Union building officer Wayne Joseph Carter accused of drug trafficking

A union building officer has allegedly been nabbed as part of a large-scale drug lab in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

Wayne Joseph Carter, 44, has been accused of having a role in a large-scale drug lab in Coburg North.

A union official on parole has allegedly been implicated in a large-scale clandestine drug lab in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

Wayne Joseph Carter, 44, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday accused of being involved in a large-scale drug lab operating in Coburg North.

Mr Carter, who the court heard was a union building officer, was raided by police on June 24 last year following a four-month investigation into drug manufacturing.

When they raided his West Melbourne home, police allegedly seized cocaine, meth, and GHB, along with “trafficking paraphernalia” such as scales and snap lock bags and a prohibited weapon.

He has been charged with trafficking meth, trafficking cocaine, possessing an extendable baton, dealing with cash believed to be the proceeds of crime and possessing drugs.

The court heard that Mr Carter, and his three co-accused, all had “different roles and responsibilities” in trafficking drugs out of the Coburg North drug lab.

Police arrest a man who was allegedly the "cook" for a major drug lab in Coburg North of which union official Wayne Joseph Carter is accused of being a part of.

Mr Carter and his co-accused were allegedly caught sending encrypted and coded messages to sell the drugs.

It is alleged Mr Carter, who was jailed in Queensland for drug trafficking, was in breach of his parole conditions when he was arrested and subsequently extradited to Queensland.

Following the raids by police, Detective Acting Insp. Mark Crevatin said the operation had stopped a significant meth production line and prevented millions of dollars of drug profit flowing back into the syndicate.

“Methylamphetamine, even in small amounts, causes immense harm to users, their loved ones, and the community around them, through the impact on the health care system and the criminality that often goes hand-in-hand with drug offences,” Insp. Crevatin said

“It is an extremely destructive illicit substance, and we will continue to unapologetically target and arrest anyone who seeks to line their pockets at the expense of our community.”

The court heard Mr Carter had an “extensive interstate criminal history” in Queensland.

Wayne Carter was an organiser for the Builders' Labourers Federation in Queensland.

He was involved in large-scale drug trafficking while he worked for the Builders' Labourers Federation.

Mr Carter will return to court on April 24, where he will apply for summary jurisdiction to keep the matters in the magistrates’ court.

Mr Carter’s co-accused Alan Nash Stark will face a committal on August 4.