- In short: Six men have been charged after police seized six tonnes of meth hidden in canola oil bottles bound for Melbourne
- What’s next? The group will face court in Melbourne and police expect to make further arrests
Federal police have pulled off one of Australia’s biggest drug busts, saying about $1.7 billion worth of methamphetamine has been stopped from hitting the streets.
The drugs were hidden in shipments of canola oil bottles destined for Melbourne from Canada, however most were seized before being dispatched, authorities said.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said its operation with Canadian authorities and other agencies led to six tonnes of liquid and crystal meth being confiscated, the equivalent of 19 million hits of the highly addictive drugs.
Police said they hoped the sting would put a dent in the country’s illegal substance trade, as Australian drug users collectively forked out billions each year on methamphetamines, according to government data.
The latest bust, dubbed Operation Parkes, comes on the back of several major drug seizures during the past 12 months, including $1 billion of cocaine bound for the Western Australian coast and about $1.6 billion of drugs discovered in Sydney that was hidden in marble stone.
Police carried out the latest raids on Wednesday in Melbourne’s west, and arrested and charged six men over the alleged canola oil plot.
The AFP said the syndicate attempted to import the drugs from Canada to Melbourne in four shipments, between late 2022 and June 2023.
One consignment of almost 3,000 litres of liquid meth hidden in oil bottles was intercepted by police in January, and then tracked from Canada to Melbourne in March. Two men allegedly shifted the packages to storage locations across the city.
A further three shipments destined for Australia were seized in Canada before being dispatched. Canadian authorities say the drugs were detected by sniffer dogs.
Key players could face life in prison
The AFP said a key player in the scheme was 38-year-old Melbourne man Justin Barnett, who has alleged links to an unnamed Canadian crime network.
He has been described as the “primary onshore facilitator” for the imports.
A 32-year-old, Benjamin Wilson, is alleged to have used his position in a logistics business to transport the drugs.
The pair are facing major drug importation and possession charges that carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Four other men — 51-year-old Brendan Bradshaw, 28-year-old Hung Richard Nguyen, 26-year-old Channara Ly Thong and 19-year-old Hien Pham — are accused of trying to buy the illicit drugs.
Some of the men faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday night and on Thursday, with their cases adjourned until October 18.
Police say they expect to make further arrests, with investigations continuing in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Hilda Sirec described international crime groups as “a national security threat”.
“They undermine the Australian economy, social security system and financial system,” Assistant Commissioner Sirec said.
“Australia has an illicit drug problem. Australians pay amongst the highest in the world for illicit drugs and that’s why transnational, serious organised crime or TSOC target Australia.
“They attempt to corrupt officials to get their drugs into the country and they collude with other criminal groups like outlaw motorcycle gangs and other syndicates.”
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill described the $1.7 billion bust as “an extraordinary blow to organised crime”.
“Our message to these international drug lords is very clear: We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and intelligence partners to crush your operations,” Assistant Commissioner Hill said.
He described the seizure as involving an “eye-watering” amount of illegal drugs.
“Unfortunately Australians have this insatiable appetite for illicit drugs which makes us an incredibly lucrative market for organised crime,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner Hill said the majority of the more-than-20 non-fatal shootings in Victoria this year could be linked to the illicit drug trade.
The same syndicate was involved in importing 713 kilograms of crystal meth into New Zealand, according to New Zealand Police.
Police warn of dangers of meth, amid growing ‘apathy’
Sources within the Australian Federal Police say they are growing increasingly concerned about a perceived “apathy” in the community about the dangers of illicit drugs, and how it has played a role in crimes that have shocked the community.
The man jailed over kidnapping four-year-old Cleo Smith from a Western Australian campsite had also injected the substance.
Each day, courts around the country hear cases with offenders who are suffering from substance addictions.
Wastewater analysis by the Australian Crime Intelligence Commission, published in March, revealed an estimated $10 billion was spent by Australian drug users on methylamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin between August 2021 and August 2022.
Consumption rates had dropped from the previous year, the authors said, due to a drop in supply because of police operations.
AFP chief medical officer Alison Money said people could find themselves hooked on methamphetamines after just one hit, and chronic usage left them at risk of “catastrophic consequences”.
“Every week, on average, 16 Australians die from heroin, amphetamine or cocaine overdose,” Dr Money said.
“Every day, on average, 40 people are admitted to Australian hospitals from methamphetamine, heroin or cocaine use.”
