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Lamborghini, golden gun among $12m seized in Melbourne drug raids

A silver Lamborghini Huracan sports car and a golden gun are among $12 million worth of assets seized by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in drug raids in Melbourne’s west.

Five men were charged during the raids, including four for trafficking commercial quantities of crystal methamphetamine and heroin.

The fifth man was charged with proceeds-of-crime offences.

Money laundering charges have also been laid, with police alleging legitimate businesses owned by some of the men were used to clean their profits.

The AFP says the blocks of drugs seized – more than 4 kilograms of methamphetamine and 2.5 kilograms of heroin – had a street value of almost $4.5 million.

Firearms, properties, thousands of dollars in cash, encrypted phones and a cannabis grow house were also confiscated.

afp melbourne drug raids

A golden gun, other weapons and cash were among assets seized. Photo: ABC

AFP investigators, helped by canine and forensic resources, carried out 11 searches across nine suburbs between Thursday and Monday.

The suburbs included Aberfeldie, Footscray, Maidstone, Maribyrnong, St Albans, Sunshine North, Truganina and Yarraville.

“It is suspected members of the syndicate own or control approximately $12 million in assets, which are subject to Commonwealth restraining orders made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002,” AFP said in a statement.

Commander Amanda Kates said the operation, which had been in motion since May, sent a “clear message” to people who dealt illicit drugs.

“Not only could you spend your life behind bars, all your belongings, including your house, car and personal effects … can be seized,” she said.

afp drug raids melbourne

Arrests were carried out in nine suburbs across Melbourne’s west. Photo: AFP

“They’ve been doing it for a long time, we’ll allege, and to stop this syndicate in its tracks now is great for the community.”

She classified the $12 million seizure as minor, but said more arrests of other members of the alleged “significant” syndicate were to come.

She also said their links to international criminals, particularly in south-east Asia, were being further investigated, and that international collaboration had played a part in the arrests.

Interstate connections were also being reviewed.

The 2018 luxury sports car retails in Australia for about $400,000.

Video released by the AFP also shows a second luxury car, a silver Mercedes-Benz, being loaded onto a tow truck in a suburban street.

Commander Kates said it was yet to be determined if the guns – one of which had a silencer – had been used or were just for show.

But she said police were “finding more and more that there are semi-automatic weapons seized as part of our warrants”.

-ABC

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