Mark Standen an assistant director of criminal investigations with the commission, was arrested this afternoon at his Sydney office

Mark Standen, 51, of Bateau Bay on the NSW Central Coast, an assistant director of criminal investigations with the commission, was arrested this afternoon at his Sydney office by Australian Federal Police (AFP). A 45-year-old Maroota man was also arrested over his alleged involvement in the syndicate following AFP raids at properties in the Sydney suburbs of Blacktown, Campbelltown, Alexandria, St Helens Park Maroota, the Sydney CBD and Bateau Bay on the Central Coast this afternoon, the Australian Federal Police said."The AFP can confirm that this evening a 51-year-old man and a 45-year-old man were each charged with offences in relation to an alleged conspiracy to import border controlled precursor chemicals into Australia,'' an AFP spokeswoman said.The spokesman said the 45-year-old man was not an AFP officer, NSW police officer or border control officer. She was unable to say whether he had been released on bail. Mr Standen is one of two assistant directors of criminal investigations at the commission. A former AFP officer, Mr Standen had been employed by the commission since 1996.
Mr Standen was arrested over alleged involvement in attempting to import enough ephedrine chemicals, hidden in a consignment of basmati rice, to produce more than $120 million worth of ice, News Ltd reports.Police will allege he was working with a criminal syndicate in the Netherlands to bring the chemicals into Australia. The AFP spokeswoman was unable to confirm the nature of any other arrests overseas, following reported raids in Europe, Thailand and Sydney. A spokesman for the Dutch national Police Wim de Bruin said the national police could not comment on the wider investigation until 9am tomorrow Dutch time. Mr Standen and the 45-year-old man are expected to appear at Sydney's Central Local Court tomorrow morning.Last week, Dutch police arrested 12 men and one woman in relation to organising and financing the transportation of pseudoephedrine from Pakistan to Australia and from the Congo to Belgium.Twelve of the people are Dutch residents and one man was living in Germany, police in the Netherlands said.The busting of the drugs ring has led to arrests in a number of countries, including that of one of Australia's top crime fighters Mark Standen, and a British man caught in Thailand. Standen, 51, of the NSW Crime Commission, has been charged with conspiracy to import 600kg of pseudoephedrine, a precursor for the manufacture of the drug ice. Standen, from Bateau Bay on the NSW Central Coast, has also been charged with conspiracy to supply a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Another man arrested by Australian police, 45-year-old Bakhos Jalalaty of the Sydney suburb of Maroota, faces the same charges. In a media statement issued late tonight (AEST), the Dutch police said a 42-year-old man from Almere in central Holland was considered the main suspect in the international drug ring. "The main suspect maintained international contacts, among other persons through an English intermediary, with both the suppliers and the clients of the ephedrine and was also responsible for financing these deals,'' the statement said. "He worked together with his fellow suspects who acted as criminal service providers. They arranged for transports in sea containers, deck cargos, financial matters and documents. They also acted as intermediary between suppliers in Pakistan and Congo and clients in Australia and Belgium.''
Dutch investigations into the international ring started in 2006, when 92kg of ephedrine hidden in the boot of a car was seized at Antwerp in Belgium on May 31.
Dutch police said the drug came from the Congo and was possibly destined for the Netherlands. Two people were arrested over the seizure, Dutch police said.
In subsequent investigations, Dutch police discovered a transport of pseudoephedrine from the Congo to Australia had been cancelled because of problems with a supplier.
Because of these problems, Dutch police say the group changed their attention to Pakistan, where a trial shipment with basmati rice was sent to Australia in a sea container and arrived in October 2007. A second rice container holding a batch of pseudoephedrine was subsequently sent and arrived on April 25 this year.
The container was intercepted by Australian Federal Police (AFP) but today Deputy Commissioner of Operations Tony Negus said no trace of the chemical was found.
He refused to comment on reports the shipment was stolen by a rival crime gang en route. The Dutch investigation has led to the seizure of firearms, an undisclosed amount of money, administrative records and computer equipment, Dutch police said.
The 12 men and one woman, aged 35 to 66, have been remanded in custody.
Dutch public prosecutors have requested the extradition of the man arrested in Germany.