Drug & Firearms Squad detectives have charged three men following the discovery of a clandestine lab in Oakville earlier this year under Strike Force Echos.
Strike Force Echos was established by State Crime Command's Drug & Firearms Squad to investigate the manufacture and supply of prohibited drugs by a criminal syndicate in Sydney.
About 6am on Friday 11 October 2024, strike force detectives, with the assistance from the Public Order & Riot Squad, executed a search warrant on Bocks Road in Oakville.
On the property, detectives discovered an inactive clandestine laboratory in a large, detached shed containing five large stainless steel reaction vessels, condensers, and large quantities of precursor chemicals.
Assistance was sought from Drug and Firearms Squad Chemical Operations Unit, Technical and Forensic Support Unit, and NSW Fire & Rescue HAZMAT team to dismantle the clandestine lab.
Police also located and seized 40kg of methylamphetamine – with an estimated street value of $20m – 1.3kg of pseudoephedrine, a large quantity of steroids and $94,680 in cash.
About 7am, strike force detectives attended a home in Bella Vista where they arrested a 47-year-old man.
He was taken to Castle Hill Police Station, where he was charged with manufacture prohibited drug >= large commercial quantity, supply prohibited drug >= large commercial quantity, supply prohibited drug >indictable &
The man was refused bail and appeared in Parramatta Local Court the same day.
Following further inquiries, about 9.30am on Tuesday 10 December 2024, detectives arrested a 48-year-old man at Liverpool Police Station.
The man was charged with take part manufacture prohibited drug >= large commercial quantity, recklessly deal with proceeds of crime >$5000 and fail to comply digital evidence access order direction.
He was refused bail and appeared in Liverpool Local Court on Tuesday 11 December 2024.
About 7.25am on Wednesday 11 December 2024, strike force detectives arrested a 48-year-old man outside a gym in Glenmore Park.
He was taken to Penrith Police Station where he was charged with take part manufacture prohibited drug >= large comm quantity.
The man was refused bail to appear in Penrith Local Court on Thursday 12 December 2024.
