Olympian ‘called shots’
Police hold former swimming champion Miller over alleged ice ring
OLYMPIC medallist Scott Miller “called the shots” in a $2.2m ice syndicate allegedly supplying drugs to regional NSW inside candles, according to police.
Former swimmer Miller, 45, was arrested during a raid at his Rozelle, Sydney, unit on Tuesday morning after a month-long investigation into ice supply to regional NSW.
Police also raided a Bankstown business and a Balmain property, where Miller’s co-accused Wayne Johnson, 47, was arrested.
The arrests came after police uncovered eight candles with 4kg, or $2.2m worth, of “high-purity” ice hidden inside.
Both men were expected to be charged.
Detective Superintendent John Watson alleged Miller was “calling the shots” in the “well financed and well organised” operation, which police have been investigating since January. The NSW Crime Commission was also involved.
Det Supt Watson said the “normal-looking” candles had ice stashed inside them in glass moulds and were allegedly set to go to the NSW border town of Albury.
“The 45-year-old man will be charged with directing a criminal syndicate … we’ll allege today (Miller) was calling the shots, so the head of the syndicate,” Det Supt Watson said. “(The pair) were concealing the drugs in candles … they weren’t laced with fragrance but half a kilo of methamphetamine in each … they were laced with death and misery.”
Johnson, whom Det Supt Watson said had a longstanding relationship with Miller, was also due to be charged with participating in a criminal group, and both will be charged with supplying a commercial quantity of drugs.
Another 2kg of a substance believed to be ice was also found at the properties on Tuesday alongside cash and drug paraphernalia, police sources report.
Police remained at the three raid sites on Tuesday as investigations continued, and the further 2kg of drugs found will undergo forensic testing to determine if the substance is ice.
Det Supt Watson said Miller and Johnson were “surprised” when officers raided their homes but were said to be co-operating with investigators.
He said the two men were “important arrests” to get drugs off the streets of regional NSW and he “anticipated” more people would be charged.
In 1996, Miller won a bronze and silver medal for swimming at the Atlanta Olympic Games.