Man charged after van containing $200m worth of ice crashes into police cars
Methylamphetamine with an estimated street value of more than $200 million has been seized by police after a van carrying the drugs crashed into parked police vehicles.
Police described the incident as an “exceptional set of circumstances” and said the driver of the van was having a “very, very bad day.”
Just after 10.30am on Monday a Toyota was spotted on CCTV smashing into other cars outside of Eastwood Police Station before speeding off in Sydney’s north west.
An hour later the van was found in Ryde where a search of the van found 273kg of a substance in sealed cardboard moving boxes, which subsequently tested positive for methylamphetamine.
Ryde Police Detective Inspector Glyn Baker described the haul as “one of the easiest drug busts the NSW police have ever made,” at a media conference on Tuesday.
A 26-year-old man driving the van was taken into custody and charged with large commercial drug supply, driving offences, and not give particulars to police.
One of the police vehicles sustained significant damage, but no one was injured.
“A haul of this size this has now initiated quite a significant investigation that is now underway,” Detective Baker said.
Investigations are being led by detectives from Ryde Police Area Command, with assistance from the State Crime Command’s Drug and Firearms Squad.
The driver has been refused bail and will appear at Burwood Local Court on Tuesday.
Police are still trying to piece together the drivers movements between colliding with police vehicles and when he was pulled over an hour later.
Officers have asked motorists to assist them by provide any dash cam footage from the area between 10.30am and 11.30am, as well as any other vision, or information about the van’s movements throughout the morning.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers online or on 1800 333 000.
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