A joint crime operation has led to the arrest of four men on the Gold Coast today who are allegedly part of a drug trafficking syndicate in Queensland and South Australia.
Cannabis and cash were seized in a series of police raids as part of an on-going joint taskforce between officers from the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) and South Australia Police (SAPOL) Drug Investigation Branch.
Over the past few months the CMC and SAPOL Drug Investigation Branch have been monitoring a major drug network which led to a significant number of arrests and drug and cash seizures last month.
Those investigations continued, leading to further arrests today when at 12.07pm officers intercepted a vehicle of interest at the intersection of Station Road and the Pacific Highway, Nerang.
While searching the utility, officers found a gas cylinder on the rear tray with a hidden interior compartment, purposely built to conceal drugs. Inside the cylinder were 29 one-pound (about 13 kilograms) cryovac bags of cannabis.
The driver, and sole occupant, was a 39-year-old Ardrossan (South Australia) man who has subsequently been charged with:
- Possession of cannabis (Excess Quantity)
- Trafficking in dangerous drug (Cannabis Sativa)
- Possession of Tainted Property (Vehicle)
- Possession of Tainted property (cash)
He will appear in Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday 6 December.
Simultaneous search warrants also were executed on three properties on the Gold Coast, with three men being arrested.
A 43-year-old Broadbeach Waters man was charged with:
- Possession of tainted property
- Possession of Concealable firearm (pistol with two magazines)
- Possession Cannabis
- Possession Amphetamine
- Trafficking in a dangerous drug (Cannabis Sativa).
A large amount of cash also was found in his residence.
A 39-year-old Nerang man was charged with:
- Possession of tainted property
- Possession cannabis
A large amount of cash also was found in his possession.
A 43-year-old Maudsland man charged with:
- Possession of tainted property
A large amount of cash was located in the house.
All three will appear before the courts at a later date.
South Australia Police also made a number of arrests today in relation to this investigation.
ENDS
