THREE people from Frankston were among twenty people arrested as part of a year-long police investigation into alleged drug trafficking.
Police say they had been investigating alleged trafficking of methylamphetamine, cocaine and 1,4 butanediol. Over the course of their investigation they allegedly seized millions of dollars worth of methylamphetamine, traffickable amounts of cocaine, prescription medicines, thousands of steroid tablets, a homemade machine gun, around $650,000 in cash, and three cars.
On 18 November police charged a 32-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman from Frankston with trafficking methylamphetamine, cocaine and 1,4 butanol, as well as committing an indictable offence while on bail. Both were bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates Court on 26 April 2022.
On 20 July, police arrested a 28-year-old Balnarring man and 36-year-old Frankston man near Wodonga after allegedly finding more than 15 kgs of methylamphetamine in their car. Both men were charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of a drug of dependence.
Among the other people arrested were a 32-year-old Keysborough man, charged with trafficking 1,4 butanediol, possession of ammunition, steroids, and the proceeds of crime, a 35-year-old Cranbourne man, charged with trafficking methylamphetamine and cocaine, as well as dealing with the proceeds of crime, and a 26-year old Clarinda man, charged with possession of a handgun, possessing a firearm while person has been issued with a prohibition firearms order, drug offences and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
On 23 November police swooped on more alleged offenders, raiding homes in Clarinda, East Brighton, Keysborough, Langwarrin, Port Melbourne, Cranbourne, Skye, Brighton and Frankston.
Southern Metropolitan Region Commander Therese Fitzgerald said the Caulfield DRU has spent “large parts of the past twelve months painstakingly working on a plan to dismantle this organised crime syndicate, seize significant amounts of drugs, and ultimately, make our community a safer place.”
“We now have a significant number of people with incredibly serious drug charges hanging over their heads – these people may have set out with images of easy money in their eyes, but they are now staring at the harsh reality of many years confined to a prison cell,” she said. “If you think you can make a quick dollar dealing drugs, think again. We have dedicated teams of detectives across the entire state keeping a close eye on you– whether you’re the head of a syndicate or a lowly drug runner, you will be caught.
“If these drugs had made it to the streets, they would have caused untold damage, while their sale would have funded further criminal enterprises. Instead these substances will be destroyed without reaching a single drug user or fattening the wallet of an alleged dealer. Operations such as these not only destroy the financial foundations that criminals are built upon, but they are equally as damaging in fracturing relationships and social connections between drug distributors in the community.”
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