The Albion Hotel fire: $100,000 ice haul clue to arson, assault at Dane Swan’s South Melbourne pub

The haul of drugs, believed to be ice and worth at least $100,000, was thrown over a fence at the Swan St pub, found by a maintenance worker, and immediately handed in to police.

But the Herald Sun has learned those who dumped the stash then returned, demanding the drugs back and behaving in a threatening manner.

It’s understood this is one lead police are investigating as they pursue two masked arsonists who bashed a builder at The Albion, which was due to reopen next Friday, and torched it.

The arson attack has dealt a huge blow to The Albion’s owners, including Collingwood star Dane Swan and Matt Darcy, the brother of media identity and ex-AFL player Luke.

Luke Darcy is not an owner of The Albion but is involved in the Precinct Hotel through the family business.

The Herald Sun is not suggesting that the Precinct or The Albion owners have done anything wrong.

Sources said those associated with the Precinct had acted swiftly to hand the drugs to police and were not in any way linked to the case of drugs.

A Darcy Group spokesman said on Thursday night that the attack was the subject of a police investigation and “we’re not going to comment any further’’.

Acting Sergeant Julie-Anne Newman, for Victoria Police, said: “Stonnington Crime Investigation Unit detectives are still investigating the fire.

“Yarra Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating the discovery of a quantity of drugs in Swan St in September. It would not be appropriate to comment further.

“Both investigations are being run independently.”

It’s understood several young men, likely aged in their late teens or early 20s, ditched a case of drugs over the Precinct Hotel’s fence into a courtyard in September.

It is alleged they stole it from a nearby side street. But on becoming worried they were being followed, they hastily stopped their car alongside the pub and discarded the case. 

The Herald Sun has been told that on being alerted by those at the pub, police collected the haul of drugs, believed to have been ice.

There had been reports that the Precinct Hotel was the subject of threats before Monday’s attack on The Albion.

Police have now spoken to most of The Albion’s owners.

Swan, who was initially “blissfully unaware” of the arson attack until receiving a text from Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, is tonight expected to attend his club’s best and fairest awards.

He will then fly with his partner, Taylor Wilson, to Bali for teammate Scott Pendlebury’s wedding.

The Albion’s owners also include retired Melbourne Storm players Robbie Kearns and Danny Williams, gym operator Mark Armstrong, and respected nightclub promoter Ben Vague.

The York St hotel, once the site of renowned nightclub Motel, had been being renovated for months and was due to become one of Melbourne’s hottest nightspots.

It’s understood that the site foreman, who stumbled on the masked bandits after seeing a flashlight, used a scissor lift to enter the building before confronting the duo in a stairwell.

Urgent safety repairs on the gutted structure have been carried out. Work on adjacent buildings that have been affected by the fire are expected to start on Monday.

Police have appealed for witnesses. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au.

wes.hosking@news.com.au

Originally published as $100k ice haul clue to Dane Swan pub fire

Source: The Australian / Herald Sun, Wes Hosking, Mark Butler and Anthony Dowsley, 8^th October 2015
Originally published as: The Albion Hotel fire: $100,000 ice haul clue to arson, assault at Dane Swan’s South Melbourne pub