Massive police operation catches entrepreneurial drug dealers with cache of weapons
An alleged multimillion-dollar drug trafficking syndicate — whose members police claim were armed with deadly weapons — has been busted in dawn raids across Melbourne’s suburbs. Police claim the group used WhatsApp to co-ordinate drug orders.
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An alleged multimillion-dollar drugtrafficking syndicate — whose members police claim were armed with deadly weapons — has been busted in dawn raids across the city.
Senior police believe the operation against the gang of Vietnamese-Australian nationals is one of the most significant of its type in Victoria in recent years.
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Described by officers as “a next-generation, highly entrepreneurial group of drug traffickers”, the gang members allegedly used mobile phones and encrypted apps such as WhatsApp to take orders from lower-level drug dealers.
Police claim the drugs — including ice, heroin and cocaine — were then delivered by car direct to street traffickers.
Some orders were said to be for multiple kilograms of drugs.
Police allege some mid-tier dealers flew into Melbourne from interstate to pick up the drugs from the powerful syndicate.
Police from the Drug Taskforce arrested 10 members of the gang in inner Melbourne and suburbs in the north, west and southeast on Easter Monday, and allegedly seized a large quantity of illegal drugs.
Members of the elite Special Operations Group helped 60 fellow officers take the men into custody in simultaneous raids at 5am.
The 10 men, aged between 21 and 27, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court yesterday afternoon. Each was charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of drugs.
Police allegedly seized a number of lethal weapons, including an SKS assault rifle and ammunition, 14 handguns, 20 machetes and two samurai swords.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash was also seized.
Detective Superintendent Deb Robertson, head of the Drug Taskforce, told the Herald Sun that the syndicate leaders had been taken out and police were now focused on catching up to 200 “mid-tier traffickers” who were supplied by them.
“This is a great result,” Supt Robertson claimed.
“There will be significant disruption out there for some time. This was a very mobile, contemporary business model.
“Older, more traditional criminals would do deals like this on the street. This is a generational thing. The oldest was 27. They are savvy when it comes to technology.”
The haul seized by police allegedly included 4kg of meth, 2.5kg of heroin, trafficable amounts of cocaine and MDMA, a hydroponic set-up of 100 cannabis plants and two pill presses.
None of the men applied for bail during the brief filing hearing yesterday.
The court heard the men had a series of custody management issues including withdrawal from drugs, diagnosed schizophrenia, asthma, and two of them were suffering from chronic back pain.
Two of the accused had lost their prescription glasses during Monday’s raids.
The youngest, 21-year-old David Vu, was likely to be vulnerable in custody due to his age, appearance and lack of criminal history, his lawyer said.
Vu sat in court alongside his older brother, Larry, 27.
They wore matching grey tracksuits.
The Richmond brothers face charges of trafficking large commercial quantities of meth and heroin.
Larry was also charged with possessing a commercial quantity of firearms and possessing ammunition without a licence.
Another of the accused, 25-year-old James Van, was also charged with negligently dealing with $100,000 in proceeds.
A group of young women, understood to be family members, sat in court. They watched and occasionally smirked as each of the men was brought from cells into court, one by one.
Officers swooped on addresses in Bundoora, Richmond, Lalor, Collingwood, Sunshine, Maribyrnong, Newport, Ascot Vale, and Keysborough in the raids.
Supt Robertson said the alleged syndicate “operated an incredibly mobile business”.
“The fact that we have also seized a number of weapons, including firearms, as part of this operation is also concerning and really highlights the damage these traffickers do in our communities,” she said.
“We have come to the realisation that you don’t necessarily find drugs where there are guns, but you can guarantee you will find guns where there are drugs. It is about protecting their assets.”
Supt Robertson added: “I have been in policing for 36 years and I’m always perplexed by people who get involved in this business. The offences these men have been charged with carry a potential life sentence.”
All 10 men were remanded in custody to appear via video link for a committal mention in October.