Courts sent crims to rehab clinic at centre of ice lab allegations
Victoria’s courts thought they were sending criminals to a rehabilitation clinic for treatment. But police who raided the former brothel allegedly uncovered a large-scale ice drug lab — and they say sex work continued on-site.
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Dozens of criminals have been bailed by the courts to a rehab clinic where police allege they uncovered a secret large-scale ice production lab.
Victorian courts have routinely released addicts and dealers to the treatment facility as part of their conditions for being granted bail.
Police have alleged methamphetamine was being cooked on a commercial scale at the clinic, run out of the former Daily Planet brothel site in Horne St, Elsternwick.
Earlier this week, officers raided the address and arrested five people — one of whom hid in the roof space for two days — charging three of them with serious drug offences.
Police also say the Elsternwick centre, called Wellbeing Planet, has continued operating a brothel on the premises.
“(It’s) astonishing how this could happen,” one police source told the Herald Sun.
The embarrassing revelation comes just weeks after an outreach worker linked to the controversial safe-injecting room in Richmond was charged with trafficking heroin.
At least one of the five arrested in the Wellbeing Planet raids is connected with the running of the Elsternwick rehab clinic.
The facility charges up to $14,000 a month for residential clients.
Wellbeing Planet’s website states in-custody assessments can be provided and that bail application support, expert evidence and reports are available.
“Along with supporting you throughout your entire legal experience,” the website said.
Police and judicial figures became increasingly concerned about the centre in recent months, launching an investigation into its operation.
In September, police told the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court they had grave fears the centre was still operating as a brothel. Because of their concerns, police had started opposing bail if accused criminals asked to be sent there.
During one bail hearing for an alleged organised crime figure, police said some of the staff at the clinic had formerly worked at the centre when it was a brothel. They suspected crime was rife at the centre.
Judicial figures had also voiced concerns over the centre.
However a string of alleged crooks — including alleged drug traffickers — had continued to be bailed to the facility.
A Queensland man, 32, became the third person charged over the alleged ice production lab on Thursday.
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He was found in the ceiling two days after investigators moved in and began searching the venue. He was later charged with manufacturing commercial quantities of a drug of dependence.
A 56-year-old from Wallan, was charged with possessing equipment, substances and materials for trafficking a drug of dependence and intentionally permitting another person to use land and premises for the trafficking of a drug of dependence.
Another man, 61, from Cranbourne South, is charged with similar offences and a firearms offence.
A 66-year-old Elsternwick woman was released from custody and is expected to be charged on summons.
A 52-year-old woman from Wallan was charged and bailed to appear on April 21.