Police find ‘commercial-scale’ drug lab, cash, ammo in Brisbane, Logan raids

Five people have been charged after police discovered what they allege is a commercial-scale drug lab at a Logan property, along with cash and ammunition at a business in Brisbane’s south.

Five people allegedly linked to Asian Organised Crime have been charged after police discovered what they alleged is a commercial-scale drug lab at a Logan property.

A search warrant was executed at the Park Ridge home following extensive investigations by the Queensland Police Service and Australian Border Force, with detectives allegedly finding about two kilograms of crystallised methylamphetamine (‘ice’), approximately five litres of methylamphetamine oil, three firearms, including a semiautomatic rifle and two handguns, and a significant sum of cash.

Police say the lab was used to produce commercial quantities of methylamphetamine and had the capacity to produce multiple kilogram batches at a time.

Police in hazmat gear inside the Park Ridge property. Picture: Queensland Police Service

The group was allegedly involved in co-ordinating the production and distribution of illegal drugs in Queensland and interstate.

Specialist officers from the Synthetic Drug Operations Unit attended the property to process the site and dismantle the lab.

A second search warrant at a Rocklea business uncovered a number of items of interest, including cash, a cash counting machine and ammunition.

Andy Chanthaseng and Danica Elizabeth Rafferty, both 31, of Park Ridge, have been charged with one count each of producing dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing anything used in the commission of crime, possession of property suspected of being the proceeds of an offence, possess property suspected of having been used in connection with the commission of a drug offence, authority required to possess explosives, two counts of possessing relevant substances or things and three counts of possession of weapons category D/H/R weapon.

Police allege the clandestine lab was capable of producing commercial quantities of drugs. Picture: Queensland Police Service

Chanthaseng and Rafferty’s matters were briefly mentioned in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday and adjourned to January 22, 2025.

Chanthaseng was remanded in custody while Rafferty was released on bail.

Jimmy Mai, 32, of South Ripley, has been charged with one count each of producing dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing anything used in the commission of crime, possession of property suspected of being the proceeds of an offence, possess property suspected of having been used in connection with the commission of a drug offence, possessing dangerous drugs schedule 1 drug quantity of or exceeding schedule 4 and two counts of possessing relevant substances or things.

His matter was also mentioned in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday and was adjourned to today (October 25).

Mai was remanded in custody.

Ammunition was also found during a related raid at a property at Rocklea. . Picture: Queensland Police Service

Thong Quoc Tran, 42, of Doolandella, and John Nguyen, 32, of Inala, have been charged with one count each of producing dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing anything used in the commission of crime, possession of property suspected of being the proceeds of an offence, possess property suspected of having been used in connection with the commission of a drug offence and three counts of possessing relevant substances or things.

Tran and Nguyen’s matters were also mentioned in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Tran’s case was adjourned to today (October 25).

He was remanded in custody.

Nguyen’s matter was adjourned to January 22, 2025.

He was released on bail.

Drug and Serious Crime Group Detective Inspector Bradley Phelps said State Drug Squad detectives worked closely with partner agencies such as the ABF and interstate police to target organised syndicates to reduce the impacts of drugs on the community.

“A clandestine lab of this scale can produce significant quantities of methylamphetamine which has the potential to cause untold community harm,” Detective Inspector Phelps alleged.

Investigations are ongoing.

Originally published as Police find ‘commercial-scale’ drug lab, cash, ammo in Brisbane, Logan raids