New South Wales Police say they have dismantled a drug syndicate operating across southwest Sydney, charging three people after a series of raids. At a media conference, officers said the operation was allegedly run by a 42-year-old man, but when pressed they said they could not go into who they were alleging that person to be at this stage. According to police, the three accused were arrested and charged, and the case is now moving through the courts. Investigators framed the action as part of a broader push to break up criminal networks in the area.
Much of the police operation centred on Juneau Parade in Greenacre, described by officers as a quiet residential street. Across the syndicate, police say they recovered 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, along with 200,000 dollars in cash located inside one of the houses in Greenacre. Officers called the haul substantial and said they would allege the money represents proceeds of crime. The seizure of both the drugs and the cash forms the core of the case being built against those charged.
The man police describe as the principal of the syndicate is a 42-year-old whom officers declined to name publicly. Asked whether they had been watching him for some time, police said only that their investigation into that particular person had commenced in March, and that he had a track record with police and had spent time in jail. They allege he directed the operation, instructing others on where to take the drugs. At this stage the drug allegations against him remain untested and are due to be examined by the courts.
The two other people arrested are alleged to have acted as runners working for the principal. Police say they would allege the pair were picking up drugs and delivering them to locations to which the leader was directing them to go. In the police account, this gave the syndicate a structure in which one man allegedly coordinated the movements while others carried out the deliveries. Officers stressed that these remain allegations that will be tested as the matter proceeds.
Asked about any connection between the two alleged runners and the 42-year-old before the syndicate operated, police said they were not aware of any prior relationship, whether family or otherwise. Officers added that the investigation would continue and that the position could change as more information emerged. For now, they said, there was no indication that the men knew the alleged principal beyond their roles within the network. The comment left open the possibility of further inquiries into how the group came together.
All three accused were dealt with swiftly after being charged. Police said the men were refused bail and were before Bankstown Local Court, with the matters listed for court following their arrests. The refusal of bail keeps the accused in custody at the earliest stage of the proceedings. The court process will now determine how the allegations are handled from here.
Throughout the media conference, NSW Police emphasised a message aimed at the wider community. Officers said they were trying to dismantle as many syndicates as possible and believed they were doing a good job of it, while seeking to reassure residents that they understood what was happening on local streets. They said their goal was to do their absolute best to break up such groups and stop the activity in the community, adding that they would not stop. The arrests in Greenacre were presented as one example of that ongoing effort.