Four charged as police uncover Sydney’s largest magic mushroom lab in drug syndicate sting
Organised Crime Squad detectives have dismantled a major drug syndicate - which they say is the largest ever found in a unit - in the Sydney CBD, arresting four people during a series of raids.
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Detectives have uncovered Sydney’s largest clandestine magic mushroom lab and charged four people in connection with a drug syndicate supplying mushrooms and other illicit substances across the city.
Strike Force Fanon, launched in May to investigate the syndicate’s activities, executed seven search warrants on Tuesday, seizing large quantities of drugs and making multiple arrests.
Detectives stopped a vehicle in Sydney Olympic Park just before 9am, arresting two men aged 45 and 30.
Both were charged with supplying large commercial quantities of drugs, with the older man facing 10 charges and the younger man four.
Shortly after, a 28-year-old man was arrested at a cafe in West Ryde.
He was charged with supplying an indictable but less-than-commercial quantity of prohibited drugs.
Another significant discovery occurred just before 10am in Pyrmont, where police uncovered a residential laboratory producing psilocybin.
Psilocybins a naturally occurring psychedelic compound produced by more than 200 species of fungi.
Officials described it as the largest magic mushroom lab ever found in NSW.
Specialist teams, including the Drug and Firearms Squad and NSW Fire & Rescue HAZMAT unit were called in to dismantle the operation.
At the scene, a 45-year-old woman was arrested and charged with five offences relating to the large-scale supply of prohibited drugs.
Search warrants executed in Oatlands, Campsie, Epping, Rydalmere, West Ryde and Pyrmont resulted in the seizure of substantial quantities of drugs, including 100 bags of magic mushrooms, cocaine and methylamphetamine.
Police allege the group was responsible for the large-scale manufacture and supply of illicit drugs across Sydney.
All four individuals were refused bail and are set to appear in court on Wednesday, with the three men set to appear in Burwood Local Court while the woman is scheduled at Downing Centre Local Court.
Investigations under Strike Force Fanon continue.
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