a day ago
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.
