A large-scale clandestine drug laboratory in Balnarring and an investigation into significant drug trafficking are just two of the Victorian highlights during a national week of action targeting illicit drug and organised crime activity.
The operation, conducted from 14-18 September, was coordinated by the Australia and New Zealand Illicit Drug Working Group (ANZIDWG). The week of action involved every Australian state and territory police agency, New Zealand police and customs, AFP, ABF, ACIC, AUSTRAC and Home Affairs.
It focused on disrupting organised crime networks involved in the importation, trafficking, production and distribution of illicit drugs to impact the availability of drugs in our communities and reduce the harms associated with drug supply and use.
Seizing drugs with a street value of $57M, Victoria Police also arrested 137 people, issued 247 charges and executed 59 search warrants as part of the operation.
Just over 95kg of various drugs including heroin, methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, cannabis and synthetic opioids were seized in Victoria, along with 565kg of various pre-cursor chemicals, 180 cannabis plants and just over 23 litres of 1,4-butanediol.
A total of $67,000 in cash was seized as well as two firearms.
Two significant investigations of interest in Victoria include a clandestine laboratory in Balnarring and the arrests of three people allegedly responsible for trafficking a commercial quantity of methylamphetamine in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
- Earlier in September, detectives from the Clandestine Laboratory Squad along with Taskforce Icarus, Major Drug Squad and the Joint Organised Crime Taskforce executed search warrants at properties in Balnarring, Rye, Maribyrnong and Preston. A commercial-sized clandestine laboratory was located at the Balnarring address. This included approximately 90kg of high purity methylamphetamine, approximately 350 litres of precursor to meth, approximately 50kg of a precursor to MDMA, approximately 50 litres of MDMA, over 100kg of methylamine, over 50kgs of sodium borohydride, almost 1500 litres of methanol, acetone, methylene chloride, ethanol and phosphoric acid and over 400kg of tartaric acid, sodium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate. Police also located a vast array of manufacturing equipment, including silos, reactors, a conversion reaction vessel and vacuum pumps. Two men, a 31-year-old from Rye and 30-year-old from Maribyrnong were charged with traffick large commercial quantity of methamphetamine and MDMA, traffick commercial quantity of Ketamine, and possess substances, material and equipment to manufacture drug of dependence. A 30-year-old Preston woman was charged with was charged with traffick commercial quantity of cocaine, possess MDMA and possess cannabis. The trio was bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 13 January, 2027.
- On 19 September, investigators from Westgate Family Violence Investigation Unit located three people allegedly in possession of approximately 250grams of methylamphetamine, a quantity of GHB and $25,000 cash. A 39-year-old woman from Truganina and two men, a 31-year-old from Mill Park and 30-year-old from Reservoir were charged with traffick commercial quantity of methylamphetamine, possess 1,4 Butanediol and deal property suspected proceeds of crime. The trio was remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 14 December.
Nationally, from the execution of a total of 560 search warrants, police seized 16kg of heroin, 254kg of methylamphetamine, 11.7kg of cocaine, 4.6kg of MDMA, 580 litres of 1,4-Butanediol, 716kg of cannabis and 8701 cannabis plants, more than $2M in cash, 17 vehicle and 71 firearms.
The results come as national wastewater data continues to indicate strong demand for illicit drugs across Australia, with methamphetamine, heroin, MDMA and cocaine consumption reaching record levels.
The prevalence of illicit substances within society and the impact they have on human behaviour translates into road trauma, family violence, homicides, shootings and other violent offending intrinsically linked to the illicit drug trade.
Illicit drug use also contributes to high levels of community harm through drug driving, drug-fuelled assaults, drug-fuelled family violence and heightened risk-taking.
Anyone with information on illicit drug activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Quotes attributable to Detective Superintendent David Cowan, Victoria Police Organised Crime Division:
“Unfortunately we are continuing to see increasing levels of illicit drug consumption both in Victoria and nationally, and the results from this week of action demonstrate the consequences of this.
“This is only one week out of 52 – and while this is just a snapshot, no doubt on any other week you would be seeing similar results.
“As the cost of living has risen, we are not seeing the appetite for illicit drugs go down in any way. We know that Australians have consistently had a significant appetite for illicit drugs and as such, our willingness to pay a premium for them has made us an attractive market for serious and organised crime groups involved in the drug trade.
“Ultimately it’s about holding people accountable where they break the law and bring significant harm to our community, but also challenging attitudes around what is acceptable behaviour at every single point on the drug production, trafficking and consumption train.
“Alongside our partner agencies, we are completely committed to making Victoria as hostile an environment as possible for anyone associated with the trafficking of drugs and will continue running operations such as this to hold people accountable.”
Quotes attributable to ANZIDWG chair, AFP Superintendent Jim Rowe:
“This week of action demonstrates the strength of law enforcement partnerships to identify, target and disrupt serious organised crime wherever it operates,” Supt Rowe said.
“By combining our capabilities, intelligence and expertise, we can more effectively target organised crime groups and make Australia and New Zealand a more hostile environment for those seeking to operate outside the law.”
