Police seize $20m worth of meth during clandestine lab discovery in Oakville
Three men have been charged by police after the discovery of a clandestine lab and $20m worth of meth in Sydney’s north west earlier this year. Almost $100,000 worth of cash was also seized by police during the search.
Police & Courts
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A group of men have been charged by police after the discovery of a clandestine lab and $20m worth of meth in Sydney’s north west months earlier.
Strike Force Echos was established by the State Crime Command’s Drug and Firearm Squad to investigate the manufacture and drug supply by a criminal syndicate in Sydney.
Detectives, with the assistance of Public Order and Riot Squad, executed a search warrant on Bocks Rd in Oakville about 6am on October 11.
An inactive clandestine laboratory in a large, detached shed containing stainless steel reaction vessels, condensers, and large quantities of precursor chemicals were discovered by detectives on the property.
Assistance was sought from Drug and Firearms Squad Chemical Operations Unit, Technical and Forensic Support Unit and NSW Fire and Rescue Hazmat team to dismantle the clandestine lab.
Police also located and seized 40kg of methylamphetamine with an estimated street value of $20m, 1.3kg of pseudoephedrine, a large quantity of steroids and $94,680 in cash.
Strike force detectives attended a Bella Vista home an hour later where a 47-year-old man was arrested and taken to Castle Hill police station.
He was charged with manufacture prohibited drug greater than the large commercial quantity, drug supply greater than the large commercial quantity, drug supply greater than the indictable but less than the commercial quantity, three counts of possessing a precursor intended to use in the manufacture or production and failing to comply with a digital evidence access order direction.
The man was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on the same day.
Further inquiries led detectives to arrest a 48-year-old man at Liverpool police station about 9.30am on Tuesday.
He was charged with taking part in the manufacture of prohibited drug greater than the large commercial quantity, recklessly deal with proceeds of crime greater than $5000 and fail to comply digital evidence access order direction.
He was refused bail and appeared at Liverpool Local Court on the same day.
Detectives also arrested another 48-year-old outside a gym in Glenmore Park and he was taken to Penrith police station.
He was charged with taking part in the manufacture of a prohibited drug greater than the large commercial quantity.
The man was refused bail to appear before Penrith Local Court on Thursday.
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