Detention to Drug Lord: Nigerian Man Allegedly Operates $9M Ring in Australia.
Sydney, Australia – In a dramatic turn of events, a 49-year-old Nigerian national, Dirichukwu Patrick Nweke, awaiting deportation from Australia, has been charged with orchestrating a $9 million drug operation from within the confines of Villawood Immigration Detention Centre. Another individual linked to the operation has also been apprehended.
On July 27, 2024, the NSW Police disclosed details of the bust, which took place earlier this month. Acting on a tip-off, authorities raided the Villawood Detention Centre on July 11, uncovering two kilograms of methamphetamine worth $165,000 concealed inside porridge boxes.
Nweke, the alleged mastermind, was immediately taken into custody and transferred to Bankstown Police Station. He faces multiple charges, including two counts of supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug, supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, and directing a criminal group.
According to police, Nweke utilized an encrypted messaging service to manage a network of drug runners operating outside the detention center. These runners were responsible for distributing methamphetamine and cocaine throughout Sydney.
Subsequent police operations led to a series of raids across Sydney’s eastern and western suburbs. In Liverpool, officers encountered a dramatic scene where a suspected drug runner attempted to flush 750 grams of methamphetamine and 90 grams of heroin down a toilet. Despite the attempt to dispose of the evidence, officers recovered the drugs, along with an additional 90 grams of heroin found on the bathroom floor and $325,000 in cash hidden within the property.
The arrested individual, a 24-year-old man alleged to be a runner for Nweke, faces a slew of charges. Police recovered a Dedicated Encrypted Criminal Communication Device during their searches, further corroborating the allegations of a well-coordinated drug distribution network.
Detective Superintendent Peter Faux elaborated on the police’s findings in a press conference, emphasizing the significance of the seizures and the dismantling of multiple drug syndicates. “The street value of those drugs which we’ve seized is in excess of $9 million,” Faux stated.
Both Nweke and the alleged runner appeared in Bankstown Local Court on July 12. Nweke was denied bail and remains in custody as the investigation continues, while the runner also faced court on the day of his arrest.
This high-profile case sheds light on the pervasive issue of drug trafficking and the lengths to which individuals will go to conduct illegal operations, even from within detention facilities. The bust serves as a stark reminder of the challenges law enforcement faces in combating organized crime and drug distribution networks.
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