A man will face court today after more than 6.5 tonnes of a drug, believed to be 1,4-Butanediol – also known as bute - a substance commonly linked to sexual assaults and overdoses, under Strike Force Camena.
On Monday 24 February 2025, officers attached to Burwood Police Area Command conducting a Firearms Prohibition Order compliance check at an address in Croydon located a parcel, sent from a storage facility in Homebush, containing approximately 5 litres of a prohibited drug, believed to be bute.
The parcel was seized for forensic examination.
Police established Strike Force Camena – a joint investigation between officers attached to Burwood Police Area Command and the State Crime Command's Drug and Firearms Squad – to investigate the supply of bute.
Following inquiries, police executed a search warrant at a postal facility in Silverwater, where they seized 225kg of a prohibited drug, believed to be bute.
On Tuesday, 25 February 2025, a search warrant was executed at a post office in Rhodes, where 23 litres of a prohibited drug, believed to be bute was seized.
Following further inquiries, police stopped a vehicle on Nipper Street, Homebush.
The vehicle was searched and police allegedly located approximately 110kg of a prohibited drug, believed to be bute. It was seized for forensic examination.
The driver – 27-year-old man – was arrested and taken to Burwood Police Station.
Two further search warrants were executed – one at a storage facility in Homebush and a unit on Liverpool Road, Ashfield.
At the Ashfield address, police allegedly located approximately $28,000 in cash.
At the Homebush address, police allegedly located more than 6.3 tonnes of the same prohibited drug.
A 28-year-old woman was arrested at the Ashfield unit and taken to Burwood Police Station.
The 27-year-old man was charged with supply prohibited drug greater than or equal to large commercial quantity.
He was refused bail to appear before Burwood Local Court yesterday (Wednesday 26 February 2024), where he was formally refused bail to appear at the same court today (Thursday 27 February 2024).
The 28-year-old woman was released without charge.
Following further investigations, about 3.15pm yesterday, police attended a home in Ashfield where the woman was arrested and taken to Burwood police station.
She was charged with take part supply prohibited drug greater than or equal to large commercial quantity.
She was refused bail to appear before Burwood Local Court today (Thursday 27 February 2024).
