Four nabbed over Victoria’s largest liquid meth import worth $123m

Four alleged members of a transnational criminal syndicate operating in Melbourne have been charged following the seizure of more than 560 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, the largest importation in Victorian history.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP), with assistance from Australian Border Force (ABF) and Victoria Police commenced an operation, after ABF officials detected the illicit substance stashed inside a large consignment of mustard bottles flown into Melbourne via air cargo from Chicago, USA.

AFP Crime Scenes conducted further forensic testing on the consignment and confirmed that more than 1600 of the plastic mustard bottles within two pallets contained liquid methamphetamine.

The estimated street value of 560 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine is more than $123 million dollars.

AFP investigators, with assistance from Victoria Police, arrested the four alleged criminal syndicate members and conducted search warrants across a number of Melbourne properties.

A 29-year old Sunshine man was arrested at a Campbellfield home. While a second man, a 28-year-old from St. Albans was also arrested at his home.

A 34-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman were arrested at their Albion property, with investigators seizing several kilograms of suspected illicit drugs at the scene.

Additional search warrants were conducted throughout Friday at locations in St Albans, Sunshine and Sunshine North, along with commercial properties in Parkville and Sunshine.

AFP investigators then identified the location of a clandestine laboratory allegedly linked to the criminal syndicate and the largest import of liquid methamphetamine in Victoria.

Victoria Police Clandestine Laboratory Squad members secured the scene at a St. Albans property before AFP members executed a search warrant.

The 29-year-old Sunshine man has been charged with importing commercial quantities of border controlled drugs and attempted possession of border controlled drugs.

The 34-year-old Albion man and the 28-year-old St Albans man have both been charged with attempting to possess commercial quantities of border controlled drugs.

The 34-year-old Albion woman is facing a charge of possession of a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Southern Command Bruce Giles said the record seizure was another clear warning to criminal syndicates that the AFP and its Commonwealth and state law enforcement partners remained one step ahead.

“Today we have stopped what is Victoria’s largest liquid methamphetamine haul, dead in its tracks,” he said.

“These criminals continue to prey on our community, causing drug–related crime and misery, along with associated health and social costs.”

“This operation shows that the AFP, together with our Commonwealth and state law enforcement partners are keeping a watch on every corner.

“We remain tirelessly committed to keeping up the fight to identify, arrest and prosecute those involved in this type of activity.”

Victoria Police Crime Command Assist Commissioner Bob Hill said this was another significant result for the Victorian community.