“Australia Post sees around 100 parcels come through its doors each day in Esperance,” Det Sgt Harris said.
“For the first few weeks, they were finding up to eight packages a week and are now able to spot the signs of a Silk Road parcel straight away.”
Since September 5, Esperance detectives and Australia Post have intercepted just over 30 packages, containing approximately 0.5kg of cannabis, around 200g of synthetic cannabis, around 5g of methylamphetamine, 1g of cocaine, around 400 tabs of LSD and 30 ecstasy tablets as well as seizing prescription medication such as oxycontin.
Eight Silk Road packages per week is a lot for town as small as Esperance. According to wikipedia Esperance only has a population of 9,536. Then I found the article below which indicates that the small town of Esperance was home to a couple of big SR buyers, who were probably reselling.
Police have seized cannabis, ecstasy and speed bought from an underground website described as an "eBay for drugs" after two teenage brothers were allegedly caught importing the drugs to Esperance from Melbourne and Canada.
The brothers, aged 15 and 17, were last week charged with possessing cannabis with intent to sell and supply.
They faced further drug charges, including possession of LSD, when they appeared in Esperance Magistrate's Court on Monday.
Police allege the pair bought the drugs through a website known as The Silk Road, which has been operating for about 18 months.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/14980079/brothers-in-court-over-online-drugs/It looks like this bust wasnt as a result of an effective police investigation but due to the fact that they were ratted out by their parents.
The boys' parents approached Esperance police because they were concerned at packages they were receiving through the mail.
Staff at the local Australia Post sorting depot had also become concerned. Detectives launched an investigation dubbed Operation Cinder and identified the source of the drugs as The Silk Road.