A 58-year-old NSW truck driver has been charged by WA Police following the seizure of 13kg of methylamphetamine and nearly $4 million in cash.
On Monday September 21, detectives from the Drug & Firearm Squad stopped a truck on Great Eastern Highway, near Sawyers Valley.
The truck, which had entered Western Australia two days earlier, was searched and it will be alleged $3.88m million cash was located in two plastic tubs.
The truck driver, a 58-year-old man from Charlestown, NSW, was arrested. As part of the same investigation a search warrant was subsequently executed at a residence in Lord Street, Lockridge.
Detectives searched a Holden Commodore ute which was parked at the residence and it will be alleged two bags containing a total of 13 packages, each containing approximately 1kg of Methylamphetamine, were located. A 29-year-old man from Lockridge was arrested at the scene.
The 58-year-old has been charged with laundering property/money from proceeds of major offence. He was refused bail and is due to appear in court today.
The 29-year-old Lockridge man has been charged with possessed a trafficable quantity of methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply it to another. He was refused bail and is due to appear in court tomorrow.
Three other men, a 26-year-old man and two 27-year-old men, were arrested during the course of the investigation and have been charged with separate drug offences.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Allan Adams from State Crime Command said the seizure was yet another example of the great work being done by detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Division.
“The seizure represents the removal of 130,000 hits of Meth from our streets, and is a significant win for our community. Illicit drugs, particularly Meth, cause great harm to our community, to our families, and to the health of so many vulnerable members of our community,” said A/Asst Commissioner Adams.
“In this instance we have not only seized the drugs, we have seized a record $3.88 million cash. That is cash that would have made its way back to more senior members of a Serious & Organised Crime Group and would have been used to purchase greater quantities of illicit drugs and repeat the community harm cycle,” he said.
“Our investigation into the broader criminal network is continuing in partnership with law enforcement and intelligence agencies across Australia. There is clearly someone who was expecting to receive the cash, and given the amount of drugs seized it is fair to suggest there was a further distribution network ready and waiting to take delivery.”
