Nearly 6,000 Pounds Of Methamphetamine Seized By Los Angeles DEA Agents The twin-engine plane, which miraculously survived a cyclone in Darwin in 1974, had been used to operate a freight charter service in Central Queensland and sight-seeing tours over the Great Barrier Reef until 1990. Police have arrested 10 people and seized over $1 million in cash and assets following a major operation targeting the supply and distribution of methamphetamine. Santos claims he had no knowledge of any drugs being transported on the plane and maintains there was no forensic evidence linking him to the bag. Subscribers with digital access can view this article. They were unaware it was run by FBI agents and the Australian Federal Police who could read their every word. Police have arrested 12 people, including senior members of the Comancheros and Rebels gangs, as part of an operation targeting the drug trade. About $500,000 in cash was located during the search warrants, along with a number of illegal firearms, including three pistols, police said. Buddle was last known to be in Iraq and Ayik is believed to be still living in Turkey and is hiding from underworld figures after he was outed as one of the 'influencers' who unwittingly spread the AN0M encrypted device. Huge AFP bust sees bikies, criminals and gangsters arrested in It was March 5, 2008. 'These criminal influencers put the AFP in the back pocket of hundreds of alleged offenders,' Mr Kershaw said. About five kilograms of the drug was found hidden in a car being transported to Perth from Sydney, while a search of 13 premises in Perth overnight turned up a further 210g. An FBI spokesperson said the operation highlighted how global law enforcement agencies could successfully combat transnational organised crime and drug trafficking, even against those who attempted to hide behind encrypted communication platforms. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized approximately one million pills laced with fentanyl allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel in what authorities say is the biggest bust for . Waikato Mongrel Mob's public relations liaison, Lou Hutchinson, took to Twitter to say: "Lol do you seriously believe all the bullsh*t spin about the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom [sic] this is a total smear campaign driven by the NZ Police, politicians and mainstream media! He is due to appear in Cleveland Magistrates Court on January 20. A luxury Ducati motorcycle, Audi sedan, Rolex watches, ammunition, bullet-proof vests, firearms and even memorabilia from the 1972 cult classic The Godfather was seized from a number of properties. 23:02 EST 13 Nov 2021. The Aztec at a hangar at Jandakot Airpot. It was a 30-plus degree summer day and, although a cyclone was gravitating towards Western Australia's northern coast, not a gust of wind was blowing at the strip. Phil Hickey The West Australian. But until now, its role in one of the biggest law enforcement operations in Australian history has remained a mystery. A 33-year-old Tarragindi man charged with 25 offences including three counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs - serious organised crime, eight counts of supplying dangerous drugs and weapon offences. It comes as there have been tonnes of drugs and hundreds of arrests overseas. NZ POLICE/Supplied. Then known as Joseph Hakan Ayik, the Sydney bikie associate and gym junkie fled Australia in 2010 to avoid arrest over a $230 million heroin importation. The app gained currency in the underworld after being promoted by drug kingpins such as Australia's most wanted man,Hakan Ayik, after first being distributed by police informants. who didn't just distribute the devices among associates but also profited from the sales. Police arrest 12 people after drug busts in Auckland and - Stuff The arrests were made after 24 properties were searched on Wednesday 21 throughout the wider Auckland area, and three in Christchurch. Police said the nine-month investigation, run by the National Organised Crime Group, targeted a core group that are alleged to be involved in the importation, distribution and manufacture of methamphetamine and MDMA, and other drugs in the two cities. The Comanchero Motorcycle Club New Zealand president feared he was about to be arrested eight months before a major police bust and also suspected police were bugging his phone, a jury has been told. He is Australia's most wanted man after fleeing Sydney for Turkey more than a decade ago when he was linked to a $230 million heroin importation syndicate. National Organised Crime Group director detective superintendent Greg Williams described Operation Trojan Shield as one of the most sophisticated law enforcement operations ever undertaken "in the global fight against organised crime". There's obviously a lot more work to do, there's still a lot offshore who we're looking at as well,' National Anti-Gangs Squad, Detective Superintendent Jason McArthur, said. "Joseph Micalizzi," he said, a large sports bag hanging from his shoulder. According to Santos, he was preparing his plane for take-off at Bankstown Airport in the early hours of March 4, 2008, when a car pulled up outside the airfield and a young man dressed in a white shirt and black pants, walked up to shake his hand. It comes as there have been tonnes of drugs and hundreds of arrests overseas. The phone, which supposedly allowed encrypted communications safe from the eyes of the law, was actually a cunning trap laid for a who's who of organised crime. By Alana Mazzoni and Daniel Piotrowski and Kylie Stevens For Daily Mail Australia, Published: 01:08 GMT, 8 June 2021 | Updated: 16:10 GMT, 8 June 2021. It's GRAYGATE! Regular chances to win incredible prizes like luxury getaways and sports tickets with our subscriber exclusive competitions. Police have charged 224 alleged offenders with 525 