8 charged after drugs worth 14.5 mln USD seized by Australian detectives

Australian organized detectives have charged eight men after seizing almost 40 kg of drugs from properties in western Sydney.



The police force in the state of New South Wales said in a statement on Friday that two separate strike forces investigating the large-scale manufacturing, importation and supply of drugs by Southeast Asian organized crime networks executed seven search warrants in western Sydney in late June.



During the searches, investigators allegedly located and seized 24 kg of cocaine, 12 kg of methamphetamine, 3.2 kg of MDMA and thousands of prescription medication tablets as well as steroids, packaging, a pistol, ammunition, electronic devices and 16,365 Australian dollars in cash.



Police said that the seized drugs had an estimated value of 21 million AUD.



Five men, aged from 21 to 40, were arrested and charged with offenses relating to the supply of prohibited drugs in greater than commercial quantities and participating in a criminal group.



Following further inquiries, detectives executed three more search warrants in western Sydney on Thursday and arrested three more men.