4kg meth, $9 million cash seized by WA Police

WA Police Force's Serious and Organised Crime Division have seized 4kg of Methylamphetamine and millions of dollars in cash as part of an ongoing operation targeting illicit commodities being moved across the state border.

With the assistance of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission detectives from the Organised Crime Squad identified several vehicles of interest crossing the border into Western Australia. 

Last month, detectives from the Organised Crime Squad seized six cardboard boxes, which contained a total of $5,986,970.00 in cash. It is believed the cash was destined for New South Wales. 

This major cash seizure is believed to be linked to a seizure of 4kg of Methylamphetamine in August this year. 

Four men have since been arrested and charged in relation to the significant seizure of the cash, and each has been charged with laundering property/money from proceeds of major offence. Those men are a 61-year-old Caversham man, a 33-year-old Stirling man, a 31-year-old Butler man and a 27-year-old Banksia Grove man.

All four men were refused bail and are progressing through the court process.

As part of the ongoing operation two trucks were intercepted on Thursday, November 5. 

The first truck was intercepted by detectives from the Organised Crime Squad in Meckering. It is believed the truck had recently arrived in Western Australia, and was heading back across the border.

The truck is currently the subject of an ongoing comprehensive search and to date $2,942,130.00 in cash has been located. 

The two occupants of the truck, a 53-year-old man from New South Wales and a 47-year-old man from Queensland, were arrested.They were both charged with laundering property/money from proceeds of major offence and were refused bail. 

A 42-year-old man from Alkimos was also arrested. It will be alleged he delivered the cash to the occupants of the truck.

The Alkimos man has been charged with laundering property/money from proceeds of major offence and was also refused bail. 

The second truck was intercepted by detectives from the Gang Crime Squad in Coolgardie and that truck is also the subject of an ongoing investigation.

A significant amount of cash has been confiscated from the second truck, which is yet to be counted by authorities. 

Acting Assistant Commissioner Allan Adams said detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Division continue to identify and disrupt serious and organised crime groups who are attempting to transport illicit drugs and cash across our state border.

"In recent weeks those efforts resulted in two significant cash seizures, one involving almost $6 million cash, and the other involving also $3 million cash," he said. 

"In both those cases it is believed the cash was heading back to the east coast of Australia, where it would have likely been used to fund further drug distribution activities.

"Seizing cash from these drug networks is a critical component of disrupting and dismantling their activities, but most importantly it means we have prevented cash being used to repeat the community harm cycle it would have funded."