Fifth man charged as part of ongoing investigation into waterfront drug supply

A 29-year-old man from Narellan is the latest person to be charged with commercial drug supply as part of an ongoing investigation into serious and organised crime on the Sydney waterfront.The investigation, which is being led by detectives from Operation Polaris, commenced last year (2013) and resulted in police identifying a man working on the Sydney waterfront who was allegedly involved in the supply of illicit drugs.On 26 March 2014, officers from Operation Polaris executed search warrants at five properties and seized evidentiary items from four of them.At a unit on Kimberley Street in Vaucluse, officers located and seized a small amount of cocaine, steroids, electronic equipment and identification documents.At a unit on St Marks Road, Randwick, police seized numerous re-sealable bags containing powder (suspected of being an illicit drug), prescription drugs, a large amount of steroids, cash, electronic equipment and financial documents.At a property on Sutherland Street in Paddington, officers seized approximately 1kg of MDMA, capable of producing approximately 4,000 tablets with an estimated street value of $200,000, half a kilo of cocaine with an estimated street value of $400,000, a large amount of prescription medication, a large amount of steroids, cash, a hydraulic press and other items believed to have been used in the manufacture of illegal drugs.At a storage unit on Booth Street, Camperdown, police seized a large amount of cash within a safety deposit box.

A search warrant was also executed at a second property on St Marks Road, Randwick. No items were seized from the location.On 26 March, a 38-year-old waterfront employee was arrested at the property in Vaucluse, before being taken to Waverley Police Station where he was charged with knowingly take part in drug supply and possess prohibited drug.A 37-year-old man was arrested at the property in Randwick. He was taken to Randwick Police Station where he was charged with trafficking marketable quantities of controlled drugs, and dealing in the proceeds of crime worth $100,000 or more.Both men remain before the courts.Following further inquiries, investigators from Operation Polaris served a court attendance notice on a 40-year-old Randwick man while he was working in the Sydney CBD on Wednesday 23 April 2014.

The court attendance notice decrees that the man is to face Waverley Local Court on 11 June 2014 for the offence of ‘supply a prohibited drug’.A 40-year-old North Bondi man was also charged for possess prohibited drug on 9 May 2014 at the Downing Centre. He is next due to appear in court on 29 May.Earlier this week, on Wednesday (16 May 2014), detectives from Operation Polaris arrested a 29-year-old Narellan man at Sydney Domestic Airport. The man had just returned to Sydney on a flight from Perth. He was taken to Mascot Police Station where he was charged with take part in the supply of a prohibited drug > commercial quantity.The man was refused bail and on Wednesday appeared in Waverley Local Court, where he was again refused bail to appear in Central Local Court next Tuesday 20 May 2014. Operation Polaris is a joint waterfront operation comprising the NSW Police Force, Australian Federal Police, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and Australian Crime Commission. It is a whole-of-government response targeting serious and organised criminal activity at New South Wales sea cargo terminals.

Reference :

http://newsroom.customs.gov.au/channels/NEWS/releases/fifth-man-charged-as-part-of-ongoing-investigation-into-waterfront-drug-supply-operation-polaris