Stolen pill press sparks Ecstacy fears.

[jon-q]

Stolen pill press sparks Ecstacy fears.

Chris Barrett
April 14, 2009

A industrial pill press stolen near Ipswich at the weekend has the capacity to churn out up to 3000 ecstasy tablets a minute, police say.
The press was stolen from inside the premises of a pet food manufacturer at Carole Park on Sunday along with associated stamping tools and "an amount of chemicals that would assist in the production of dangerous drugs".
Detective Sergeant Kevin Archer of Ipswich District CIB said the industrial-size press' capacity to produce ecstasy and other illegal tablets at a frightening rate was a serious concern.
"It's very rare we have presses like that stolen," he said.
"We're looking at anywhere between 750 to 3000 tablets a minute so they're capable of whacking a few out. That's our major concern."
He said the pet food factory had been broken into earlier this year and police were investigating links between the two incidents.
Police are bracing for further thefts of such devices as illegal drug manufacturers feel the strain from the plans of police ministers around the country to push the Federal Government for import controls on pill presses.
Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
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http://www.watoday.com.au/qld-news/s...0414-a5eh.html
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Industrial pill press theft link to drugs trade.

By Jodie Munro O'Brien
April 14, 2009 12:00am

IPSWICH police are investigating the theft of two industrial pill presses capable of manufacturing thousands of tablets an hour .
Detective Senior Sergeant Mick Trezise said a veterinary manufacturing business on Antimony St in Carole Park was broken into about 4am Sunday and the two 2m tall pill presses - weighing about 1 tonne each - were removed.
He said a stolen Meals brand concrete truck was used to take the machines - which are commonly used to make pet heartworm tablets - but might have been stolen for the production of ecstasy.
"The offenders broke into the premises, stole the pill presses, some dye punches and some chemical binding agents used to bind the pills together," he said.
"The truck was located during the next day, burnt out, at Logan Reserve."
Det Snr Sgt Trezise said the burnt shell of the truck was found near the Logan Reserve State School about 5pm Monday.
He said a forklift would have been needed to load and unload the Manesty brand pill presses on to the truck.
Police were investigating the possibility the thefts were part of an organised crime group involved in producing dangerous drugs.
"Potentially ecstasy would be a likely candidate," said Det Snr Sgt Trezise.
He did not rule out the possibility the thefts could be an inside job, saying all angles were being investigated.
"It was a fairly sophisticated break and enter," he said.
The truck was also stolen from a business in Carole Park.
If anyone has any information they should call CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.
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http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...018883,00.html
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Talk about news propaganda.

I have tried searching to see if this article has already been posted but haven’t been able to locate anything; Sorry in advance if this is a duplicated story.
Q