Police allegedly found packages believed to contain heroin at the home of Olympic swimmer Scott Miller and will allege he was ‘calling the shots’ for a large scale ice syndicate.
Detectives burst down the door of Miller’s luxury unit on the waterfront in Rozelle, in Sydney’s inner west, about 6am on Tuesday morning. Police are expecting to charge him with running a criminal syndicate.
Authorities will allege that the one time swimming golden boy turned shipping businessman allegedly sought to smuggle $2million worth of the drug ice to towns in regional New South Wales by concealing it in candles.
Investigators believe Albury, a crossroads town on the Victorian border, was a particular focus of the alleged syndicate.
Miller was spirited to Newtown Police Station, where a source close to investigation said he had refused to speak to police about the allegations.
However, he is expected to be charged.
A 47-year-old business associate of Miller’s has likewise been arrested, and a business premises in Bankstown was also raided.
Plain clothes officers meticulously inspected Miller’s possessions throughout the morning and allegedly discovering further batches of drugs as well as wads of $50 and $100 notes.
Former Olympic swimmer Scott Miller (above with partner Michelle back in 2014) has been arrested and is expected to be charged with masterminding an alleged $2million ice syndicate
Police will allege that further drugs, believed to be heroin, were found in Miller’s property as well as wads of cash (evidence bags on left). On right, an officer carries a set of scales
Officers carried evidence bags clearly containing bundles of $50 and $100 notes from the Rozelle property on Tuesday morning
Dozens of bags of evidence were walked from Miller’s Rozelle home late in the morning as police meticulously pored through his possessions
Police piled up bags of evidence in regulation cardboard carriers outside the luxe Balmain Cove property
A police officer inspected a packet of anti-inflammatory medication at Miller’s home during the raid
A high-level police source said officers were planning to test the substance they found, but believed them to be heroin.
Another officer was pictured carrying a set of scales out of the property among regulation cardboard evidence bags.
The investigation into Miller began just weeks ago, after police discovered candles which allegedly contained half a kilogram of high-quality methamphetamine.
The drug was moulded into glass containers and wedged among the wax.
‘For all intents and purposes the candles looked like normal candles,’ said Drugs and Firearms Squad Commander John Watson, ‘but they were laced with death and misery.’
Officers lifted Miller’s mattress and inspected a packet of anti-inflammatory medication as his pet pug waddled excitedly around the unit.
The candles looked like normal candles, but they were laced with death and misery.’
NSW Police Detective Superintendent John Watson
Charges are yet to be laid, however, a source with knowledge of the investigation into the Miller said he has not spoken to police.
Miller won silver and bronze medals at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the butterfly and the 4 x 100m medley relay respectively.
He was briefly married to socialite Charlotte Dawson in 1999 and 2000. She died by suicide in 2014.
Miller has had a troubled recent history. In an interview with 60 Minutes the same year as Ms Dawson’s death, the athlete admitted he was battling a drug addiction.
Police raided Miller’s waterfront apartment in Rozelle this morning. Above, the luxurious Balmain Cove complex
Police will claim Miller was directing a syndicate that allegedly planned to ship the drug ice to Albury on New South Wales – Victorian border
Miller was a silver and bronze medallist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games (left, with his 100m butterfly silver). He is the ex-husband of the late socialite Charlotte Dawson (right)
Miller is Australian swimming royalty. In this 2003 photograph, he is pictured back row with Michael Klim and model Sarah Murdoch. Front row includes legendary Olympians Leisel Jones and Petria Thomas (on right)
Miller is one of the country’s most accomplished butterfly athletes but his troubled private life has been well documented
Five years ago he worked as a drug awareness and prevention speaker with the Church of Scientology’s Narconon program, according to his LinkedIn profile.
The role involved him ‘showing people addicted to drugs or alcohol that there is another way to live life’ and conducting drug interventions.
It is unclear whether he is still involved in the program. Local Scientology officials were approached for comment.
He claims on LinkedIn to have been a business development manager for a company called reinteractive, however sources said he only worked very briefly at the business on a trial basis for three weeks, and has not updated his profile.
Charges are yet to be laid against Miller.