Sydney rock star and eight others busted in $5.5M studio drug raid

A Sydney rock band frontman and eight others have been charged after police uncovered a large-scale drug operation hidden inside a music studio. Officers discovered a secret room behind electric guitars, packed with drugs worth millions and a stash of cash.

The arrests followed raids across multiple properties in the city's southwest in March 2026, with police seizing a wide range of illegal substances.

Azaria Byrne, lead singer of Sydney band The Art, and his partner Brooke Mitchell were among those arrested. Police dogs located a concealed door behind electric guitars in a studio, revealing a hidden room filled with drugs. Inside, they found 18,000 tablets suspected to contain LSD, magic mushrooms, methamphetamine, and AU$200,000 in cash.

The total haul included over 17kg of cannabis, 25kg of ketamine, 2.5kg of cocaine, 3.5kg of MDMA, and 5.6kg of diazepam. The estimated street value of the seized drugs reached approximately AU$5.5 million (NZ$6.65 million). Five additional individuals were charged alongside Byrne and Mitchell after searches at a unit in Belmore, a home in Revesby, and units in Condell Park and Bankstown. Oliver Dibley, a music producer from Potts Point, was accused of leading the operation and now faces 17 large commercial drug supply offences. Byrne, arrested while wearing a shirt from Frankie's Pizza—a now-closed rock bar co-owned by The Art's drummer—faces 10 counts of large commercial drug supply. Mitchell faces one similar charge. Both offences carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. All three are scheduled to return to court on May 14.

The operation resulted in nine arrests and the seizure of drugs worth millions. Byrne, Mitchell, and Dibley will appear in court next month to face serious drug supply charges. Police continue to investigate the extent of the network involved.