Police allegedly seized $1.5 million and more than 5kg of cocaine and methylamphetamine after they stopped a car in Sydney's inner west. Gountounas is accused of being part of a transnational criminal syndicate which attempted to import 101kg of methamphetamine from Mexico and 500kg of cocaine from Colombia. Here's what we know, Vanuatu hit by two cyclones and twin earthquakes in two days. Among the seizures carried out were $1.9 million in cash, 90kg of high-grade methamphetamines with a street value of $45 million and 350kg of cannabis. "Organised crime, particularly the OMCG, is about violence, drugs and beating the system," Assistant Commissioner Harvey said. We know the family and their two children, and they are wonderful hard-working people that have never been known to create problems within the community. To improve your experience. Mon, 7 June 2021 9:00PM. Picture: SA Police. South Australian police have revealed a major drug bust in Adelaide's west earlier this week in which 150 kilograms of dried cannabis were seized. Asian crime groups smuggling addictive 'tea packet' methamphetamine into Australia is a growing problem. March 2017: Two men meet a police operative to discuss importing drugs from South America into Sydney. "Our Australian Federal Police has worked hand-in-glove with US FBI to bring down some of the most significant criminals - not just here in Australia, but right around the world.". Six men charged over an alleged Comanchero murder plot to gun down one of their own at a popular Adelaide cafe strip have entered their pleas in court. Drug bust in Adelaide's west leads to second cannabis seizure Three men allegedly running a dial-a-dealer drug syndicate in Sydney's Inner West have been arrested and charged. Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said the operation had been carefully planned with international law enforcement bodies. If you are searching for an older media release or news item please contact the SAPOL Media Section, telephone (08) 7322 3848 or email sapol.mediasection@police.sa.gov.au. The set-up was discovered by chance when officers arrived at the Morphettvale property for unrelated matters. A member of the Comanchero motorcycle gang has admitted firing a shotgun into a house as tensions grow between his gang and the Hells Angels. They decide to import 50kg of ice from Mexico. Shortly afterwards, Cheung was arrested at a house in Epping, a suburb north west of Sydney, while Gountounas was arrested at a house in Collinswood in Adelaide. Director of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton asked for an adjournment until July 1, in relation to all matters to allow more time to be briefed on the files. A tip-off from a member of the public has led to police busting a mega grow house in a Melbourne factory, with an estimated $3 million worth of cannabis plants. New Zealand authorities have found 3.2 tonnes of cocaine floating in the Pacific Ocean, with the drugs believed to have been destined for the Australian market. The comments below have not been moderated, By Those facing charges include members of outlaw motorcycle gangs, Australian Mafia, Asian crime syndicates and serious and organised crime groups. If so, what is your fee.". Drugs, millions of dollars in cash, weapons and cars were all seized. Operation Ironside | The Advertiser I have a job ready as tomorrow to pick up its already here," is the final message. Police made 'fake cocaine' to fool Mexican Cartel, stop $1b cocaine bust, Bikie gangs finding new sources of meth from Afghanistan, This looks like an iPhone but transforms into something sinister, Accused Thai drug dealer had plastic surgery to look like Korean man, police say, Queensland introduces pill testing at music festivals, Underworld killer's jail time extended for 'outrageous' drug plot, Coroner probes obese Indigenous prisoner's death after he gained 117kg in jail, Mum who led fight to legalise medical cannabis says battle not over, Pentagon warns US troops against eating poppy seeds, Woman charged after allegedly swallowing almost 1kg of cocaine, Police arrest alleged directors of dial-a-dealer cocaine syndicate, Man linked to 'esky rescue' arrested over massive cocaine seizure, Police accidentally discover drug lab in Adelaide home, Man dies of suspected drug overdose, 12 hospitalised at music festival, Man who tried to smuggle drugs into medi-hotel asks to be spared prison, This haul was claimed to be bathroom tiles but cops made a $115m find inside, Fugitive wanted on mafia-related drug charges arrested in Bali, Half a billion dollars' worth of cocaine found floating in ocean, Urgent warning over 'Nike tick' MDMA pills, Court told embattled former TV host on 'bender' before assault, Major change coming to the way Aussies buy common painkiller, Review into obesity drug prescription by doctors launched, MDMA and psilocybin approved to treat some mental health conditions, Hong Kong bans popular CBD forcing businesses to adapt, Mother of NRL star faces court over drug supply charges, Underworld figure George Marrogi takes trafficking charge 'on chin'. