Drug raid in Sydney uncovers $5.2m worth of drugs

The Mt Hunter property was locked down by emergency services during the raid. Photo / NSW Police

A NSW man is in custody following a major police raid in Sydney's southwest that uncovered a secret lab filled with $5.2 million worth of illegal drugs.

Bennett Jolly, 39, from Mount Hunter, appeared in a Campbelltown court on October 26 charged with a string of serious drug offences.

Jolly was charged following a major police raid on a rural property in Calf Farm Road at Mount Hunter, 85km south west of Sydney on October 24, reports news.com.au.

He was refused bail and will remain in custody until his next court appearance at Cambpelltown court on December 19.

The mammoth investigation uncovered more than 450 illegal items including drugs and manufacturing paraphernalia.

Specialist police officers search the secret lab. Photo / NSW Police

Over the next four days, officers from the Drugs and Firearms Squad's Chemical Operations Unit forensically processed the scene, bagging evidence to strengthen their case against Jolly.

The operation dates back to December 2016, where detectives from the Criminal Groups Squad launched Strike Force Lovelle to investigate the manufacture of prohibited drugs across NSW.

A police officer examines a piece of equipment found in the drug lab. Photo / NSW Police

Some of the drugs seized in the large scale raid included more than 21kg of MDMA powder and pills, 28 litres of GHB, 13.5kg of precursors, an amount of substances believed to be cocaine, steroids and methylamphetamine.

Ammunition was also found as well as complex machinery which was allegedly used to manufacture the drugs.

Police are preparing to address the media about the operation, codenamed Lovelle, this morning.

Police seized 450 items from the secret lab, including machines used to manufacture illegal drugs. Photo / NSW Police

State Crime Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith, said there had been a 47 per cent increase in clandestine laboratories located and dismantled by police in the last financial year.

"After dismantling one of the biggest clandestine laboratories in recent times, those involved in the manufacture and supply of prohibited drugs should know that the net is closing in on them," Mr Smith said.

Drug paraphernalia piled up outside the lab during the raid. Photo / NSW Police

"There is no quality control in illicit substances and the community should be aware that there is no way of knowing what you are ingesting and how it will affect you.

"We will continue to dismantle and disrupt these criminal drug enterprises and stop this poison from hitting our streets."