Secret drug labs were discovered inside a south Sydney home where police seized millions of dollars worth of an oil that is used to make ecstasy-like tablets.
Police say they seized the largest amount of PMMA oil ever located in Australia after raiding a house in Sans Souci.
The 120 litres of oil, which had the potential to create 480,000 pills with a street value of $18 million, was located in a hidden lab in the house.
Behind a newly-constructed wall inside the property's garage, police also discovered two additional, clandestine laboratories.
Officers also seized 1.5kg of methylamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and cash.
A 60-year-old male resident of the home was charged with various drug offences.
Detective Superintendent Nick Bingham said PMMA was a dangerous chemical often used to produce a tablet which is sold under the guise of ecstasy.
"Some drug manufacturers cook and then press PMMA into a tablet form, before selling it to unsuspecting drug users as ecstasy," Det Supt Bingham said.
"While PMMA does elicit similar effects to ecstasy, it takes a longer time to do so.
"As a result, there is a very real risk of users overdosing on the drug.
"We've seen cases where people take one tablet and because they don't get a hit as quickly as they normally would, they assume it is weak ecstasy and ingest a second tablet.
"Eventually, they start to feel the effects of a double dose of PMMA and find themselves in all sorts of trouble."
Further charges are expected to be laid.