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. The health department has warned the brick-shaped tablets could increase the risk of toxic effects. A 36-year-old South Australian woman was also arrested after ice was found at Plympton Park property. Latest drug bust adelaide 2022 - jbuy.pizzeria-kandel.de He was released after celebrating his 21st birthday in a NSW prisoner uniform. So far 95 South Australians have been arrested in the major police sting Operation Ironside. In one text conversation released by the Department of Justice, two criminals can be seen organising a drug deal where a ship's captain would have drugs thrown overboard at sea, only to be collected later by local gangs. The mother of Cronulla Sharks star Nicho Hynes has faced court today after playing an alleged role in a heroin supply chain. Victoria and New South Wales have refused calls, including from some coroners, to open pill testing facilities this. Properties at Collinswood, Mawson Lakes, Seacombe Gardens, and Plympton Park, and Kensington Gardens business were searched. An Austrian woman has been charged after allegedly swallowing almost 1kg of cocaine held in 124 pellets before travelling to Australia. When can we start?" Prabhal Sharma was in the grips of a psychotic episode after going on a drug-affected bender and murdering his wife and daughter, a court has heard. Three men have been charged and will face court on drugs charges as a result. The man died in jail, having gained 117kg after suffering poor mental health and being medicated for severe pain. The operation led to the arrests of Malik McGowan . . November 2: Police arrest three men in a Toyota Hiace van in Sydney, which has five duffel bags containing the 101kg of salt. Operation Ironside | The Courier Mail A SOUTH Australian man has been named as a "principal" player in a failed conspiracy to import more than $200 million worth of illicit drugs into Australia. Further messages from AN0M chat groups that sparked the massive Operation Ironside police blitz have been heard in court as part of an alleged bikies bid for bail. 07:33 GMT 02 Jul 2020. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. Mr Kershaw said the AFP and FBI secretly used an encrypted platform known as AN0M during the operation. Low income Aussies and pensioners could be forced out of homes, Tens of thousands flock to Bondi for one-off dance party, Major traffic chaos warning for Sydney across busiest weekend in years. The latest person charged under Operation Ironside is accused of laundering more than $640,000 and trafficking drugs in 13 Adelaide suburbs. According to new findings, the samples taken from 49 waste sites from around the country, show a 37 per cent decrease in codeine consumption. Police would later make a horrific discovery on the road. Watch the latest news and stream for free on 7plus >> The Australian Federal Police said on Tuesday it had seized 3.7 tonnes of drugs, 104 weapons and almost $45 million in cash as part of the operation since 2018. They instead send 101kg of salt. There were also 27 high-end firearms seized, including a .50 calibre "military-grade" sniper rifle from the regional town of Mudgee. "These criminal influencers put the AFP in the back pocket of hundreds of alleged offenders," Mr Kershaw said. Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill said he was confident the data collected by Operation Ironside could help solve unsolved homicides. Wholesalers, drivers, agents; for the first time the highly organised structure that sent encrypted devices into the hands of crime figures is revealed. Dimitrous Jimmy Gountounas, 41, was arrested on Thursday as part of co-ordinated raids in Adelaide and Sydney. A 29-year-old who posed as a food delivery driver and tried to smuggle illegal opioids into an Adelaide medi-hotel has pleaded to be spared from jail. The man gives him a phone number for a Mexican contact, Peter, to provide the 101kg of ice in Mexico City. The 18-year-old and many of his co-accused will appear again in court on July 1, when many of the states criminal lawyers are expected to ask for bail on behalf of their clients. Another 33 people have been arrested since the mafia and bikie underworldjoint operation with the Australian Federal Police (AFP)began in February 2020. Underworld figures were tricked into communicating via an encrypted app designed by police, authorities have said. It is understood Mexicos infamous Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most expansive and violent criminal organisations in the world, provided the methamphetamine. Consider a Subscription or register