A Western Sydney man accused of trafficking methamphetamine and operating a clandestine laboratory appeared before Downing Centre Local Count yesterday (14 February, 2024) following his extradition from Western Australia.
The AFP charged the man, 46, with 19 offences after he was extradited from Perth to Sydney on 12 February, 2024.
Investigations by a joint agency taskforce, which included the AFP, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Western Australia Police Force and NSW Police Force, began in January 2016. The man was subsequently arrested in Perth in June 2021, and charged with trafficking methamphetamine to an outlaw motorcycle gang.
The man's arrest led to the AFP executing search warrants in Perth and Sydney at the time, where investigators seized 13kg of methamphetamine, prohibited weapons, and replica firearms from his home in the western Sydney suburb of Mount Pritchard.
At a second Sydney property owned by the man, authorities discovered a clandestine laboratory and seized 1.6kg of methamphetamine, replica firearms, prohibited weapons and items consistent with drug manufacturing.
The man pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking under Commonwealth legislation on 21 February, 2018, in Perth and was sentenced to six years and eight months' imprisonment.
On 12 February, 2024, the man was released from custody in Perth and charged by investigators from the AFP's Eastern Command with the following offences for alleged NSW-based crimes:
- Two counts of trafficking commercial quantities of methamphetamine, contrary to section 302.2 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth);
- One count of manufacturing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, contrary to section 305.3 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth);
- One count of pre-trafficking controlled precursors, contrary to section 306.4 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth);
- One count of possessing drug manufacture apparatus, contrary to section 24A(1)(b) of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW);
- Nine counts of possessing an unauthorised pistol, contrary to section 7(1) of the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW); and
- Six counts of possessing prohibited weapons without a permit, contrary to section 7(1) of the Weapons Prohibition Act 1998 (NSW).
The maximum penalty if convicted for the most serious offence of X is life imprisonment.
The man was remanded in custody to next appear in Downing Centre Local Court on 10 April, 2024.
AFP Detective Superintendent Kristie Cressy said the AFP worked tirelessly to make Australia a hostile environment to criminal syndicates.
"This extradition should send a strong message to criminals that we absolutely will not tolerate this criminal activity, no matter how much time has passed," Det-Supt Cressy said.
"Keeping Australians safe is the main priority of the AFP - we will continue to pursue and prosecute individuals who attempt to make our community unsafe."
