Police Claim Drug Ring Smashed
The Age
Thursday July 17, 2008
POLICE say they have smashed a northern suburbs drug ring, seizing luxury cars, cash and unlicensed guns from several houses.
Four men were arrested during raids early yesterday morning on properties in Glenroy, Greenvale, Thomastown and Somerton after a lengthy probe by the drug squad into the distribution of high-quality methamphetamine. Two of the arrested men were from Victoria and were alleged by police to have been the receivers and distributors of the drug ice, which was imported from Sydney. The other two men are from Sydney and were arrested at Melbourne Airport yesterday morning. Police believe the men are linked to two seizures earlier this year in Wodonga of more than a kilogram of ice - with a street value of $1.4 million - that was being transported from Sydney to Melbourne. Amer Taiba was stopped on the Hume Freeway between Melrose Drive and McKoy Street on July 9 and police alleged he had 500 grams of ice near the spare tyre in the boot of his hire car."We believe we have stopped a syndicate and the distribution of ice. We'll be alleging that that ice has been distributed in Melbourne and sourced in Sydney," Detective Inspector Doug Fryer of the drug squad said.Inspector Fryer was speaking outside a Greenvale mansion where a Mercedes-Benz, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, cash, and guns and crossbows were seized. A nearby reception centre owned by the mansion's occupant was also searched. Cash was also seized at a Glenroy home."We're making a number of inquiries into the assets of the people who have been arrested this morning and those inquiries will continue until we get to the bottom of the assets of all the people who have been arrested," Inspector Fryer said. He said the cars were seized because it was believed they were the proceeds of crime. Inquiries will continue into the status of the home that was raided. Four teenagers were inside at the time.Taiba and Abdul El Rifahi, from Glenroy, were granted conditional bail and were ordered to reappear in Wodonga Magistrates Court on separate dates later this year.theage.com.au? See a video report and move photos from the scene.
© 2008 The Age
