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Three men have been arrested and large amounts of drugs seized by police in a series of early-morning raids in Noble Park, Noble Park North, Cheltenham and Melbourne’s CBD.
Early on 29 April, police raided four premises including an alleged clandestine laboratory in an apartment in Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.
A 44-year-old man was arrested at the apartment and charged with manufacturing a large commercial quantity of methamphetamine and other drug offences.
Police allegedly seized a large amount of meth at the property as well as meth and cocaine in the man’s car.
The man was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 30 April.
A 42-year-old man was arrested at a home in Stuart Street, Noble Park where police seized a large quantity of what was believed to be 1,4 butanediol.
He was charged with drug possession and bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 30 July.
In a house in Elwick Court in Noble Park North, a third man was arrested. The 31-year-old was interviewed by police and released pending summons.
Police say they located a small quantity of cocaine and cannabis at the house.
A further raid took place at a house on Kylie Street, Cheltenham where police allegedly seized a small amount of amphetamines.
There were no occupants there at the time, police say.
Officers from the Southern Metro Division 3 Divisional Response Unit, as well as the Caulfield Divisional Response Unit, Drug Task Force and Dog Squad took part in the raids
They were part of Operation Empire, in which police have been targeting organised ice-trafficking and manufacturing for the past three months.
“Police have zero tolerance for drug traffickers and will continue to prevent, detect and disrupt people who bring drugs into the community,” Detective Senior Sergeant Dean Grande said.
“We want to reassure everyone that police continue to work tirelessly to disrupt organised drug syndicates and reduce the supply of drugs in Victoria.”
