MELBOURNE: police conduct multiple raids in Melbourne and Auckland, international drug ring has been smashed and more than $6 million worth of drugs seized during raids in both cities.
Police synchronised raids at properties in Auckland and Melbourne, uncovering drugs believed to be heroin and ecstasy as well as a large amount of cash.
A white powder believed to be heroin worth more than $4.5 million and tablets believed to be ecstasy, worth more than $1.5 million, were found.
Seven men from Victoria and a 53-year-old man from the Auckland suburb of Blockhouse Bay have been arrested and are being interviewed.
New Zealand Police Assistant Commissioner Malcolm Burgess said it’s been fantastic to see a number of law enforcement agencies working so closely together on a major international syndicate.
“The partnership between all the agencies involved and the co-operation and intelligence shared has led to these significant arrests in both countries and the seizure of large quantities of drugs,” Mr Burgess said.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana said officers from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and Australian Crime Commission police have been working on the case since August.
“Not only have we shut down a major international drug distribution and trafficking syndicate we will have significantly affected, we believe, the accessibility of heroin on the street in Melbourne and the subsequent crime which results from it,” Mr Fontana said.
Homes and businesses in Wollert, Roxburgh Park, Epping, Bundoora, Essendon, Docklands, Campbellfield, Hadfield, Glenroy, Fitzroy, Meadow Heights, Narre Warren North, Dandenong and Brunswick were all raided simultaneously.
The men are facing charges relating to trafficking a large commercial quantity of heroin and were scheduled to appear in court today.
