Meth, cash seized and 50 arrests as cops raid Pilbara properties
Police have seized sizeable amounts of drugs and cash in raids in the Pilbara aimed at smashing open the gang structure fuelling the meth epidemic in north-west communities.
Fifty people have been arrested on a spate of charges and more than 1.3 kg of methamphetamine has been seized as police carried out 30 raids on properties in the Pilbara since the beginning of the year.
Dubbed operations Goldenrod and Snowmobile, South Hedland and Karratha detectives together with the organised crime division and local police focussed on crime syndicates supplying drugs into the Pilbara.
Pilbara District Superintendent Paul Coombes said the operations were primarily aimed at reducing the harm cause on communities by the meth epidemic.
“We know that syndicates continue to use innovative and sophisticated means to conduct their business and avoid detection, however these operations are examples of how the WA Police Force will continue to target these syndicates and stop drugs entering and being sold in the Pilbara area,” he said.
“We will continue to detect, disrupt and apprehend these offenders through a variety of overt and covert operations continuously with a focus on transportation of illicit drugs into Pilbara communities”.
The charges the fifty people face include selling a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug and conspiracy to sell or supply a prohibited drug.