FOUR men have been charged and methylamphetamine (ice) with a street value of almost $400m has been seized after a joint investigation involving New South Wales police and Australian Border Force.
ABF officers examined a container declared to contain clothing at the Sydney Container Examination Facility in June 2019.
Six of the 10 pallets were found to contain 500 packages of a white crystalline substance.
Forensic analysis determined the packages contained a total of 500kg of methylamphetamine, with an estimated potential street value of $375m.
The drugs have since been seized, with police recovering $200,000 in cash.
Detectives arrested a 35-year-old man while walking down the street at Wolli Creek just after 12pm on Thursday 4 July.
Soon after investigators arrested a 55-year-old man at a Hurstville shopping centre.
Two further men – aged 33 and 36 – were arrested at a home at Carlton and a home unit at Rhodes.
Police subsequently raided three homes, including home units in Rhodes and Wolli Creek and a home at Hurstville.
During the searches, police seized mobile phones, electronic devices, documentation, and more than $10,000 cash.
The 35-year-old man was charged with supplying prohibited drugs and participating in criminal group criminal activity.
The 55-year-old man, a Canadian, was charged with supplying prohibited drugs, dealing with property proceeds and participating in criminal group activity.
The 33-year-old man was charged with participating in criminal group activity.
Police are to allege the group took part in the supply of methylamphetamine.
In court they have been denied bail.
The 36-year-old man was charged with deal with property proceeds of crime.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Monday 12 August.
State Crime Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith, said investigations were ongoing to determine the source of the drugs.
“This has been a complex, multi-layered investigation by strike force investigators,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Smith said.
ABF Regional Investigations NSW Superintendent Garry Low said it showed the significant results that continue to be achieved by law enforcement agencies working together.
