, who previously resided in Campsie, is a director of Levels Concreting Services.

Investigations under Strike Force Caste are ongoing.

Anyone with information about the supply or importation of prohibited drugs that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.