An Asian crime syndicate has been caught allegedly running an MDMA lab out of an apartment in northwest Sydney.
NSW Police Strike Force Coorabel on Thursday raided a unit in Tallawong where a clandestine drug lab was allegedly located, and officers allegedly seized 2kg of MDMA worth about $150,000 along with precursor chemicals.
Photos of the raid show the alleged drug lab set up in the bathroom and kitchen of the apartment, which appears to be brand-new, with Coles shopping bags, McDonald’s deliveries, packets of Tim Tams and a children’s game scattered around.
Police then raided a home in Lidcombe where they arrested three men aged 22, 29 and 40, and allegedly seized mobile phones, 720g of ketamine with an estimated street value of $100,000, and other small quantities of drugs.
The 40-year-old man was charged participate criminal group contribute criminal activity, organises/conducts/assists drug premises, found on/entering/leaving drug premises, organises/conducts/assists drug premises, and supply prohibited drug more than indictable and less than commercial quantity (two counts).
The 29-year-old man was charged with manufacture prohibited drug more than indictable quantity, organises/conducts/assists drug premises, take parts supply prohibited drug more than indictable and less than commercial quantity, found on/entering/leaving drug premises, and supply prohibited drug more than indictable and less than commercial quantity (two counts).
The 22-year-old man was charged with manufacture prohibited drug more than indictable quantity, supply prohibited drug more than indictable and less than commercial quantity, organises/conducts/assists drug premises (two counts), and found on/entering/leaving drug premises.
He was also charged with hinder or resist police office in the execution of duty, supply prohibited drug more than indictable and less than commercial quantity (two counts), and supply prohibited drug more than or equal to large commercial quantity.
Strike Force Coorabel was established by State Crime Command’s Drug & Firearms Squad to investigate the manufacture and supply of prohibited drugs by a criminal syndicate hailing from Asia.
Specialist police from the Drug and Firearms Squad’s Chemical Operations Unit, the Technical Forensic Support Unit and NSW Fire & Rescue were called in to dismantle the alleged lab.
Header image: The alleged drug lab (NSW Police).
