Interstate truck driver Bogdan Shadrin charged over record-breaking $12m Xanax haul

Days after police allegedly discovered 722kgs of Xanax inside his Auburn storage unit, an interstate truck driver was pictured with nearly $1m in cash, court hears.

Photographs of an interstate truck driver wallowing in almost $1 million cash inside a roadside hotel room are expected to be used as evidence of his alleged involvement in a record-breaking drug haul.

Police allege Russian-born immigrant Bogdan Shadrin was involved in the trafficking of $12 million worth of Xanax tablets after police discovered more than 700kgs of the drug packed in boxes inside an Auburn storage facility on April 7.

Three days later, detectives stopped Shadrin’s prime mover on the Sturt Highway near Wagga Wagga on the return run of a round trip to Perth.

It is alleged a search of the vehicle uncovered $940,920 in cash in two shopping bags hidden inside a mattress in the back of the truck.

Shadrin’s partner, who had been travelling with him at the time, allegedly told police he had acquired the bags in Perth and would bring them into the hotels they stayed at each night on their return journey to NSW.

Police arrest Bogdan Shadrin in April this year after allegedly discovering $1m in cash in his truck. Picture: NSW Police

According to documents tendered to the NSW Supreme Court this week, the woman said Shadrin had shown her the cash and asked her to take photographs of him with it.

Among the pictures given to police was an image allegedly showing Shadrin lying on a hotel bed next to multiple stacks of money shaped like a person.

Another photo allegedly showed him holding the cash in his hand and arm.

Police will allege the cash is connected to Shadrin’s alleged involvement in trafficking large quantities of Alprazolam, more commonly known as Xanax, between Sydney and Perth.

Court documents reveal police set up Strike Force Chadderton in early 2024 to investigate allegations of interstate drug supply by Shadrin.

It is alleged detectives monitored Shadrin attending a rented unit at Kennards Self Storage in Auburn three times between February and early April, each time spending about 30 minutes inside the facility before leaving carrying a large cardboard box.

During the subsequent raid on the property, officers seized 28 similar looking boxes, containing a total 722.7kgs of Xanax.

The court heard the haul was the largest-ever seizure of a pharmaceutical drug in NSW history.

Police seized cash (pictured) from Shadrin’s truck during their investigation into his alleged involvement in interstate drug dealing. Picture: NSW Police

Shadrin was subsequently charged with commercial drug supply and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime but is yet to enter pleas to the charges.

He was remanded in custody at the time but sought bail before the NSW Supreme Court this week, with his lawyer arguing serious health issues warrants his conditional liberty.

The court heard Shadrin suffered from a heart condition that required specialist medical attention that he was not receiving on remand.

He has also been diagnosed with severe depression, the court was told.

Shadrin’s lawyer said his client would abide by strict conditions if granted bail including daily reporting to police and electronic ankle monitoring.

However, Justice Richard Button refused to release Shadrin, saying he was concerned the 29-year-old proposed to live with his partner, who had given a statement to police in the case.

“I must say I can’t accept that it’s appropriate for him to be living with a significant Crown witness,” he said.

The case will return to court later this month.