In a major multi-agency investigation on drug importation, five men staying in a correction facility were arrested. Arrest for attempted importation of approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine into Western Australia.
Men who were arrested for the alleged importation were a 64-year-old man in a correctional facility in Walpole, a 40-year-old man from Westminster, a 38-year-old man from Westminster and a 56-year-old Malaysian national currently residing in Butler.
Charges raised against the 38-year-old man from Westminster was possession of heroin, methylamphtamine, cannabis and drug paraphernalia. The 28-year-old Westminster man was charged for state-based offences for the possession of a prohibited drug with the intent to sell and supply. The involvement of the 64-year-old man was attempting to facilitate the importation of drugs from an overseas drug syndicate while incarcerated in a Walpole correctional facility. He is also charged for attempting to organize the drugs to be sent to various addresses and contacts in Western Australia.
Investigation and arrest of these men was the outcome of a joint team work of Australian Federal Police (AFP), Western Australia Police Service (WAPol), Department of Corrective Services Western Australia (DCS), Australian Crime Commission (ACC), Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC).
In addition three people were arrested in Taiwan in this connection. Taiwanese National Police Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) arrested a 40-year-old syndicate member. They charged him for attempting to send approximately two kilograms of ketamine to the United Kingdom. The CIB also arrested a 30-year-old syndicate member and his 24-year-old partner for attempting to send a three-kilogram package of methamphetamine into Perth. No Perth based custom broker is known to be connected with this drug syndicate.
Taiwanese Police worked with Australian authorities regarding its delivery into Perth. The AFP and WA Police conducted a controlled delivery of the package to a residential address in Butler. Following this search warrants were conducted in Butler, Walpole, Westminster and Ballajura. This resulted in identifying the men involved and subsequent arrest.
