The accused leader of a crime syndicate will face court on April 21 following the seizure of more than 40 tonnes of precursor chemicals at Serviceton.

Police executed a search warrant at a rural property in Serviceton in October, 2024, where they allegedly located the precursor chemicals, with the capacity to produce an estimated street value of more than $2.5-billion worth of methylamphetamine.

The 55-year-old man is charged with trafficking large commercial quantity MDMA and conspiracy to traffick large commercial quantity methylamphetamine.

He is one of seven people who were charged as part of a three-year Clandestine Laboratory Squad investigation into the illicit drug trade.

The 55-year-old man was arrested in November, 2025, after being extradited from the Northern Territory to Melbourne 

Investigators allege the syndicate, directed by a ringleader, was importing precursor chemicals and then manufacturing, trafficking and distributing the large commercial quantities of methylamphetamine, P2P and MDMA throughout the country.

The investigation included 15 search warrants and dismantled three large scale clandestine laboratories at Coburg North, Pascoe Vale and Monegeetta.

The initial shipment, detected by the Australian Border Force in November 2022, was disguised as a chemical imported to make perfume in Melbourne.

Other items to be seized included seven secured firearms, a gel blaster, an unsecured loaded shotgun, ammunition, nunchucks, two Samurai swords, three imitation handguns and assorted knives and swords, cash and varying quantities of drugs.

Thirteen previously stolen Holden vehicles were also located, suspected of being part of a car rebirthing ring.

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