to receive our Newsletters, The whole Greek Australian community is in shock over the arrests, An undated handout picture provided by Victoria Police of an arrest in Thornhill Park, Victoria, Australia, as part of Operation Ironside. THE Aussies arrested for conspiring to import 100kg of ice and 500kg of cocaine met with an undercover officer who tipped off Mexican police to replace their haul with salt. Ashley Hall, 52, presented and produced some of the ABC's most loved radio programs. The 39-year-old man was charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of cannabis, cultivating a large commercial quantity of cannabis, diverting (theft) electricity and money laundering. The app, known as AN0M, was used by organised crime gangs around the world toplan executions, mass drug importations and money laundering. Can the dogs of Chernobyl teach us new tricks when it comes to survival? According to JPD, the departments C.A.T. The underworld figure dragged his girlfriend into a plot to smuggle more than $50 million of drugs into Australia while behind bars for murder, his lawyer says. A man alleged to be one of world's biggest drug kingpins has been extradited to Melbourne in one of the "most high-profile arrests" ever made by Australian police. An international fugitive charged in the US was allegedly at the helm of an SA drug syndicate that was laundering as much as $8.2m at a time, prosecutors say. The men allegedly met with an undercover operative who helped facilitate the sale. October 28: The drugs are due to arrive in Sydney. Those facing charges include members of outlaw motorcycle gangs, Australian Mafia, Asian crime syndicates and serious and organised crime groups. Detectives searching a Thebarton warehouse also allegedly found a large hydroponic cannabis crop consisting of 163 plants. June 14: One of the men asks the police operative if he can show another syndicate member how to prepare the products for importation. "The relationship we've been able to draw on, particularly with the FBI but other agencies across the world, has led to the most significant operation in policing history here in Australia. The encrypted communications which allegedly included plots to kill, mass drug trafficking and gun distribution - were decrypted from a platform covertly run by the FBI. More News. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved the prescription of MDMA for treating post-traumatic stress disorder and psilocybin (the drug in magic mushrooms) for treatment-resistant depression from July 1. The other criminal says his network "can definitely catch it" and that they charge a "20 per cent door fee". JACKSON, Miss. Criminals needed to know a criminal to get a device. A mum who spearheaded the fight to legalise medicinal cannabis in Australia after her son was diagnosed with terminal cancer says the fight is far from over and better access is needed. Police have stopped 2.4 tonnes of cocaine from entering Australia and arrested 12 people in the largest bust in the country's history. I think the whole Greek Australian community is still in shock, a Greek Australian source who wished to remain anonymous told Neos Kosmos. The next phase of the AN0M bust is about to begin . SA prosecutors have their eyes on $2.75m cash found during Operation Ironside during a truckies Adelaide-Sydney run but NSW Police already has the money. Two conspirators fly from Adelaide to Sydney to courier the drugs. Now the criminals left behind are battling to take over. What are the cost of goods? SAs Operation Ironside arrests are heading towards potentially long, complex, court cases requiring millions of dollars before trials start. SA News. Emily was studying law when she had to go to court. Then Operation Ironside detectives came knocking. A veteran underworld figure given immunity from self-incrimination has chosen to go to jail indefinitely, rather than reveal the identity of feared drug kingpin Mr X. It didnt work. During a media conference this afternoon, Assistant Commissioner Harvey displayed a selection of the items seized, including$1.9 million in cash, along with cars, boats, motorcycles, jewellery, wine, watches and guns. Not enough, say prosecutors, Ironside crime figures seek to challenge AN0M architects, Inside story of SAs first Ironside arrest and how he fell so far, Ironside prison tally: 70 years behind bars for 14 Adelaide crims, Drug importer quit job on day $20m cocaine shipment arrived, $13m to run prosecution and defence of Ironside accused, Prominent pizza chefs big jail term for drug dealing, School zone dealer with AN0M phone, 2000 ecstasy pills spared jail, The Cashier: Young man allegedly laundered $4m for bikies, Fully patched bikie nabbed by Operation Ironside detectives, Just add water: Ironside bikies mount new legal challenge, Comanchero wanted to send shockwave message, court