An organised crime syndicate running drugs into Canberra and the surrounding region is behind a $1.5 million cocaine bust in Tuggeranong on Tuesday, police say.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
A 28-year-old man faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday after a search warrant on a Theodore house by police drug squad members found five one-kilogram blocks of cocaine.
Shaun Claude Small, 28, of Theodore was charged with one count of trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs.
It is one of the largest cocaine seizures seen in the territory.
Mr Small pleaded not guilty to the charge but did not apply for bail.
Speaking outside court, Detective Superintendent Scott Moller said the drugs had an estimated street value of $1.5 million.
"Information from the public and an ongoing investigation drove police to this address to execute the search warrant," Superintendent Moller said.
"As everybody knows illicit drugs fuel violent crime so certainly this seizure will reduce the impact on our community."
He said investigating detectives were "not totally convinced" the drugs had been destined solely for the Canberra market.
He added there was a strong possibility that further search warrants would result from this arrest, and further people could be charged.
He said police believed this was part of a "much wider criminal network".
Mr Small was remanded in custody and the matter is due to return to court in July.