charges, shut down six clandestine laboratories and acted on 21 threats to kill, including saving a family of five. More than $60M in meth, cocaine seized in one of LA County's biggest Watch: Australian Police take down mafia, Comancheros in early morning raids and seize millions in cars, drugs and cash. Police will allege $640,000 in cash was uncovered as well as $1m worth of drugs, including 113kg of cannabis, 134 grams of cocaine and 84 grams of methamphetamine, as well as five handguns and eight rifles. With millions of New Zealanders turning to us every day, its our mission to make Aotearoa a better place. It was March 5, 2008. Subscribe to 7NEWS Australia for the latest news video https://7news.link/YTSubscribeConnect with Seven News onlineVisit https://7news.com.au7NEWS Podcast http://smarturl.it/7NewsDailyFacebook https://www.facebook.com/7NewsAustraliaTwitter https://twitter.com/7NewsAustraliaInstagram https://www.instagram.com/7newsaustralia/ 7NEWS combines the trusted and powerful news brands including Sunrise, The Morning Show, The Latest, and 7NEWS.com.au, delivering unique, engaging and continuous coverage on the issues that matter most to Australians. 'The FBI had the lead on this. "We are an area that is very rich at present - a great area for organised crime to come and focus on," Supt Migro said. Officers from Strike Force . Mildura Comancheros boss Joshua Faulkhead, 39, pleaded guilty to charges related to trafficking of the drugs ice, cocaine and ecstasy, as well as blackmail and causing injury. The Comancheros purchased a catamaran to carry out the offshore marine rendezvous. Get the news you want delivered to your inbox. The group is accused of transporting drugs into Queensland via heavy vehicles for distribution across the states southeast and central region. 'I can't comment on what's happening overseas at the moment, but I think I could probably assure everyone that the AFP and its partners are definitely exploiting the Ironside information, and the networks that we've identified, and we're actively targeting some of these Comanchero members offshore,' Superintendent McArthur said. Dozens of people have been arrested after a police massive operation targeting alleged drug supply by outlaw bikie gangs. Details of the failed drug trafficking plan emerged following the termination of Operation Trojan Shield - described as the "sting of the century" and a huge blow to New Zealand's criminal fraternity. The mobile phones, which were bought on the black market, could not make calls or send emails. However, it seems few alleged criminals in the sights of law enforcement did a cursory Google search into the 'encrypted' phone and app platform. Kylie Stevens For Daily Mail Australia, From Nivea moisturiser to two-minute noodles and of course, an Adidas shirt: Inside the 'getaway' bag of accused cocaine kingpin dramatically arrested as he attempted to flee Australia, How an undercover operative nicknamed 'Antman' infiltrated Mostafa Baluch's alleged drug syndicate to destroy a $270million coke deal and replace 900kg in powder with a sham load. Huge AFP bust has seen 4,000 cops storm Australia's underworld overnight . Today's arrests include a leader of the Comancheros gang, who allegedly formed a partnership with a senior member of the Rebels gang in Christchurch, with both allegedly running drug distribution networks in their areas, police said in a statement. 7NEWS can reveal the bust is linked to exiled bikie Mark Buddle of the Comancheros.Police are making good progress dismantling his alleged empire of organise. 'THEY ARE COMPROMISED, LIARS AND YOUR DATA IS RUNNING VIA USA'. Credit:Nine News. Samuel Minkin, 28, appeared in court last week after allegedly being busted by cops, The AFP is also likely to seek extradition requests of a number of persons of interest living overseas. The 5-year hunt for Comancheros gang boss - NZ Herald Police and New Zealand Customs staff carried. 'It is our intention that they are looking over their shoulder,' he said. Senior investigators describe Ayik as the 'principal distributor of the AN0M handset.' The huge drug bust was uncovered when detectives from the drug and firearms squad pulled over a rented Winnebago near Kellerberrin on April 16. The Turkish-Australian holds dual citizenship, and despite being included in the NSW police most wanted persons list and having an Interpol arrest warrant against his name, Turkey does not extradite its citizens. National Organised Crime Group acting Detective Inspector John Brunton said police were determined to target the leaders and key members of these criminal gangs involved in illicit drug distribution, intimidation and violence. International drug syndicate Sinaloa cartel was helping Auckland gang Comancheros, police reveal It wasn't long until the Comanchero announced their arrival, as first revealed by the Herald. CULVER CITY, Calif. (KABC) -- Authorities made one of the largest drug busts in Los Angeles County history recently, seizing meth and cocaine with a street value of nearly $60 million, officials say. From Whyalla they travelled to Forrest, a popular refuelling stop more than 1100km east of Perth, near the South Australian border. The company was apparently based in famously neutral Switzerland and boasted of 'military grade encrypt and sanitise'. On Monday, more than 300 New Zealand police staff involved in the operation executed 37 search warrants across the North Island. A police investigation into the bust later uncovered more than 100 messages and calls between Micalizzi and two syndicate figures named 'Oz' and 'Bowa', a fake NSW driver's licence, three mobile numbers registered under false names and $9000 in cash. 