The brother of AFL legend Wayne Carey has been arrested over the importation of chemicals which allegedly had the potential to make $20 million worth of drugs.
Kevin Carey, also known as Dick, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday with two other men.
It is alleged Carey transported the chemicals which were hidden in metal multi-threaded rollers, from Sydney to Woodstock, north of Melbourne.
He was arrested there on Thursday by Australian Federal Police agents who had tracked the 22.8kg of norephedrine hydrochloride which had arrived in Sydney from South Africa on June 25.
Carey, Benjamin Horn, 37, of Port Melbourne and Gary Sargent, 44, of Moonee Ponds, are charged with attempting to possess a border-controlled precursor and attempting to pre-traffic a commercial quantity of a border-controlled precursor.
All three were granted bail and will appear in the same court for a committal mention on October 12.
Carey's barrister Tony Burns confirmed his client is the older brother of the former AFL star.
Carey, 47, was bailed on $10,000 surety and ordered to surrender his passport.
Wayne Carey has described him as a great brother who was of solid support during his recent domestic and legal troubles.
"Yeah, we thought Dick was the best big brother you could have," Wayne Carey told ABC TV last year.
Dick Carey told the ABC he remained proud of Wayne, who at the time was facing criminal proceedings over an assault on his girlfriend.
"I couldn't be prouder of him and I'm there for him all the time, no matter what the situation is," Dick Carey said.
Carey is one of five people arrested in Victoria and Queensland over the chemicals that could have produced a massive quantity of amphetamines.
Police allege that after tracking Carey to Woodstock they seized $25,000 in cash and the chemicals, which they say were ultimately destined for Alexandra Hills in Brisbane.
It will also be alleged in court that a 43-year-old South African man organised the importation.
A 42-year-old Alexandra Hills man and the South African were arrested in Queensland on Thursday.
The Alexandra Hills man has been charged with dealing with money or property contrary to the Criminal Code and has been bailed to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court in three weeks time.
The South African man will be charged with one count of attempting to possess a border controlled precursor and two counts of importing a border controlled precursor.
The second count of importation refers to a similar consignment of chemicals intercepted by Customs in Sydney on Thursday.
Wayne Carey, nicknamed The King, is regarded by many as the greatest AFL/VFL player of all time.
An All-Australian centre-half-forward, he played 244 games for North Melbourne and captained the club to two premierships.
He left North Melbourne in 2002 and played 28 games for Adelaide after an affair was exposed between him and the wife of his then-best-friend and club vice-captain Anthony Stevens.
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