Murrurundi: Three charged over drug lab bust in the Upper Hunter
Three men have been arrested after police discovered a clandestine drug lab in the Upper Hunter. Police believe the bust will place a significant dent in an alleged methylamphetamine supply network between the Coffs Coast and Hunter Valley.
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Three men have been charged over the supply and manufacture of a commercial quantity of methylamphetamine after a clandestine ice lab was discovered in the Upper Hunter.
The inactive clandestine drug lab was discovered at Murrurundi as part of Strike Force Delisle, set up on the mid-north coast in May to investigate a drug supply ring with tentacles reaching from the Coffs Coast to the Hunter Valley.
The discovery was made on August 14, at the same time highway patrol officers were stopping a utility carrying two men near the northern tablelands town of Ebor.
The men, aged 45 and 47, were spoken to before a search of the Nissan utility allegedly located methylamphetamine, ammunition and chemicals used in the manufacture of prohibited drugs.
Both men were taken to Armidale police station where the younger man, from Murrurundi, was charged with the manufacture of a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs.
The older man, from Billys Creek west of Coffs Harbour, was charged with the manufacture and supply of a commercial quantity of drugs.
They are expected to appear in Armidale Local Court on Monday. A day after their arrests, a 42-year-old Aberdeen man was arrested at Muswellbrook police station and charged with a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs. His next court appear is in Muswellbrook on October 19.
Last Thursday, Strike Force Delisle detectives executed search warrants on two Billys Creek properties.
During the searches, police allegedly located and seized glassware used in the manufacture of prohibited drugs, a kilogram of dried cannabis and approximately 10 litres of chemicals believed to be either prohibited drugs or precursors used in their manufacture. The liquids have been sent for further forensic analysis.
Coffs/Clarence crime manager, Detective Chief Inspector Guy Flaherty, said these arrests would disrupt the local supply network of methylamphetamine across several regions.
“We will be alleging this illegal activity not only affected the Coffs Coast area, their connections also stemmed into our Hunter Valley and New England regions,’’ he said.
“Through fantastic collaborative work and information sharing with our neighbouring police districts, we have been able to interrupt a cross-region drug network of both manufacture and supply.
“Strike Force Delisle remains ongoing with further investigation and arrests expected.’’