US to Australia meth network bust locates thousands of stolen identity documents

An AFP and Border Force investigation into a Chatswood woman allegedly involved in a multi-million dollar U.S. to Australia meth enterprise has located the staggering treasure trove of identity documents on top of the drugs and $300,000 in cash.

Police investigating a multi-million dollar ice haul in Sydney’s eastern suburbs have uncovered a treasure trove of allegedly stolen identity documents after dismantling a drug network operating between the U.S. and Australia.

Police investigating a multi-million dollar ice haul in Sydney’s eastern suburbs have uncovered a treasure trove of allegedly stolen identity documents after dismantling a drug network operating between the U.S. and Australia.

The woman police allege is a key player in the operation, Hong Zhang, was arrested on Gardeners Rd, Kingsford in May after picking up the package from a post office with 2.52kg of methylamphetamine inside.

The drugs have a street value of $1.9 million on the Sydney market.

The vase allegedly worth $1.9m on the streets of Sydney.

Zhang, 40, from Chatswood, is now facing a further charge after a police analysis of a 2 gigabite USB drive located 2500 identity documents.

She was initially charged with supplying methylamphetamine and commercial importation of the drug and is now facing one of dealing with property with intent for it to be the instrument of crime.

Commonwealth prosecutor Emily Burr told the Waverley Local Court on Wednesday those files related to the alleged “identity fraud of more than 1000 people” seized as part of an AFP, Border Force and NSW Crime Commission probe into to the cross-Pacific drug network.

The cash located by police.

Drivers licences and bank records were among the items seized on the drive.

According to court documents seen by The Daily Telegraph, a search of a property in Kingsford located the USB drive, a safe and $300,000 in cash with 61 items listed in the police brief of evidence.

The first break in the case came when Border Force officers had located the ice hidden inside a ceramic vase in an on-air cargo consignment from the States on April 30.

A presumptive testing on the package came back with a positive reading for ice.

Zhang’s arrest by Eastern Beaches police detectives under Strike Force Twickenham came three weeks later, with her defence team arguing her case has since been the subject of unreasonable delays as authorities run a “parallel investigation” while she remains in custody.

Only a partial brief of evidence outlining the extensive case against Zhang has been served on her in her five months on remand.

She is due back in court later this month.

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