POLICE have uncovered a clandestine drug lab in Wodonga as part of a cross-border investigation into the manufacture and distribution of illicit substances.
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Ten officers swooped on a Gayview Drive home about 10.30am yesterday, seizing a small amount of amphetamine, hundreds of dollars in cash, as well as thousands of dollars’ worth of construction equipment, which police believe to have been stolen.
In a roof cavity of the house police found precursor chemicals for the suspected manufacture of amphetamine, and equipment including drums, smaller containers, glass jars, cut-up bottles, crystals, measuring devices and hot- plates.
Forensic chemists from Melbourne were called to the scene to safely remove the materials for analysis.
The bust was part of Operation Keysor, which began a few months ago as a result of information received through police investigations, and aims to combat drug supply in Albury and Wodonga.
“This is a small part of that operation and we’re basically confident that we will have further arrests and further drug seizures as a result of this,” Detective Sen-Constable Ray Causer, of Wodonga police, said.
A man and a woman were taken to Wodonga police station, with the woman released in the afternoon pending further inquiries.
The man, 30, was charged with possessing and using a drug of dependence and bailed to face Wodonga Magistrates Court on October 7.
Investigations into the alleged drug manufacturing and stolen goods continue.
Sen-Constable Causer said the lab equipment had been an unexpected find.
“It’s in a dormant state — it’s in storage,” he said at the scene.
“It wouldn’t take long to actually set up; it’s capable of producing a drug, from what we’ve found at this stage.
“The chemicals themselves are safe on their own but, when combined, can form basically noxious gases and explosions, so we’re ... referring back to Victoria Police policy and we’ll treat this as a crime scene until (the specialists) arrive.”
Sen-Constable Causer said the raid was not connected to a police swoop in Strathmore Street in June, which netted drugs, weapons, and allegedly stolen goods.
