Five men arrested by undercover police at Bolwarra

Police allege the stolen car, worth $15,000, had the wrong registration plates attached when it was seen near the Henty Highway and Pennys Road at Bolwarra on Monday, August 28.

It was intercepted by undercover police and a search allegedly found four vials of the drug GHB inside.

Police have raised concerns about a spike in GHB-related overdoses and crimes in the south-west.

Johnny King, Justin Eastman, Matt Curran and Adam Morey appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates Court the following day charged with offences.

The fifth man was bailed by police.

Detective Senior Constable Kyra McKinnis, of the Portland police crime investigation unit, alleged Mr King was the driver of the stolen car.

She told the court Mr King leaned out the window, waved his arms around and yelled at the officers, who at that stage he did not realise were police.

He then accelerated before stopping in the middle of a south-bound lane.

The officers exited the car and announced themselves. They were wearing plain clothes but police ballistic vests.

Detective Senior Constable McKinnis said a search of the car found an extendable baton and a camouflage-coloured bag in the back where Mr Eastman was seated.

She said inside the bag was drug paraphernalia and three vials containing GHB.

She said another vial of GHB was found in the boot of the car, concealed inside a yellow gas canister.

The total weight of the drugs was about 145ml - two-and-a-half times the amount considered a traffickable quantity.

The court heard investigations revealed the car was stolen on July 27, 2023 with the registration plates belonging to a registered trailer.

Detective Senior Constable McKinnis said police later raided a Portland property and uncovered Mr Curran in possession of a quantity of methamphetamine.

Most of the men were already on bail for unrelated charges.

The detective said Mr King and Mr Eastman were friends but weren't from the Portland area, and she didn't know how they were associated with the other three men - who lived in the town.

She said a quick search of Mr King's phone uncovered text messages between him and Mr Morey relating to the use of GHB.

She said Mr Morey was already facing charges of trafficking methamphetamine after a police raid earlier in 2023 allegedly uncovered 30 grams of the drug.

During bail applications, Mr King told the court the car belonged to a relative of Mr Eastman, who had asked him for a lift to Portland.

He said it was his first time in the city and he'd never met any of the other men.

But Mr Eastman told police Mr King had the car "on loan", the court heard.

He said Mr King had picked him up from one of the co-accused men's house in Portland.

The detective urged the court to refuse the men's bail applications, stating a significant amount of GHB was found inside the stolen car.

Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge said the men could spend six months in custody awaiting their day in court, and could be sentenced to less than that.

Mr King was bailed with strict conditions, including he not use drugs, drive a car or attend within 100 kilometres of Portland.

Mr Eastman, who admitted to being a daily GHB user, will be bailed to live in Hamilton but only if someone can provide a $750 surety.

Mr Morey was also released on bail. The men will face court again on September 26.

They all have a bail condition that prohibits them from associating with each other.

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