ONE of the biggest ever drug-busting operations in the southern suburbs has resulted in the arrest of 16 people, some described by detective Senior Sergeant Shane Rix as “significant players in the drugs market”.
Up to 100 police from specialist branches were involved in coordinated raids on 13 homes and factories in suburbs on Monday (15 August) including Chelsea, Aspendale, Frankston, Cheltenham, Moorabbin, and Seaford and a clandestine drug laboratory in Industrial Dr, Braeside.
They seized quantities of pure methamphetamine – or ice – as well as heroin, LSD, cannabis, “magic” mushrooms, and ecstasy, and also found drug-making glassware, precursor chemicals, $50,000 cash and an imitation handgun.
Senior Sergeant Rix, of the Caulfield Divisional Response Unit, said the “outstanding result of the raids was the rounding up of those involved in the manufacture and dealing in drugs, as well as a network of traffickers, down to those at street level who commit crimes to buy drugs”.
He said 16 people had been arrested, 14 interviewed, 11 charged and six remanded in custody, while five had been released pending summons. Several appeared at Moorabbin Justice Centre on Monday and Tuesday charged with a range of offences, including trafficking of drugs, possession, weapons offences, and possessing the proceeds of crime.
“This is an ongoing operation and further arrests are planned, and we have put restraints on assets seized.”
Senior Sergeant Rix said police would allege that those arrested were “all interlinked” in the drug trade in various roles.
He said further arrests were planned in the ongoing operation and police are pleased the alleged drug-making operation had been curtailed.
He said six ounces of pure methamphetamine allegedly found at the Braeside factory would typically be cut down by a factor of five, meaning it would yield many times its original size in adulterated form.
“We hope there’s a spill-over effect [in the drug trade],” he said. “We have not stamped out the problem but, hopefully, put a huge dent in it.”
Other police involved included the critical incident response unit, canine unit, clandestine drug lab squad, Kingston and Bayside detectives and uniform police from the southern area.
Inspector Bernie Edwards, of Kingston CIU, said the 10-month operation culminating in this week’s raids targeted crime syndicates.
“We hope it has a massive effect on organised crime,” he said.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 17 August 2016
