The AFP has charged a fourth man over his alleged involvement in a drug trafficking syndicate, which often stored illicit drugs in hidden compartments in vehicles parked on suburban Melbourne streets.
The NSW man, 21, was arrested at Melbourne Airport when he returned to Australia from overseas on Tuesday (18 March, 2025).
He faced Melbourne Magistrates' Court on 18 March, 2025, and was remanded in custody to next appear in the same court on 13 May, 2025.
The AFP will allege the man, from Greenfield Park, is a key member of an alleged Melbourne-based organised crime syndicate accused of transporting methamphetamine, cocaine and MDMA via tray trucks from Sydney to Melbourne last year.
The syndicate allegedly used purpose-built hides, located in the rear seat area of a number of vehicles, to store and transport the drugs and suspected illicit cash.
In May, 2024, the AFP, with assistance from Victoria Police, seized about 25kg of methamphetamine, 5kg of cocaine and more than $1 million of suspected criminal proceeds in the flooring of a van parked in the Melbourne suburb of Airport West.
In June, 2024, the AFP seized another 22kg of cocaine, 3kg of MDMA, 1kg of methamphetamine and two loaded firearms when they executed search warrants at residential properties in Victoria and NSW.
The 21-year-old, from Greenfield Park, NSW, was charged in relation to the 55kg drugs and cash seized. He faced court on Tuesday on:
- Two counts of trafficking a commercial quantity of a controlled drug, contrary to section 302.2 (1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment;
- Two counts of possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug that is reasonably suspected of having been unlawfully imported, contrary to section 307.8 (1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment; and
- Dealing with money or property believed to be proceeds of crime, and at the time of dealing the value of the money or property was $1 million or more, contrary to section 400.3 (1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years' imprisonment.
AFP Detective Superintendent Simone Butcher said drug traffickers were motivated by greed and did not care about the harm they caused to Australian communities.
"Criminals involved in drug trafficking create a national security risk," Det Supt Butcher said.
"They attempt to corrupt logistics workers to aid their supply chains, they launder illegal wealth through the Australian financial system, and they use the proceeds of drug trafficking to fund other illegal activity.
"The illicit drugs seized during this investigation had the potential to facilitate more than 37,500 individual street deals and could have put $11 million in the pockets of criminals.
"Complex investigations can last up to months or years, and I'd like to thank our investigators for their unwavering commitment and dedication which has been crucial to the success of this investigation.
"The AFP and our partners are working tirelessly to protect Australians from illicit drugs and disrupt criminal organisations that exploit our communities."
