Up in smoke: Drug hauls torched in huge security operation

Four tonnes of illegal drugs, including massive amounts of cocaine and ice seized after major crime busts, have been incinerated after being stored in top secret sites across Sydney.

Police have destroyed nearly four tonnes of illegal drugs, including massive amounts of cocaine and ice, seized after major criminal investigations run by the NSW State Crime Command.

The drugs, which have been kept in secret locations around the state, were burnt on Tuesday afternoon after being loaded and moved under armed ­escort to a facility on the outskirts of Sydney.

“There is ­immense security around the storage, transportation and ­destruction of these drugs,’’ said Detective Chief Superintendant Jason Weinstein.

“They have been seized from across the state during operations by the Drug and Firearm Squad, Criminal Group Squad and local police. A lot are from regional areas such as Bathurst and Dubbo.”

Police destroyed nearly four tonnes of illegal drugs. PIcture: NSW Police.

The drugs were destroyed on Tuesday. Picture: NSW Police

Drugs are found during ­operations from all squads ­including Raptor and Homicide and are recorded before being stored as evidence.

The narcotics destroyed came from three years and eight police operations from 2019, 2020 and 2021 which were no longer needed to be held in evidence because the court cases had finished.

“We do have to keep large amounts of drugs in storage with ongoing court matters and for obvious reasons these locations are kept secret because criminal syndicates would love to get their hands on them,” he said.

Some 700kg of illegal tobacco and quantities of other drugs such as MDMA, heroin and pseudoephedrine – a precursor chemical used to make crystal meth – was also ­destroyed

Police say the drugs had been kept in

secret locations around the state Picture: NSW Police.

The narcotics came from three years and eight police operations. Picture: NSW Police