Police in Australia seized $119,000 worth of Pokemon and One Piece cards in a major drug trafficking investigation. Photo / Getty Images
Police in Australia seized $119,000 worth of Pokemon and One Piece cards in a major drug trafficking investigation. Photo / Getty Images
A haul of Pokemon and One Piece trading cards worth an estimated A$100,000 ($119,000) has been seized from a Melbourne home as part of a major drug trafficking investigation.
The probe also allegedly uncovered A$2.5 million worth of methamphetamine hidden in a car on the Hume Highway.
Major Drug Squaddetectives charged a 26-year-old man after intercepting a vehicle in Kalkallo about 1.20pm on Tuesday.
Police allege the driver was transporting about 43kg of methamphetamine between NSW and Victoria when officers stopped the car.
A subsequent search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered the drugs, with an estimated street value of A$2.5m.
Executing a search warrant at the man’s St Albans home, police allegedly seized about A$50,000 in cash, multiple mobile phones along with the collection of trading cards from the popular franchises Pokemon and One Piece.
The cards can fetch tens of thousands of dollars depending on rarity and condition, with some limited-edition cards highly sought after by collectors.
A vehicle carrying about 43kg of methylamphetamine between NSW and Victoria was intercepted on the Hume Highway, with the drugs valued at about A$2.5 million ($3m). Photo / Vic Police
Detective Inspector Jamie Walker said illicit drugs “destroy lives and communities”.
“Drugs contribute to addiction, overdoses and even death and often bring weapons, organised crime networks and violence into neighbourhoods,” Walker said.
“By intercepting significant drug trafficking operations like this, we prevent the profits from these drugs from being invested back into the criminal activities of those involved.
Detectives executed a search warrant at a St Albans home, uncovering cash, multiple mobile phones and the trading card collection. Photo / Vic Police
“We have zero tolerance for drugs and we will hold people who commit these offences to account.”
The 26-year-old has been charged with trafficking and possessing a large commercial quantity of methamphetamine, trafficking and possessing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, trafficking and possessing methamphetamine, and four counts of possessing suspected proceeds of crime.
He was remanded in custody and appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
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