told, International fugitive nabbed on the Yorke Peninsula, More heroin in one Hills bedroom than seized in SA in an entire year, Bikie admits shooting house, set for big sentence cut, Bikies in first Ironside win as charges dismissed, downgraded, AN0M test case: Encrypted app was illegal, lawyers say, Pro boxer and alleged bikie in court over huge meth lab, Two arrested over Australia-wide cannabis syndicate, Bikies at war: Internal politics behind murder, bashing plot, Millions to overhaul courts for mammoth Operation Ironside trials, Mr X: The drug kingpin more feared than prison, Explained: Where Australias Italian mafia clans are, Revealed: Mafia figures text messages about 10kg of cocaine, Ironsides secret 37: Every accused plus the alleged mob bosses we cant name, Mystery fugitive the syndicate leader in alleged $8.2m drug ring, Battle for the underworld: The new crims moving to fill the AN0M void, How drugs and gambling debts led to a $17.5m mistake, Make sure s**t is broken good: Inside an AN0M chat group, Alleged bikie-bashing target charged with laundering $700k, Selfless man sentenced for $57k in cocaine behind microwave, Battle for Ironside millions: SA, NSW police clash over drug money, Accused Operation Ironside criminals in huge court win, The Pope finished: Inside Ironsides $37.5m meth bust, 13 suburbs: Where latest AN0M accused allegedly trafficked meth, His head was spurting blood it was pretty funny, Ironside targets ran massive meth pipeline between SA and WA, Revealed: Full list of SA Ironside accused and where they live, Mapped and named: Operation Ironsides SA arrests, Ironside cannabis haul patsy learns his fate, Drug house patsy swept up in Operation Ironside raids, Court error wrongly links AN0M accused to terrorism, Ironside accused sells house to girlfriend for one dollar, SA Ironside test case to be first in Australia, AN0M: 160 lawyers, bikies, insiders next on hit list, How criminal underworld got AN0M phones in 4 easy steps, Ironside: 57 accused, 150+ new charges and a $17.5m guilty plea. Demand for this 'weight loss drug' caused a worldwide shortage. Property seized included 3.7 tonnes of drugs, 104 weapons, $44,934,457 million in cash and assets expected to run into millions of dollars. The devices organically circulated and grew in popularity among criminals, who were confident of the legitimacy of the app because high-profile organised crime figures vouched for its integrity. Speaking alongside Mr Kershaw, FBI representative Anthony Russo said the operation was an example of how global cooperation between police forces could smash organised crime. Tony Haddad fled Australia while on trial for his alleged role in importing a chemical that could produce more than two million MDMA tablets. Photo: AAP via EPA/VICTORIA POLICE HANDOUT. He was refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday. Melbourne underworld figure George Marrogi has had another five years added to his minimum prison term for an "outrageous" drug smuggling plot with his girlfriend while behind bars. Louise Starkey For Daily Mail Australia, Police bust drug syndicate in Vic and Tas, Australia is set to offer tens of thousands of 'safe haven' visas to Hong Kong residents who want to flee China's draconian security laws, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Murder plot, drugs and guns: 48 South Australians arrested Dimitrous "Jimmy" Gountounas, 41, was arrested on Thursday as part of co-ordinated raids in Adelaide and Sydney. Police allege the three men imported 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine and 450 kilograms of cocaine into Australia across the last 18 months. We never thought that Apostle would be involved in something like this. Drug bust in Adelaide's west leads to second cannabis seizure at warehouse. The accused were charged with offences includingconspiracy to murder, drug trafficking, firearmtrafficking and possession and money laundering. He said the most organised crime-related charges he had seen in one day in Adelaide was10 or 12. About $10 million in cash has been seized in the past week and a half, including $7 million from a floor safe in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville. He was managing an exclusive casino bar so how did Rohan Wakefield end up with detectives at his door and a ute full of drugs, cash and hidden guns? The trial of three men for possessing military-grade firearms will become an Australian-first Ironside test case with the validity of warrants likely to end up in the High Court. Three more men have been arrested under Operation Ironside, two over a national marijuana syndicate. The US Defence Department issued an official warning to troops last week: if you don't want to test positive on a drug test, you should avoid poppy seeds. 