This is a joint media release with South Australia Police.
Two men have been arrested this week after numerous mail packages containing cannabis and related products were intercepted in Adelaide.
Between 29 and 31 October, officers attached to the South Australia Joint Agency Ice Strike Task Force (JAIST) seized 66 express post packages being sent from the southern suburbs of Adelaide.
The packages were destined for addresses in all states of Australia and allegedly contained a variety of cannabis related products including cannabis head, cannabis rosin and cannabis oil, as well as food containing cannabis oil such as cookies, confectionary slice, jelly chews, chocolate and popcorn.
As a result of further investigations, on Tuesday (5 November), members of JAIST and South Australia Police Serious Organised Crime Branch searched a residential property at Aldinga Beach.
Police allegedly found a sophisticated clandestine drug laboratory where cannabis rosin and oil was being extracted from cannabis.
A 33-year-old man from the address was arrested and charged with manufacture a controlled drug and 29 counts of trafficking a controlled drug.
Police also seized cannabis product at the premises.
Investigators later searched a nearby Aldinga Beach house, where they allegedly found another clandestine drug laboratory where cannabis oil was being used in the manufacture of cookies, confectionary slice, jelly chews, chocolate and popcorn.
Police arrested a 35-year-old man and charged him with 29 counts of trafficking a controlled drug and the manufacture of a controlled drug.
Both men were granted police bail and will appear in the Christies Beach Court on 12 December.
Australian Federal Police Detective Acting Superintendent Joshua Walsh said people might think they can traffic drugs anonymously through the post, but these arrests send a clear message that authorities can, and will track down anyone involved in the supply of illicit substances through the postal stream.
“The AFP and its agency partners are well aware of this method of obtaining and distributing illicit drugs, and are committed to combatting it by working proactively with freight companies and Australia Post,” Det. Acting Supt. Walsh said.
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Crameri, SAPOL Serious and Organised Crime Branch, said the extraction of cannabis oil/rosin can be very dangerous.
“In the previous week police attended an unrelated property where the same process was being undertaken,” he said.
“At this time an explosion occurred causing serious burn injuries to the operator.
“It is an offence to traffic in cannabis and cannabis manufactured products”.
