Police raid state's largest drug labs
Date
October 27, 2012 - 4:01PM
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Deborah Gough
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Police raid a house in Sunshine West. Photo: Meredith O'Shea
Victoria Police have smashed a major drug syndicate extending from Australia to Vietnam after uncovering two of the state’s largest illegal drug laboratories in Melbourne’s west.
The methylamphetamine operation has been described as one of the most elaborate and most clandestine in the state’s history.
Officers swooped on the operation in raids on two houses in West Sunshine of Friday and made eight arrests. Police today returned to dismantle the labs and collect evidence.
Police would not be drawn on the dollar value or volume of drugs at the two premises, but Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana said every room in the house in Joan Street was dedicated to drug making. The second house, at Alpini Parade, was also extensively used by the syndicate, police allege.
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Col Blanch, intervention manager for the Australian Crime Commission, said it was a ‘‘multi-million dollar’’ operation. He said the street value of just one kilogram of methylamphetamine was $230,000 to $250,000.
Police are now analysing what they believe to be a large quantity of liquid chemical drugs.
Mr Blanch said a money trail worth tens of millions of dollars helped lead them to the suspects. He said tracking money was the most effective tool authorities had in policing Australia’s biggest drug dealers.
‘‘It is not just about a group of individuals being disrupted, it is actually a serious and organised crime group that has been dismantled from top to bottom,’’ Mr Blanch said.
‘‘Tracking the money is the key to identifying these unknown syndicates ... We are targeting the wealth,’’ he said.
Assistant Commission Fontana said the laboratories could produce tens of millions of dollars worth of drugs.
‘‘It is a large-scale laboratory, and if they keep producing on a regular basis, you are going to get millions and millions of dollars in production,’’ he said.
Assistant Commissioner Fontana said it would take at least three days to disassemble the drug operation. Police were kitted up with breathing apparatus and protective suits for the delicate task.
‘‘There are a lot of dangers involved with these processes ... it is extremely dangerous and volatile,’’ Assistant Commissioner Fontana said.
Seven of the eight men arrested were charged with manufacturing and trafficking a large commercial quantity of methylamphetamine. The offences carry a maximum penalty of a life sentence.
The eighth man, from Derrimut, aged 31, is assisting police but has not yet been charged.
The seven are expected to face Melbourne Magistrates Court court on Monday.
Those charged are aged between 26 and 44 and include a Vietnamese national, two Canadian nationals, one man from New South Wales and three men from South Australia. One of those arrested arrived in Australia on a tourist visa one week ago.
Assistant Commissioner Fontana said Australia was being targeted by international drug manufacturers because of its high dollar, comparative wealth and its ready market of drug users prepared to pay for the illegal product.
‘‘Australia is seen as a wealthy country and it is seen as a lucrative market for those involved in criminal syndicates,’’ Assistant Commissioner Fontana said.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/po...#ixzz2AVCv26tu
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