Huge drug bust made in Melbourne, taking $16 million of ice off streets
About $16 million of the illegal drug ice has been stopped from reaching Melbourne’s streets in a major drug bust, with a late-night swoop uncovering the stash near Chadstone. See the video.
Police & Courts
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An estimated $16 million of Mexican methamphetamine has been stopped from reaching Melbourne streets in a major joint police bust.
A Canadian-French dual national was charged after more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine was seized in Melbourne.
The 26-year-old allegedly attempted to import the deadly drugs into Australia from Mexico.
Police swooped on the foreigner in Melbourne on Saturday night near Chadstone.
Police will allege the man imported 154kg of methamphetamine concealed inside a shipment of silver concentrate in January 2020.
Members of the AFP and Victoria Police were tailing the Sydney man as he drove along the Hume Freeway prior to his arrest on Saturday.
He allegedly sped off, sparking a brief pursuit, which ended in a three-car crash in Mangalore about 3.40pm.
It is understood his car and an AFP and Victoria Police car were involved in the crash.
No one was injured in the collision.
The man was travelling from NSW however it is unclear where he was headed toward.
Police have charged him with attempt 25kg of methamphetamine.
Police allege the Canadian-French dual national came to Australia with the sole purpose of importing the drugs, equivalent to 1.5 million street deals.
Since last August, police have stopped 900kg of Mexican methamphetamine from hitting Australian streets.
Mr Giles said Mexican cartels are now working together to flood the drug market so they can make more money.
“There are multiple syndicates working together on different drugs. It’s not a particular syndicate or commodity anymore. It’s the profit chase so syndicates work together,” he said.
A 34-year-old Sydney man was also arrested near Seymour, more than 100km north of Melbourne, on Saturday afternoon.
He has been charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.
Several search warrants were also executed at properties in Burwood and Oakleigh, along with the New South Wales’ suburb of Leonay.
JOCTF investigators work with international law enforcement agencies including the Indian Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and as a result identified the suspicious shipping container arriving into Melbourne from Mexico on January 23.
Australian Border Force members identified a number of anomalies with the consignment at the Melbourne Container Examination Facility.
Further “deconstruction” identified blocks of a substance that tested positive to methamphetamine hidden inside 19 tonnes of silver concentrate.
The Canadian-French dual national was remanded in custody and will appear in court on Tuesday charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, attempted possession of a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug and attempted trafficking of controlled drug.
The maximum penalty for these offences includes life imprisonment.
The Sydney man was also remanded to reappear in court on Tuesday.
AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Bruce Giles said the operation dismantled a dangerous organised crime syndicate.
Victoria Police Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh said the arrests were a significant win for both police and the Victorian public.
“Every day police see first-hand both the physical and health impacts of drugs on users, but also the immense damage to the broader community done by the trafficking of these illicit substances,” she said.
“We know that drugs contribute to a wide range of other serious criminal offending.
“It’s incredibly pleasing that we’ve been able to work in cooperation with our Federal partners to stop over 150kg of methamphetamines reaching our local community.
“It also highlights the fact that drugs and organised crime are not just Victorian issues – they cross borders and we make no apology for targeting those who seek to bring that harm here.”
ABF Regional Commander Victoria, Craig Palmer said: “Concealment attempts like this are no match for ABF’s sophisticated technology and our highly trained officers.”
“We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to detect, seize and prosecute those who choose to engage this type of criminal activity.”
Vision released by the Australian Federal Police shows the drugs hidden within huge containers of silver concentrate.
Almost a dozen containers can be seen resting on pallets in a warehouse.
The bust, dubbed Operation Spalford, involved members of the Joint Organised Crime Task Force (JOCTF).
This taskforce includes AFP, Victoria Police, Australian Border Force and the Australian Crime Intelligence Commission.
A press conference about the drug seizure will be held in Melbourne on Monday morning.
Last year AFP Assistant Commissioner Bruce Hill warned Australia was under siege by Mexican drug cartels, which are attempting to flood the country with a “tsunami” of deadly illicit drugs.
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In February police smashed a drug smuggling plot involving a Mexican cartel which would have seen the largest ever shipment of ice trafficked into Australia.
A record $1.29 billion of methamphetamine was stopped from hitting the streets as part of the operation.
Outlaw motorcycle gangs had been commissioned to distribute the drugs on the streets, police believed.