Uranium stash claim

By Whitney Harris
Updated November 7 2012 - 2:44am, first published August 24 2010 - 11:56am

A Kangaroo Flat man accused of drug trafficking after a series of police raids turned up a stash of uranium will stand trial next year.Andrew John McNaughton, 47, was one of three men swept up in warrants executed by the Petra Taskforce, Office of Police Integrity, and the Ethical Standards Department in April last year.Melbourne Magistrates Court was told this week he is facing more than 25 charges – mainly drug related – including trafficking a commercial quantity of amphetamines and possessing chemicals used to manufacture drugs.Police allegedly discovered more than $100,000 in cash, a handgun and chemicals intended for the manufacture of amphetamines at McNaughton’s High Street unit on April 1 last year.They believe he supplied the chemicals to a clandestine lab for amphetamine production.During an earlier court hearing, police involved in the raids said the warrants were executed as part of a series of investigations into the leaking of confidential police documents. They said they were confident they had smashed a well-organised drug syndicate.Houses in Preston and Bulla and a shed in Harcourt were also raided.Depleted uranium and a substantial amount of chemicals and glassware were found at the shed.McNaughton is facing 26 charges including trafficking and possessing amphetamines, cocaine, MDMA, LSD and ecstasy, possessing equipment for the purpose of trafficking and possessing prohibited weapons and ammunition without a licence.He is also facing one count of electricity theft and one of conducting a radiation practice without a licence - an offence carrying a $180,000 fine.McNaughton spent six months in custody before he was released on bail in October last year after Magistrate Peter Lauritsen heard he was unlikely to go to trial before 2012. He was released on a $100,000 surety to appear in Melbourne County Court next August.

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