Key Takeaways:
– Australian police have disrupted a drug trafficking enterprise known as “The Commission.”
– Over one tonne of cocaine was introduced into the country within months.
– Police arrested six men, seized more than 30kg of cocaine, guns, cars, cash, and electronic devices.
– The operation will impact Sydney’s criminal underworld by reducing the large-scale drug supply that funds criminal activities.
– Investigations are ongoing, and these arrests are not associated with the recent crackdown on the encrypted “Ghost” app or other notable cases.
Australian police announced on Thursday they have apprehended a major drug syndicate known as “The Commission.” The group has allegedly trafficked over a tonne of cocaine into the country in a span of months.
“The Commission’s” Massive Cocaine Supply
Officers indicated that in the recent raids, they seized more than 30 kilograms of cocaine. The authorities cited this as a small portion of the group’s overall supply, claiming the ring had successfully trafficked around 1.2 tonnes of cocaine between February and July this year.
Investigators stated that the street value of the seized drugs is roughly US$1 billion. Additionally, the police carried out twenty search operations at homes across Sydney early Wednesday morning, uncovering other significant hauls.
Property Seizures During Operation
As part of their findings, detectives seized ten vehicles, $800,000 in cash, a Rolex timepiece, four firearms, two ballistic vests, and a range of electronic devices. They also discovered 12 kilograms of cocaine hidden within certain sections of the vehicles.
Detective Peter Faux, dedicated to organized crime, described the group as acting as the “government, bank, and economy to Sydney’s criminal underworld,” due to its influential role in the city’s drug trade. He expressed confidence that the considerable scale of drug supply disruption would leave many criminals jobless.
Impact on Sydney’s Criminal Underworld
Photographs from the operations displayed authorities seizing plastic-wrapped packages marked with distinct symbols like four-leaf clovers, Toyota logos, and fighter jets. NSW Police Force Commissioner Karen Webb alluded to the enduring harm caused by cocaine supply to the city, attributing it to patronizing and funding the escalating pattern of organized violence.
Unrelated to Other High-Profile Arrests
Interestingly, the disruptive operation against “The Commission” does not correlate with the recent bust of the alleged criminal genius behind the encrypted “Ghost” app. The application was reportedly intended to facilitate illicit operations like drug trades and contract killings for international criminals.
Moreover, this recent bust is separate from another peculiar incident earlier this year where an alleged drug trafficker was implicated after bricks of cocaine mysteriously surfaced on Australian beaches.
The laws of Australia are stringent on the illegal drug trade. Any person found guilty of such offences can face serious penalties, including imprisonment. The hope is that significant operations like this can help to curtail the growing drug problem in the country.
Conclusion
These arrests illustrate the continued efforts of the Australian police to curb the widespread availability of drugs, tackling the prominent criminal syndicates contributing to the crisis. With these actions, they hope to make the community safer and reduce the instances of organized crime funded by the illicit drug market.