Latest news with #StrikeForceBookara
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Two men arrested after shocking discovery inside a Sydney unit block
Two men allegedly involved in a South American crime syndicate have been charged with drug offences after allegedly selling fake cocaine. NSW Police Organised Crime Squad detectives arrested the men, aged 61 and 27, at a unit in North Rocks, Sydney, around 8.15pm on Wednesday. Police allege the group travelled from Spain to Sydney in May and sold fake cocaine to four Sydney-based criminal networks. The group is also believed to have run similar operations in London earlier this year. Footage released by NSW Police captured the moment officers attached to Strike Force Bookara pounded on the door of the unit before forcing entry. During the raid, officers allegedly found ten bricks of a white substance believed to be cocaine, but later confirmed through testing not to be. Police claim the syndicate sold the fake product to other criminal groups for $90,000 per kilogram. Police also seized $121,000 in Australian cash, foreign currency, 14 mobile phones, multiple SIM cards, bank cards, and documents related to foreign currency and cryptocurrency transfers. Photos released by police show plastic-wrapped bundles of cash and white powder bricks seized from the unit. Another image shows five people with blurred faces sitting on black leather couches around a glass coffee table during the raid. All five were taken to Parramatta Police Station, where the two men were charged with supplying a prohibited drug in both small and large commercial quantities. They were refused bail and are due to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Friday. The other three were released and are pending further investigation. Anyone with information that could assist police with inquiries into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
Coke hoax: traffickers arrested for selling fake cocaine at a whopping price
Police have charged two alleged traffickers for selling fake cocaine to Australian criminal syndicates. The South American trafficking suspects sold fake cocaine for $90,000 per kilogram to four Sydney-based criminal networks between May and June 2025, police said. Two men, aged 61 and 27, were arrested after police searched a unit in North Rocks, in Sydney's northwest suburbs, on June 11. Investigators seized 10 bricks of a white substance, $121,000 in cash, 14 mobile phones, numerous SIM cards, multiple bank cards and documentation relating to foreign money and crypto transfers. "Testing of the substance confirmed it was not cocaine," NSW Police said. An investigation, named Strike Force Bookara, was launched into the South American criminal group supplying "large commercial quantities of cocaine in NSW". Police allege the members of the South American syndicate travelled from Spain to Sydney in May 2025 "with the intention of selling 95 kilograms of cocaine". They also allegedly "carried out fraudulent activity in London" in early 2025, police said. Police have charged the 27-year-old and 61-year-old suspects with supplying a prohibited drug in both small and large quantities. They were refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on June 13. Three other people, who were arrested at the unit, were released pending further inquiries, police said. Sydney-siders were the largest consumers of cocaine in Australia, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. Around 1.9 tonnes of cocaine were consumed in NSW, while the combined total of every other Australian state and territory was 2.1 tonnes, according to 2023 data. Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or Information is managed on a confidential basis. Police have charged two alleged traffickers for selling fake cocaine to Australian criminal syndicates. The South American trafficking suspects sold fake cocaine for $90,000 per kilogram to four Sydney-based criminal networks between May and June 2025, police said. Two men, aged 61 and 27, were arrested after police searched a unit in North Rocks, in Sydney's northwest suburbs, on June 11. Investigators seized 10 bricks of a white substance, $121,000 in cash, 14 mobile phones, numerous SIM cards, multiple bank cards and documentation relating to foreign money and crypto transfers. "Testing of the substance confirmed it was not cocaine," NSW Police said. An investigation, named Strike Force Bookara, was launched into the South American criminal group supplying "large commercial quantities of cocaine in NSW". Police allege the members of the South American syndicate travelled from Spain to Sydney in May 2025 "with the intention of selling 95 kilograms of cocaine". They also allegedly "carried out fraudulent activity in London" in early 2025, police said. Police have charged the 27-year-old and 61-year-old suspects with supplying a prohibited drug in both small and large quantities. They were refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on June 13. Three other people, who were arrested at the unit, were released pending further inquiries, police said. Sydney-siders were the largest consumers of cocaine in Australia, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. Around 1.9 tonnes of cocaine were consumed in NSW, while the combined total of every other Australian state and territory was 2.1 tonnes, according to 2023 data. Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or Information is managed on a confidential basis. Police have charged two alleged traffickers for selling fake cocaine to Australian criminal syndicates. The South American trafficking suspects sold fake cocaine for $90,000 per kilogram to four Sydney-based criminal networks between May and June 2025, police said. Two men, aged 61 and 27, were arrested after police searched a unit in North Rocks, in Sydney's northwest suburbs, on June 11. Investigators seized 10 bricks of a white substance, $121,000 in cash, 14 mobile phones, numerous SIM cards, multiple bank cards and documentation relating to foreign money and crypto transfers. "Testing of the substance confirmed it was not cocaine," NSW Police said. An investigation, named Strike Force Bookara, was launched into the South American criminal group supplying "large commercial quantities of cocaine in NSW". Police allege the members of the South American syndicate travelled from Spain to Sydney in May 2025 "with the intention of selling 95 kilograms of cocaine". They also allegedly "carried out fraudulent activity in London" in early 2025, police said. Police have charged the 27-year-old and 61-year-old suspects with supplying a prohibited drug in both small and large quantities. They were refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on June 13. Three other people, who were arrested at the unit, were released pending further inquiries, police said. Sydney-siders were the largest consumers of cocaine in Australia, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. Around 1.9 tonnes of cocaine were consumed in NSW, while the combined total of every other Australian state and territory was 2.1 tonnes, according to 2023 data. Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or Information is managed on a confidential basis. Police have charged two alleged traffickers for selling fake cocaine to Australian criminal syndicates. The South American trafficking suspects sold fake cocaine for $90,000 per kilogram to four Sydney-based criminal networks between May and June 2025, police said. Two men, aged 61 and 27, were arrested after police searched a unit in North Rocks, in Sydney's northwest suburbs, on June 11. Investigators seized 10 bricks of a white substance, $121,000 in cash, 14 mobile phones, numerous SIM cards, multiple bank cards and documentation relating to foreign money and crypto transfers. "Testing of the substance confirmed it was not cocaine," NSW Police said. An investigation, named Strike Force Bookara, was launched into the South American criminal group supplying "large commercial quantities of cocaine in NSW". Police allege the members of the South American syndicate travelled from Spain to Sydney in May 2025 "with the intention of selling 95 kilograms of cocaine". They also allegedly "carried out fraudulent activity in London" in early 2025, police said. Police have charged the 27-year-old and 61-year-old suspects with supplying a prohibited drug in both small and large quantities. They were refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on June 13. Three other people, who were arrested at the unit, were released pending further inquiries, police said. Sydney-siders were the largest consumers of cocaine in Australia, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. Around 1.9 tonnes of cocaine were consumed in NSW, while the combined total of every other Australian state and territory was 2.1 tonnes, according to 2023 data. Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or Information is managed on a confidential basis.
