Originally published March 7, 1977
POLICE unearthed a massive marijuana crop not far from Euston which would be linked to the “organised hit” of Griffith-based anti-drugs campaigner Donald Mackay.
Mackay was gunned down outside the Griffith Hotel Motel in July 1977 and despite blood stains near his car and signs that a struggle had taken place, his body has never been found.
Earlier, in November 1975, Mackay provided police with information which led to the seizure of one of Australia’s largest drug busts worth an estimated $25 million near Griffith.
Mackay had named several Calabrian Mafia drug growers as among those involved in the Coleambally marijuana crop including Robert Trimbole.
The Woodward Royal Commission into Drug Trafficking held from 1977 to 1979, prompted by the disappearance of Mackay, named Trimbole, James Frederick Bazley, George Joseph, Gianfranco Tizzone and two known associates of Trimbole as the key suspects.
The commission also found Trimbole as being associated with the production of marijuana in Griffith as well as being the director of the Euston operation and had put up the money to purchase the property.
Four men were allegedly harvesting the crop at the time of the raid.
While police estimated the value of the Indian hemp plants seized at $5 million they believe that up to $15 million worth of harvested plants could have reached the Sydney market in recent weeks.
It was one of the largest Indian hemp seizures in Australia.
Two of the four men arrested fled into Mallee scrub but were unable to break through the police cordon.
Indian hemp was growing in various stages on about two acres of a 20 acre area that had been cleared.
More than 12 acres of plants had already been harvested, but some of the plants still growing were up to eight feet high.
A sheltered area about 60 by 80 feet had been constructed and was being used as a drying area.
Police founds bags of Indian hemp in the shed ready for transport to the black market.
Just weeks after the Euston bust, Calabrian mafia bosses decided Mackay was too big a thorn in their operations and had to go.
Tizzone and hitman Bazley were later convicted of conspiring to murder Mackay, but those who ordered the hit have never been charged.
Fearing too would be charged with conspiring to murder Mackay, Trimbole fled to the US, then France and finally Ireland where he successfully fought extradition proceedings.
He then fled to Spain where he died in hospital in 1987 and his body was returned to Australia for burial.