'It is also a timely reminder for those renting properties to ensure that they follow tenancy guidelines and processes,' he said on Wednesday. Semaglutide, sold in the forms of Ozempic and Wegovy, shot into public consciousness as an effective weight-loss medication last year, thanks to spruiking from social media influencers and people such as Elon Musk. The architects of the sting of the century may give evidence in court as men accused of conspiring to import a tonne of cocaine into Australia launch a legal challenge. October 23: One of the conspirators sends the police operative a text saying they have buyers who will pay $80,000 a kilo for the drugs. He was remanded in custody and NSW police are expected to ask for his extradition next week. To improve your experience. Accused drug kingpins arrested under Operation Ironside have won a significant legal battle that may allow them to hide their riches from police. "Today, the Australian Government, as part of a global operation, has struck a heavy blow against organised crime - not just in this country, but one that will echo around organised crime around the world," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. All rights reserved. According to the Vancouver Sun, "The Brothers Keepers gang was started on the Lower Mainland almost four years ago by Gavinder Grewal, who took the name from a line uttered by Wesley Snipes's character in the 1991 movie New Jack City.Grewal got his new gang name tattooed across his upper chest in stylized script, as did other original members of the gang." The AFP provides details about a sting that trickedmafia, bikie and global gang heavyweights into delivering their plans straight into the hands of detectives. Two words showed something was wrong with the system, After centuries of Murdaugh rule in the Deep South, the family's power ends with a life sentence for murder, Flooding in southern Malaysia forces 40,000 people to flee homes, Rare sighting of bird 'like Beyonce, Prince and Elvis all turning up at once', Labor's pledge for mega koala park in south-west Sydney welcomed by conservation groups. An encrypted app at the heart of an international law enforcement operation was illegal from the start and federal police have been breaking the law, lawyers for two alleged senior organised crime figures claim. (ABC News) Now to prove offences: lawyer Police have warned of reprisals and conflict following a major operation that led to the arrest of more than 100 leading crime figures. He was bailed to appear int eh Elizabeth Magistrates Court on August 21. Operation Ironside: An 18-year-old and another five Greek Australians arrested for alleged drug trafficking. An alleged bikie murder plot foiled by Operation Ironside aimed to send a violent message to SAs underworld, a court has heard. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/drug-bust-leads-to-second-cannabis-seizure-in-adelaide/101027480, Australia's biggest drug bust: $1 billion worth of cocaine linked to Mexican cartel intercepted, Four in hospital after terrifying home invasion by gang armed with machetes, knives, hammer, 'We have got the balance right': PM gives Greens' super demands short shrift, Crowd laughs as Russia's foreign minister claims Ukraine war 'was launched against us', The tense, 10-minute meeting that left Russia's chief diplomat smoking outside in the blazing sun, 'Celebrity leaders': Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley take veiled jabs at Donald Trump in CPAC remarks, Canberra coach Ricky Stuart slams NRL, RLPA following further concussion controversy, Hong Kong court convicts three members of Tiananmen vigil group for security offence, as publisher behind Xi biography released, 'How dare they': Possum Magic author hits out at 'ridiculous' Roald Dahl edits, Vanuatu hit by two cyclones and twin earthquakes in two days. SAPOL - More News Instead, they were arrested at 11am on Thursday at a car park on Market St in Darling Harbour. AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said Operation Ironside had left organised crime in Australia reeling. Three men have been charged after allegedly trying to import 130 kilograms of methylamphetamine into Australia inside slabs of paraffin wax. The AFP said it also acted on 20 threats to kill, potentially saving the lives of a significant number of innocent bystanders, with intelligence handed to state police agencies which took immediate action. Police have warned of reprisals and conflict following a major operation that led to the arrest of more than 100 leading crime figures. FBI agents, assisted by state and local police, conducted a wide-ranging series of drug raids in the Alle-Kiski Valley early Thursday. November 1: The informant and a conspirator arrange for handover of the drugs the next day. According to JPD, the department's C.A.T. They will appear in court today on charges of drug dealing, money laundering and other conspiracy charges.