POLICE on Sunday charged 10 people following a series of coordinated raids in the south-eastern suburbs as part of an operation targeting organised crime.
Warrants were executed 6.40am at 13 houses in Carrum, Carrum Downs and Seaford, as well as Noble Park North, Rowville, Endeavour Hills, Narre Warren, Mt Waverley, Wheelers Hill, Lyndhurst and Mulgrave.
Kingston detectives teamed with those from Caulfield, Dandenong, Frankston DRU, Melbourne, Prahran, Box Hill, Glen Eira, Clandestine Laboratory Squad, Special Operations Group and uniform police to make the arrests.
The raids were the result of a five-month investigation which culminated in seven men and three women, aged 23-48, being taken into custody and charged with a range of drug offences.
They include a 48-year-old Carrum man charged with possessing cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, Tramadol, equipment for the purposes of manufacture/trafficking and prohibited weapons.
Those arrested have been bailed to appear at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on 20 March.
Kingston police Superintendent Amy Gledden confirmed those arrested have organised crime links still being investigated.
It is believed the Calabrian mafia is involved.
Ms Gledden said 14 firearms and knuckle dusters were seized – three of which, as well as the knuckle dusters – had been made using a 3D printer.
Large quantities of drugs, including ice, methyl-amphetamine and cannabis, were nabbed, as well as a significant quantity of cash and silver bars.
“Absolutely the raids will have an effect on the crime syndicate and the trafficking of drugs,” Ms Gledden said.
“These people were at the upper level of supply and when we take them out of business it will have a much greater effect than just taking out the street level dealers.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 14 December 2016
