Ice and opium seized as clandestine drug lab allegedly uncovered on High St, East Maitland

Detectives swooped on the East Maitland street in the dead of night. They allegedly uncovered the clandestine lab, ice and opium.

It’s the alleged clandestine drug lab on one of East Maitland’s busiest streets which police say was being used to cook methamphetamine under the noses of unbeknown locals.

Specialist investigators from the state’s drug and firearms squad swooped on a car being driven from the garage of the High Street home in the early hours of Wednesday morning, three days after starting an investigation in what they allege was “suspicious activity” at the premises.

Inside the vehicle, police allegedly located more than one kilogram of ice and opium.

The driver, a 34-year-old man, was taken to Maitland police station before officers returned three hours later – at 4.45am – to execute a crime scene search warrant.

Police will allege they found one kilogram of ice and opium in the car as it was driven away from the alleged drug lab.

Detectives will allege that officers from the drug and firearm squad’s chemical operations team confirmed a clandestine drug laboratory was inside the High Street premises.

“During a search of the premises, officers located and seized a number of items suspected in the manufacture of methylamphetamine,” police alleged in a statement.

The man was charged with manufacturing a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, and two counts possessing a prohibited drug.

He was refused bail and is due to appear at Maitland Local Court on Monday.

Two men have been arrested and charged over the alleged clandestine drug lab on High Street, East Maitland.

A second man, who was arrested at Newcastle police station on Tuesday, has also been charged over the alleged drug lab.

The 46-year-old was charged with taking part in the manufacture of a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs, and supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

He was refused bail and is due to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Friday.