Mid West-Gascoyne Police Supt Steve Post claims quantity of items seized in Brand Hwy drug blitz ‘concerning

A major three-day operation south of Geraldton this week saw police from multiple units join forces to tackle drug trafficking in the region. Local officers from Geraldton detectives, as well as from Perth’s canine section, drug and firearm, regional and border squads set up a base near the S Bend Roadhouse on Brand Highway in South Greenough on Tuesday-Thursday, targeting traffic randomly travelling north. On Tuesday, police stopped more than 200 vehicles, carrying out alcohol breath tests, driver’s licence checks, and searches for illicit substances and items. Out of those, Mid West-Gascoyne Supt Steve Post said 25 vehicles were “extensively searched” by police, and eight search warrants were executed to further search houses. As a result, police seized methylamphetamine, cannabis, cash, firearm parts, ammunition, smoking implements, drug paraphernalia, pepper spray, a taser and a small safe. Nine people were charged with 18 offences on day one of the operation. On Wednesday, a significant amount of cannabis was seized from a vehicle on the highway. A person was charged with possession of prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply and is due to appear in Geraldton Magistrates Court next month. Supt Post said the joint police operation aimed to stop the distribution of drugs into the local community and take dangerous items off the streets. “We’re developing targets and then running operations, we run most of those operations covertly, sometimes we do an overt operation, such as this out on the highway,” he said. “It’s always concerning when we when we obtain drugs and weapons and firearm parts and ammunition out of vehicles, but that’s why we’re out there doing it, so that we can take those items off the street and get them out of the community. “This is a clear signal to the community that we do take drug trafficking seriously, and if you are involved in this business, we will find you and we will charge you.”