Asian Drug Crime in Australia $13 million 'ice' bust

[Kiwi]

$13 million 'ice' bust

Edmund Tadros
December 13, 2007 - 12:43PM

    This game of cards is not over and we have a few tricks up our sleeves, and if you are going to peddle drugs bring a toothbrush and a novel because were going to hunt you down

An international crime taskforce has disrupted a major Asian drug syndicate based in Canada with "arms and tentacles" operating in Australia, police say.

The operation has prevented more than $13.7 million worth of ice and ecstasy from hitting Australia's streets, police said.

Forty people have been arrested worldwide, including 14 in Australia, in a joint operation involving the Australian Joint Asian Crime Group and American and Canadian police.

$6.7 million worth of real estate and $2.3 million in cash have also been seized worldwide, police said.

Despite the number of arrests and the size of the seizures, the hugh profit margins for suppliers stemming from the demand for drugs means that other suppliers will most likely replace this syndicate.

"We are still in business and there's a lot of work for us to do," the crime group co-ordinator, Detective Chief Inspector John Lehmann, said.

"This is significant but it's by no means the end. There appears to be trafficking syndicates replacing those taken away."

The Australian arm of the syndicate was run by a ruthless and persistent group of eight independent cells importing and distributing drugs, Mr Lehmann said.

"[They were] quite ruthless, willing to expend members of the syndicate," he said.

When one cell was taken out, other cells would take over that aspect of the operations.

The drug syndicate supplied drugs to countries including Australia, the United States, Japan and China, he said.

He said the cells were "operating out here on instruction from Canada".

"Drugs from Canada are not something we have seen in the past."

Police infiltrated the group's coded mobile phone communications during the operation, he said.

The Australian arm of the investigation, dubbed Operation Limit, seized 28.6 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, also known as ice, and 23 kilograms of ecstasy tablets in Sydney and Melbourne.

Australian law enforcement groups were tipped off to the existence of the group by their counterparts in Canada in July.

The initial arrests were made after customs officers in Sydney were warned about an attempt to import drugs through some airfreight in August.

They subsequently found 15 kilograms of ice in the lining and frames of three large suitcases.

The 14 men arrested in Australia have been charged with drug offences, including conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of drugs and supplying a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs. The crimes have a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and 25 years' imprisonment respectively.

The arrested men were Australian and Canadian nationals of Chinese and Vietnamese background.

AAP reports: Twelve people have been arrested and $200,000 worth of ice seized in a separate sting operation in NSW and the ACT.

Heavily armed police arrested two men and a woman outside a licensed premises at Tumblong, south of Gundagai, in southern NSW, about noon yesterday.

A 41-year-old man was charged with 22 counts of supplying a prohibited drug and a 36-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman were questioned and released pending investigation.

A short time later, police simultaneously executed search warrants on four houses at Young, north of Gundagai.

Eight people were arrested and police allegedly seized amounts of ice and cannabis.

Three men aged between 22 and 31 were charged with offences including possessing, cultivating and supplying a prohibited drug.

There were refused bail and are due to appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court later today.

The other five were released pending further inquires.

At 1pm yesterday, local and Australian Federal Police officers raided a property at Tharwa, south-west of Canberra.

A 49-year-old man was arrested and police allegedly seized $50,000 in cash.

NSW Police will seek his extradition from the ACT to face charges of knowingly taking part in supplying a prohibited drug.

Strike Force Elmore was established in August to target the interstate distribution of ice, or methylamphetamine.

Strike Force investigator Shane White said police will continue to hunt down offenders participating in drug rings.

"This game of cards is not over and we have a few tricks up our sleeves, and if you are going to peddle drugs bring a toothbrush and a novel because were going to hunt you down," Superintendent White said.

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