POLICE FIND BARRELS FULL OF DRUGS
Barrels of drugs and cash squirrelled away in national parks
A WELL- organised drug trafficking syndicate which buried barrels of drugs and money in national parks has been nabbed by Townsville Police following a major 12- month investigation.
Townsville’s Major Organised Crime Squad, headed by Detective Senior Sergeant Brad Phelps, zeroed in on the group earlier this week, raiding at least 10 homes across the district in two days.
A total of 14 people were ar- rested on more than 41 charges. Three people were charged with drug trafficking.
Marijuana weighing about 20kg was seized by police along with $ 93,500 worth of cash.
Police also allegedly seized a fully loaded .303 rifle found hidden under a spa during the raid of a Heatley home, 20g of methamphetamine, a flick knife, seven marijuana plants, 27 marijuana seeds, and a single Viagra pill.
Det Sen- Sgt Phelps said the marijuana would have been worth up to $ 200,000 on the street and the meth worth about $ 20,000.
The bust brings to an end Operation Papa Cassia, a 12- month long protracted investigation into the syndicate.
Detectives from Townsville and Cairns were involved in the investigation. The crime group is alleged to have operated from the Daintree down to Townsville, trafficking in drugs, mainly marijuana, before redistributing it around the region using a complex system of burying barrels filled with drugs or cash.
It will be alleged barrels of marijuana were buried within national parks at Cungulla, south of Townsville, and Toomulla, near Rollingstone.
Det Sen- Sgt Phelps said a “detailed and determined search” was undertaken to find the barrels.
He said there could potentially be more barrels hidden than have been found.
“Through the course of the investigation we uncovered several of those buried drums that contained significant quantities of cash of drugs,” he said. “It’s not uncommon, especially in North Queensland, people tend to hide and bury things where they can’t be readily linked.
“We don’t leave any stone unturned, we go out of our way as investigators to target these people who are [ allegedly] trafficking significant quantities of drugs.
“This operation shows that you can attempt to hide but we will investigate and eventually get a result.”
Investigations are ongoing to track down any other associates of the alleged offenders.
More charges are expected to be laid.