Marcus James Bruno Crane was placed into the custody of NSW detectives from Armidale in Townsville yesterday morning,  after the extradition application was approved by Magistrate Mack in Townsville Magistrate’s Court.

The 30-year-old was arrested at a Townsville construction site in a co-ordinated swoop by Queensland police on Tuesday following a nine-month police investigation.

Police will allege Crane, along with his co-accused, 28-year-old Daniel Gallaher, were involved in the large-scale sale of MDMA, amphetamine, cocaine and cannabis in Armidale and surrounding areas.

“It would be the most significant operation we have done in recent years,” New England crime manager, Detective Inspector Ann Joy, told The Leader.

“The value of drugs relating to these alleged supply offences in total is estimated at $105,000.”

A series of raids in Armidale, Macksville and Townsville were executed simultaneously on Tuesday as part of Strike Force Ansae, set up in June last year by New England detectives.

During three search warrants in Armidale, drugs, two replica pistols and ammunition magazines were seized, while $8000 cash was seized from a vehicle at Port Macquarie.

Crane was arrested a few hours after police intercepted Gallaher, a fellow Armidale resident, in a car on the Pacific Hwy at Port Macquarie.

“It’s a significant result, with regards to the types of offences that we alleged have been detected and charges preferred – in particular, the allegation these two individuals [were involved] in the large commercial supply of MDMA tablets totalling 3700 tablets specific to one charge, and then the commercial supply of amphetamine and a further 1000 MDMA tablets,” Detective Inspector Joy said.

“An operation of this type requires substantial resourcing by not only local detectives but specialist commands.”

Crane was due to be flown to Brisbane last night and transported to the New England where he was to be charged with a series of drug-related offences.

Gallaher will remain behind bars after he was refused bail in Port Macquarie Local Court on Wednesday charged with six charges including the large commercial supply of MDMA, or ecstasy.

"It's alleged that they have been involved jointly in these supply offences," Detective Inspector Joy said.

"[These arrests] will no doubt have an impact of the sale of drugs in New England and in particular Armidale.

"This type of investigation requires being intensively resourced and the command is committed to those investigations to obtain these results to drive the offenders committing those offences out of the community.

"And we will continue to target those people involved in that activity."