This is a joint media release with the Indonesian National Narcotic Board (BNN)
The Indonesian National Narcotic Board (BNN) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have conducted their first joint operation, working with the US Drug Enforcement Administration to dismantle an organised crime syndicate with the potential to import large amounts of a key ingredient of ecstasy into Australia.
As a result of the joint investigation, the BNN seized 300 litres of pure safrole and arrested one person along with disrupting three functioning distilleries. Safrole is a banned pre-cursor chemical in Australia used in the manufacture of MDMA or ecstasy.
The AFP and BNN commenced the joint investigation in April 2013 after the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service detected four separate air cargo consignments from Indonesia containing between one to two litres of safrole oil with an importer identified in Indonesia.
The joint investigation has identified an Indonesian National using the Silk Road website as a means of distributing safrole oil. It is alleged that the Indonesian National was responsible for the distribution of an estimated 200 litres of safrole oil per month to persons in Australia, Canada, the United States, Holland and New Zealand.
On the 20 June 2013, the AFP conducted a controlled delivery involving 1 litre of safrole oil exported by this Indonesian syndicate to Australia and executed a search warrant in Sunnybank Hills, Queensland. As a result, the AFP arrested and charged a 19 year old male person with one count of importing a marketable quantity of border controlled precursor contrary to s. 307.12 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
On the 23 July BNN, arrrested a 28-year-old Indonesian national in Jakarta and disrupted the production of safrole in three distilleries located in Madiun, East Java. The 28 year old male is being held in relation to the exportation and distribution of a narcotics precursour contrary to article 129 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 35 of the year 2009 regarding Narcotics. A total of 300 litres of safrole oil was seized with the potential ability to make between 3 million and 5.1 million ecstasy tablets.
The syndicate had the ability to produce and distribute two tonnes of safrole oil internationally each year.
AFP acting National Manager Crime Operations, Jennifer Hurst said law enforcement is well aware of this method of drug importation and other illicit e-commerce platforms.
“The AFP works collaboratively and effectively with its domestic and international law enforcement partners to combat drug importation and supply,” Commander Hurst said.
“One litre of safrole oil has the potential to produce between 10,000 and 17,000 MDMA tablets. The outcome of this joint operation has significantly disrupted the flow of illegal pre-cursor chemicals into Australia and other countries around the world.”
A spokesperson for BNN said:
“The uncovering of this case began with information from the AFP who last March successfully foiled narcotics precursor smuggling sent using a courier company.”
“Based on the investigation and further development, BNN together with AFP then traced who the supplier was and found that the precursor supplier was an Indonesian.”
