SYDNEY, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Australian police have dismantled a criminal network that allegedly supplied cocaine worth over one billion U.S. dollars across Sydney in four months.
Police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) on Thursday announced that six men who allegedly make up a criminal network known as "The Commission" were arrested in early morning raids on 20 homes across Sydney on Wednesday.
According to NSW Police, the criminal network supplied 1.2 tons of cocaine to Sydney between February and July 2024 with an estimated street value exceeding 1.8 billion Australian dollars (1.2 billion U.S. dollars).
During Wednesday's raids, detectives seized 32kg of cocaine, including 12kg that was stored in hidden compartments in vehicles, as well as 800,000 Australian dollars in cash and four firearms.
The six men, aged between 25 and 34, have been charged with multiple offenses related to the supply of a prohibited drug in large quantities and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
NSW Police said in a statement that detectives will allege the group directly controlled the supply of cocaine to Sydney to increase their profits.
Commissioner Karen Webb said that police have dismantled a major threat to community public safety.
"Police today have uprooted allegedly one of the most dangerous and destructive groups Sydney has seen to date," she said.
"The supply of cocaine to Sydney has continued to poison this city for years and has fuelled and funded the organized tit-for-tat violence police see today."
The police operation targeting the group began in July when a 21-year-old man was arrested in possession of 13kg of cocaine and charged with supplying prohibited drugs in a commercial quantity.
Investigations by the police are ongoing. ■
