Five people have been charged, and more than 12kg of illicit drugs seized in Western Australia, as part of an ongoing operation by WA Police Force's Serious & Organised Crime Division.
In October 2022, intelligence was provided to New South Wales Police Force by WA Police Force. This resulted in the seizure of $1.8 million cash that originated from Western Australia, cash which was transported to NSW for the purpose of purchasing drugs and conveying them to WA.
Over the following months detectives from WA Police Force's Drug & Firearm Squad conducted an investigation into several people believed to be involved in the cross-border crime syndicate.
On Wednesday 18 January 2023, detectives in Western Australia arrested and charged a 28-year-old man and a 36-year-old man in relation to the cash seized in New South Wales. The following day, Thursday 19 January 2023, a 31-year-old man was arrested in Western Australia and charged over the same seizure.
Further investigation resulted in 4.12kg of Methylamphetamine, 2.3kg of cocaine, 1.5kg of MDMA and 4.5kg of cannabis being seized at a late date from a storage unit in Maylands.
On Thursday 2 February 2023, a vehicle was intercepted in Rivervale and it will be alleged a search of the vehicle located trafficable amount of methylamphetamine and $92,547 cash. The driver of the vehicle, a 32-year-old man was arrested and has since been charged in relation to the seizure of drugs and cash in Western Australia. Shortly after, a 27-year-old man was arrested at a residence in Morley and he has since been charged in relation to the cash seized in New South Wales.
All five men have been charged with offences relating to the laundering of cash, and the 32-year-old man has also been charged with several drug related offences. A summary of those charges is provided as an appendix to this media release.
Detective Senior Sergeant Blair Smith, Acting Officer in Charge of the Drug & Firearm Squad, said the arrests are further evidence of WA Police Force's commitment to the national law enforcement effort to identify and dismantle serious and organised crime groups.
"The arrests made as part of this investigation have come about as a result of the strong working relationships we have built with our interstate law enforcement and intelligence partners.
"On this occasion New South Wales Police Force played a critical role in the collection of evidence and intelligence to assist with our local investigation into the suspected cross-border drug syndicate. The sharing of such information and intelligence means we can act more quickly and in a more targeted and focused manner on the targets that are identified.
"We are determined to minimise the community harm caused by these individuals. WA Police will continue to target those who commit serious drug offences in this state and ultimately bring them before the courts to face justice.
"While those who have been charged are alleged to have had varying levels of involvement, it is only through their combined efforts that the cash made it to New South Wales where it was seized, and for the drugs to be stored and made available for distribution. We also know that organised crime syndicates rely heavily on every level of their syndicate for the illicit drugs to reach the streets where the most damage is done to those in our community who are most vulnerable.
"Our investigation doesn't stop with these seizures – we will continue to work both locally and with our interstate and national law enforcement and intelligence partners to identify any other people involved in this alleged criminal enterprise."
