Police have arrested seven people, including a Maribyrnong man, as part of a multi-million dollar drug bust by the Clandestine Laboratory Squad.
Police extradited the alleged ringleader of an organised crime drug syndicate from the Northern Territory overnight Friday 7 November as part of the three-year investigation into the illicit drug trade.
With assistance from Northern Territory Police Force, the 55-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday 4 November, before he was extradited back to Melbourne.
He was interviewed and subsequently charged this morning with trafficking a large commercial quantity MDMA and conspiracy to traffick a large commercial quantity methylamphetamine.
Police will allege the man became aware of the investigation into the syndicate, fleeing the jurisdiction in August before he was located in the Northern Territory under a false name.
Investigators will allege the syndicate, directed by a ringleader, was importing precursor chemicals and then manufacturing, trafficking and distributing the large commercial quantities of methylamphetamine, P2P and MDMA throughout the country.
Over the course of three years, investigators charged seven people, seized multi-million dollars’ worth of drugs, executed approximately 15 search warrants and dismantled three large scale clandestine laboratories.
The initial shipment, detected by the Australian Border Force in November 2022, was disguised as a chemical imported to make perfume in Melbourne.
Among those charged include a 27-year-old Monegeetta man, who was arrested on 17 October, 2024. He was charged with possessing article to manufacture, trafficking/possessing drug of dependence (cannabis), handling stolen goods and possessing prohibited weapons.
A 37-year-old Maribyrnong man was arrested 27 June, 2024. He was charged with possessing commercial quantity methylamphetamine. Commercial quantities of methylamphetamine, cocaine and precursor chemicals were seized.
Men from Coburg North, Pascoe Vale, Queensland and Newport were arrested as part of the investigation.
Thirteen previously stolen Holden vehicles were also located worth in excess of $1M, suspected of being part of a car rebirthing ring.
Police said they also dismantled three large scale clandestine laboratories.
