A former NSW Police officer has been caught allegedly supplying kilograms of cocaine and advising organised criminals on how to fly under the radar of law enforcement.
David Redshaw, 32, was a general duties officer with the force before his departure about six years ago.
In the past two weeks he had registered two businesses in his name, one for labour hire and the other for private investigations.
But those ventures look to be short-lived following his arrest in a sweeping organised crime sting that uncovered more than 15 kilograms of drugs, 10 firearms and a booby-trapped gun safe.
The Moorebank man's arrest last week marked a significant development for Strike Force Bugam, which for 10 months had been investigating an international money laundering network and its clients.
Among that clientele were Asian crime figures, bikies and significant organised crime targets.
As well as his involvement in the alleged drug supply, police say Redshaw, who served as a police officer for four years, was giving tips to other members of the syndicate on how they could avoid detection.
Police allege Redshaw, and Robert Fullagar, 29, were using the money laundering network to siphon through the proceeds of their drug deals.
It is further alleged the pair sourced their drugs from two accused drug mules who swallowed pellets packed with cocaine before boarding flights from Thailand to Australia late last year.
The cocaine was then taken to a warehouse in Yennora where it was re-packaged and distributed through a criminal network in Sydney or couriered over the border to Melbourne.
Cash from the drug sales was then transported back to Sydney, where it was processed through money remitters and funnelled offshore.
One of the suspected money couriers was arrested in January after highway patrol officers pulled over his car near Goulburn and found $1.5 million in cash hidden in $10,000 bundles throughout the vehicle.
This side of the network was allegedly linked to Vietnamese hotelier Thi Lan Phuong Pham, a 40-year-old single mother accused of running the international money laundering operation police were targeting.
Last Wednesday night, officers pulled over a tow truck towing a Hyundai van on the Hume Highway at Marulan.
Inside the van, officers allegedly uncovered eight kilograms of cocaine, 6.2 kilograms of methamphetamine and a Glock pistol originally part of a huge gun importation from Germany more than five years ago.
It will be alleged that Redshaw and Fullagar put the gun and the drugs inside a toolbox before welding it shut, placing it in the back of the van and organising a tow truck to collect it.
The drugs were on their way to Melbourne when police intercepted.
The gun was later found to be one of hundreds.imported from Germany between 2011 and 2012. The firearms were dispersed across Sydney's underworld, changing hands regularly and popping up in high-profile shootings and armed hold-ups.
Hours after the drugs and handgun were found in the van, police arrested Redshaw at his Moorebank home.
During the following two days, dozens of police raided different properties in East Hills, Moorebank, Miranda and Yennora.
At the sprawling Yennora factory, officers found nine guns, a bulletproof vest, MDMA, more ice and cocaine and steroids.
The Australian Defence Force had to be called in after three military-grade booby traps were found in a gun safe at Redshaw's house.
Redshaw and Fullagar, both charged with commercial drug supply and criminal group offences, have been refused bail and are due in Campbelltown Local Court on May 10.
Strike Force Bugam is led by the NSW Organised Crime Squad and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
