Belgian arrests in Australian drugs bust

15 November 2004

BRUSSELS – Two men have been arrested in Belgium after a massive drug bust in Australia, it was reported on Monday.

Australian Customs and Federal Police said they had recovered 820 kilograms of ecstasy that was shipped from Poland to Australia via Germany on a Malaysian Airlines flight.

They later announced that two European men had been arrested in Belgium in connection with the drugs heist, but their exact nationality remains unknown.

Two further suspects have been detained in Sidney, Australia over the 200 million Australian dollar seizure.

Australians Zachariah O’Brien, 32, and Robert Drury, 54, have been charged with conspiring to import and attempting to possess banned goods.

Australian Federal Police commissioner Mike Keelty said the seizure and two others this year represented a major victory for Australia.

He told national radio that the proceeds of the 500 million dollars of drugs that were seized would have found its way back to Europe.

AFP agent Mike Phelan said the haul would dent the supply that had likely come from western Europe.

“Overseas, we have got some further inquiries being carried out on our behalf by the Belgian and Dutch authorities,” he said.

Subject: Belgian news