FEDERAL POLICE AGENT IN COURT ON DRUGS CHARGES

MELBOURNE - A 28-year-old federal police agent charged with drug
trafficking was allegedly on his way to pick up ecstasy pills when his
colleagues arrested him, a court was told today.

Melbourne Magistrates Court was also told that just two days before his
weekend arrest, Stuart Lyall (Lyall) was secretly recorded saying he had
used cocaine after his shift at work had finished.

Lyall, of South Yarra, is facing 10 charges, including possessing ecstasy
and cocaine and trafficking ecstasy.

He faces a further commonwealth charge of releasing proscribed information
after he allegedly told people he was dealing with about federal police
methods of surveillance and covert operations.

Lyall, a federal agent of three years standing, was arrested by his
colleagues at 1.40am on Saturday in Flinders Street, inner-city Melbourne.

Police allege Lyall trafficked ecstasy mainly in the city's dance party
scene and sourced the drug from both Melbourne and interstate.

Prosecutor Matthew Phillips said federal police received the tip-off from a
registered informant in April that an unknown federal agent was selling
drugs in Melbourne's dance scene.

Lyall has been released on a $20,000 surety and is due to reappear in the
court on April 5 next year.

Thirteen other people in Melbourne and interstate have been implicated in
the network.