news, local-news,

POLICE have seized a large quantity of drugs after a Wodonga man allegedly purchased the product online. Wodonga detectives allege Brent David King, 37, tried to have two packages of butanediol shipped to his home. The colourless liquid, which is used an industrial solvent, converts into GHB when ingested. It’s rare to find butanediol on the Border but GHB has been responsible for several incidents, including the death of 18-year-old Albury woman Cassandra Harper in 2010. A four-year-old girl narrowly avoided death after drinking the drug from a drink bottle in Schubach Street last October. Police allege the Wodonga man was trying to import a commercial quantity of the drug from China weighing several kilograms. The Victorian officers worked with NSW Police and Border Force to intercept two mail packages at Sydney Airport on June 9 and 21. The packages had been destined for a unit in central Wodonga. The 37-year-old was arrested on Thursday and has been charged with two counts of trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs. Under Victorian law, a commercial quantity of the drug is two kilograms and above, with the seizure several times that amount. Detectives seized paraphernalia and details allegedly linked to the shipment at the Wodonga delivery address. Detective Senior Constable Ray Causer said police investigations were continuing. “We haven't seen a lot of this drug, but the amounts coming in were a concern for police,” he said. “There's now less availability for people to ingest this dangerous drug. "Police are happy to have removed this amount of drugs from the community.” The matter was briefly heard in the Wodonga Magistrates Court on Friday. King did not appear in person and the matter was adjourned to Monday, at which time King is expected to apply for bail. Defence lawyer Mario Vaccaro on Friday told the court it would be a straight remand for his client, with no application for his release. He added that his client had a back injury.

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/u2TKvX7hYXGMrKgrD4ZiFN/f2737876-485b-4f25-9f4a-050a13ad02eb.jpg/r9_213_4087_2517_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg