Former sailors charged over alleged 100kg ice haul found in ute

Three former navy sailors have been charged after police found more than 100kg of the drug ice — with an estimated worth about $35m on the street, in the back of a ute in Sydney’s south east.

Three former navy sailors were arrested outside an eastern suburbs home where police found more than 100kg of the drug ice in the back of a ute.

Police ran covert surveillance for hours on Michael Fraser, 36, Graham Butt, 35, and Jarrad Bridge, 31, as they moved from a property in Sylvania to a rented garage in Malabar on Tuesday night.

Some of the drug ice allegedly found by police in a ute at Malabar. Picture: NSW Police

More than 100kg of ice was seized by police. Picture: NSW Police

Graham Butt was one of three men arrested following the drug bust. Picture: Facebook

About 7pm Drug and Firearm Squad officers arrested the trio as they walked to their cars outside.

In the garage, rented from a family who owned the home, officers found 107kg of the drug ice wrapped in bundles in the back of a Hilux ute.

The men were each charged with supply prohibited drug over the haul police claim was worth around $35 million on the street.

“To get your hands on
over 100kg of crystal methamphetamine you must have some connections,” Detective Chief Inspector Jason Smith said.

“Their actions to us indicated that they were very likely involved in drug supply.”
Department of Defence confirmed all three men served in the navy several years ago.

None of the men applied for bail when their cases briefly mentioned in court yesterday.

Originally published as Former sailors charged over alleged 100kg ice haul found in ute