What Led to the Arrest of Three Men in Sydney After a Massive Drug Seizure?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 415 kg of drugs seized in Sydney operation.
- Three men arrested and facing life imprisonment.
- Drugs included methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and MDMA.
- Significant cash and firearms were also confiscated.
- This operation highlights the scale of organized crime in Australia.
Sydney, Oct 15 (NationPress) Sydney police have detained three individuals following the confiscation of over 400 kg of narcotics, alongside firearms and cash, as part of a probe into a transnational organized crime syndicate.
Authorities in New South Wales (NSW) disclosed on Wednesday that a task force aimed at scrutinizing the drug supply orchestrated by a transnational network, suspected to be operating out of Southeast Asia, executed five search warrants at various locations in western Sydney on Tuesday, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.
During these operations, law enforcement officials uncovered and confiscated 415 kg of illicit drugs, three handguns, over 300 rounds of ammunition, and 450,000 Australian dollars (approximately 293,135 US dollars) in cash.
The arrested individuals include two males aged 26 and a 19-year-old. All three face charges for supplying prohibited drugs in large commercial quantities, which could result in a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
According to NSW Police, the confiscated drugs comprise 287 kg of methamphetamine, 81 kg of heroin, 47 kg of cocaine, and 838 grams of MDMA, with a total street value estimated at 260 million Australian dollars (around 170 million US dollars).
Additionally, 20 kg of precursor chemicals were also taken into custody.
Earlier in September, law enforcement in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria reported charging two men after discovering 40 kilograms of cocaine in a vehicle.
A statement from Victoria Police indicated that the vehicle was stopped by officers around 6:20 a.m. local time on Tuesday in the northern suburbs of Melbourne while returning from the border with New South Wales.
A follow-up examination of the vehicle led to the discovery of 40 kilograms of a substance believed to be cocaine, valued at around 14 million Australian dollars (about 9.3 million US dollars).
The two men, aged 19 and 20 from the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne, were arrested and charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of cocaine and possessing a large commercial quantity of cocaine.
If found guilty, they could face a maximum of life imprisonment.
Victoria Police stated that it would be asserted in court that the two men were using vehicles to transport drugs across state lines on behalf of a more extensive criminal syndicate.
Detective Inspector Jamie Walker from the Major Drug Squad remarked that the syndicate would incur a massive financial loss due to the cocaine seizure.