Three men have been charged over their alleged involvement in a large-scale drug supply syndicate operating in Sydney, NSW Police say.
Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS) established Strike Force Melinz to investigate the supply of cocaine in Sydney.
Over the past week, strike force detectives conducted two controlled operations, where they seized 3kg of cocaine and 5kg of ephedrine.
Following extensive investigations, strike force officers arrested a 43-year-old man at a park at Sydney Olympic Park just after 9am yesterday.
The Concord West man was taken to Flemington Police Station and charged with three counts of supply prohibited drug and offer to supply prohibited drug.
He was refused bail and appeared at Burwood Local Court, where he was formally refused bail to appear at the same court on Wednesday 11 October 2017.
About 9.30am, strike force officers executed a search warrant at a home at Annandale, where they seized 20L of benzaldehyde, and small quantities of cocaine, heroin, methylamphetamine, and cannabis.
A 46-year-old man was arrested at the home and taken to Newtown Police Station, where he was charged with three counts of supply prohibited drug and possess prohibited drug.
He was refused bail to appear at Newtown Local Court today.
Throughout the day, strike force officers also executed search warrants at properties at Bankstown, Concord West, Elizabeth Hills, Pyrmont, and Wetherill Park.
At the Pyrmont apartment, strike force officers located and seized 22kg of cocaine in block form.
During the other searches, police seized more than $100,000 cash, two motor vehicles, methylamphetamine, laptops, mobile phones, electronic devices, and clothing.
A 40-year-old man was arrested at the Wetherill Park business and taken to Fairfield Police Station, where he was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug.
He was refused bail to appear at Fairfield Local Court today.
MEOCS Commader, Detective Superintendent Peter McErlain, said investigations under Strike Force Melinz are continuing.
"In the matter of only a few weeks, MEOCS investigators have seized more than 30kg of prohibited drugs with an estimated potential street value of almost $9 million," Det Supt McErlain said.
"While this is a great result, we still have more work to do on this investigation; we expect to make further arrests in the near future.
"MEOCS detectives work side-by-side with investigators throughout NSW to target criminal activity that puts our community at risk, which includes targeting the supply of these poisons.
"Our key challenge is reducing demand for all illicit drugs, and to truly effect change, the entire community needs to be involved," Det Supt McErlain said.
Police are urging anyone with information in relation to drug supply in the community to call Crime Stoppers.
