Detectives have charged three men following a series of search warrants in Liverpool and Moorebank yesterday afternoon (August 15).
Strike Force Crosswise, comprising officers from the State Crime Command’s Firearms and Organised Crime Squad, was established in January 2014 to investigate an alleged crime syndicate operating in south-west Sydney.
Inquiries revealed the syndicate was allegedly involved in the large scale importation of chemical precursors, namely pseudoephedrine.
Further investigations culminated in the execution of four search warrants yesterday, at three properties on Smith Crescent, Speed and Goulburn streets in Liverpool as well as a storage facility on Newbridge Road at Moorebank.
During a subsequent search of the storage facility, detectives located 1.3 tonnes of tea product that had allegedly been laced with pseudoephedrine.
The items were seized from the facility for forensic examination.
Three men were also arrested during the operation, a 31-year-old man from Sunshine West in Victoria, a 31-year-old Liverpool man and a 37-year-old man also from Liverpool.
The trio were charged with possess prohibited drug and supply prohibited drug and all have been refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court today (Saturday, August 16).
IN OTHER CRIME news, Camden Police have warned the community to be alert after several instances of copper wire theft have been reported from light towers used to illuminate sports grounds.
In several recent reports unknown offender/s have accessed light towers at sports grounds within the Camden Local Area Command.
The offender/s cut the ‘live’ wires and removed lengths of cable from beneath the ground running between the light towers.
Detective Inspector Jane Doherty, Crime Manager at Camden Local Area Command said the thefts are both dangerous and expensive.
“These thefts are having a dramatic effect on the community. Numerous sports teams have been unable to train as they move towards the final weeks of competition due to the lack of lighting.
“It is extremely expensive for clubs and councils to have to finance the repairs to these light towers and the funds to do so are diverted from other activities. It is obvious to us that the offender/s target these ovals to secure large amounts of copper wire that they then sell to scrap metal dealers.
“The offender/s are also targeting neighbouring police patrols so I urge members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity at sports grounds.
“Anyone with information about the thefts of these items should contact police before someone is seriously injured or electrocuted,” Detective Inspector Doherty said.
IN LIVERPOOL, detectives investigating the armed robbery of a hotel last month. Just after 1.30pm on Tuesday, July 22, a man entered the hotel on the Hume Highway at Liverpool armed with a large knife.
The man, who had his face concealed, threatened a staff member with the knife while demanding money.
He fled with a large sum of cash and left the hotel in a grey Hyundai Excel.
Police were alerted and officers from Liverpool Local Area Command attended and commenced inquiries.
Checks later revealed the vehicle had been stolen from Warrawong earlier that day.
Detectives say the man was of Aboriginal / Torres Strait Islander appearance, between 185cm and 190cm tall and with a heavy build. They are are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