'It's just pure revenue, it's a bit like selling Amway for him. New Zealands previous largest drug bust was in 2016, when 501kg of methamphetamine was seized in Northland, including 449kg from a camper van and 52kg found buried at Ninety Mile Beach. It follows the first phase of Operation Cincinnati in October when 26 people were arrested and kilos of drugs was seized, along with multiple firearms and more than $10 million in assets. The gear would then be cooked or cut if needed and distributed across the country using light planes like Santos', all while the Comancheros ensured the drugs and the syndicate's main actors would be protected as the enterprise's de-facto security arm. The alleged offenders are linked to the Australian-based Italian mafia - known as the Ndrangheta - as well as outlaw motorcycle gangs, Asian crime syndicates and Albanian organised crime figures. "This is a very significant bust - 7.5kg of amphetamines over a couple of months.". He invested his proceeds of crime in hotel and resort developments while living a lavish lifestyle that extended to flashy cars and private yachts. 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Drug bust at Ourimbah and Kulnura linked to exiled bikie Mark Buddle Police have arrested 12 more people today as part of Operation Cincinnati and located drugs, some of which was ready for sale, and a shotgun after executing 24 search warrants. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. He is due to appear in Cleveland Magistrates Court on Tuesday. The hardest hit gang were theComancheros with 76 arrests - three quarters of the alleged criminals rounded up from AN0M intercepts. This is a long way from over.'. A police investigation would later reveal Micalizzi was a drug runner for the Comancheros, a middleman in an international drug syndicate led by Turkish-Australian gym junkie Hakan Ayik. 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Senior leaders of the Comancheros and Rebels gangs have been arrested and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash seized following a raft of armed police raids across Auckland and Christchurch. Operation Ironside: Australian police and FBI smash global crime ring Drug bust: $33 million worth of meth found in historic DEA Los Angeles In October, 20,000 ecstasy pills known as pink Porsche, luxury vehicles, properties and illegal firearms were seized through Operation Cincinnati. Globally, the operation involved at least 300 criminal networks, more than 45 languages, and at least 27 million encrypted messages. Police said the raids targeted a group believed to be involved in the importation, distribution and manufacture of methamphetamine and MDMA. Police have arrested 12 people, including senior members of the Comancheros and Rebels gangs, as part of an operation targeting the drug trade. Three years ago, Australia Federal Policeidentified Ayik as a key influencer to successfully distribute the encrypted AN0M devices due to his high status in the criminal underworld. NZ's biggest drug bust: Alleged drug traffickers plead not guilty over Video / AFP It is being credited with catching underworld figures, mafia. One man has also been charged with conspiring to import methamphetamine between January and March. Operation Ironside, started in 2018 with a fake encrypted communication app developed in partnership with the FBI. Along with three money laundering charges, the Comancheros president Pasilika Naufahu is charged with conspiring to commit two drug-related offences - one of conspiring to import a class A drug . Inside the vehicle was a man and a woman and allegedly more than 30kg of deadly methylamphetamine. As the Aztec dived towards the runway at Jandakot, 20 kilometres south of Perth, Santos' only passenger tattooed 20-something-year-old Australian-Italian Joseph Micalizzi was finally waking up from his 15-hour drug-fuelled slumber. Fronting media in Auckland, Williams said the FBI had recently dismantled several encrypted platforms which criminals used to communicate, including Canadian-based Phantom Secure in 2018 and Sky Global earlier this year. Not so shipshape! But you know, this isn't over. The arrests were made after 24 properties were. 20,000 ecstasy pills and Ferrari seized in major police bust in Auckland, 58-year-old man dies at start of mountain bike race, Person who died after incident in Auckland's Beach Haven named, What the alcohol industry doesn't want you to know, Christopher Luxon promises childcare rebates for any family earning less than $180,000, Teen boys charged with murder over killing of driver in Auckland, Homeowner says banks offering 4.99% under the table is a 'market failure', The Jugglenaut: How childcare became a for-profit game, Disappointment and tequila: How sporting power couple Dion Nash and Bernice Mene met, Wallabies star's NZ$1.6m World Cup gamble after bar brawl shuts down Japanese club, Quiz: Morning trivia challenge: March 5, 2023. At least 35 people were arrested who appeared yesterday in Auckland and Hamilton district courts facing nearly 1000 separate drug dealing and money laundering charges. Senior investigators allege '100 per cent' of telephone conversations intercepted on the devices were all business and in relation to criminal activity. But the Daily Mail can reveal the entire elaborate sting was placed in jeopardy in late March, when an anonymous blogger sounded the alarm, labelling the platform a 'scam' which rerouted peoples' data through to the United States. Alleged criminals were tricked into sending messages to their criminal associates around the world via the encrypted messaging app, 'AN0M'. "This shipment never made it to New Zealand.". "We've got the president - there was actually a structure in place - there are a number of other people that we are waiting to see when and if they will be patched, and that was going to happen (this) weekend," WA Serious and Organised Crime Division Superintendent Jim Migro told reporters on Friday. China increases military spending in face of 'escalating' threats, Treaty ahoy!