An Eastern European crime syndicate is behind a major meth distribution ring recently operating in Western Australia, police allege.
Officers charged two men and seized firearms, $2.2 million in cash and 52.3 kilograms of methylamphetamine, following raids across Perth, police revealed on Monday.
The men are Estonian nationals, aged 31 and 28, and initially travelled to Perth on student visas.
Police will allege the men were sent to Australia to oversee the distribution of the drugs at the direction of a transnational organised crime group.
All up the drugs are estimated to have a street value of roughly $52 million.
Earlier in the year, another Estonian man was arrested in possession of a large amount of cash, prompting a major investigation by detectives from the Transnational Serious and Organised Crime Squad.
“Over the past two weeks detectives executed a number of warrants through the metropolitan area,” Detective Senior Sergeant, Hugh Le Tessier said.
Last Tuesday, officers raided a property in Hillarys, north of Perth where police located a significant quantity of cash, two semi-automatic pistols, ammunition and 22 kg of methylamphetamine hidden inside a roof space.
Police have charged the two Estonians with a slew of offences including money laundering, drug trafficking and possession of firearms.
“As the investigation shows, we’re often dealing with organised crime syndicates that have significant reach both internationally and locally,” Mr Le Tessier said.
“We want to make it as difficult as possible for these syndicates to bring harm to Australia.”
Both men are due to appear at Joondalup Magistrates Court on 4 October.