Operation AMYL disrupts Barkly drug syndicate

Northern Territory Police have successfully disrupted an organised drug syndicate with the arrest of nine people in the outback town of Tennant Creek, yesterday.

The arrests come as a result of a Tennant Creek police operation, Operation AMYL which aimed to disrupt the supply of commercial cannabis in the Barkly region and associated Aboriginal communities.

Three and a half months of investigations by police lead to the identification of nine people who are alleged to have supplied more than 21kgs of cannabis over 12 months to the Barkly community, and further alleged to have made more than half a million dollars in profits.

Detectives from the Tennant Creek Investigation Unit, Alice Springs Investigation Unit Tennant Creek general duties officers arrested six men aged and three women between the ages of 26 and 62-years-old.

All nine have been charged with one count each of Supply Commercial Cannabis, Possess Commercial Cannabis and Possess Tainted Property, and have remanded to appear before the Alice Springs Local Court today.

Detective Sergeant Marek Hutchinson-Goncz said the arrests would see a significant impact on the supply of drugs across the Barkly region.

“Police continue to have a zero tolerance to organised crime anywhere in the Northern Territory,” said Det Sgt Hutchinson-Goncz

“We will continue to actively pursue those who choose to profit off of vulnerable members in our communities.”

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