Cops intercept schoolies-bound drugs in bikie-linked arrests
Nine men, including one with bikie links, have been arrested after a long running operation to stop illegal drugs reaching school leavers on the Gold Coast.
Police & Courts
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Police have intercepted a large quantity of drugs they believe were bound for school leavers in a large-scale, long running operation that spanned the Gold Coast.
Nine people have been arrested on 53 charges just one month out from Schoolies following the closure of the Gold Coast’s Operation Sierra Bancha, which commenced in February of this year.
According to Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Procter, the drugs were earmarked to hit the glitter strip’s local nightclubs and broader community during the Schoolies 2020 period.
“It’s a large success in dismantling a network of drug traffickers on the Gold Coast,” Det Snr Sgnt Procter said.
“It’s very timely that we are a month out of schoolies, because we have no doubt that’s where these drugs would’ve ended up had they been allowed to continue.
“ … I have no doubt at all that the drugs these people are peddling on our youth would have ended up at schoolies, there’s no doubt in the world.”
Nine men from various suburbs across the Gold Coast, including Helensvale, Coomera and Burleigh were taken into police custody early this morning following a joint sting operation involving the Gold Coast CIB, the Gold Coast Major and Organised Crime Squad and the AFP’s dog squad.
Police allege one of the men charged has links to the Black Uhlans Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, however say this drug syndicate is not directly linked to bikies.
Det Snr Sgnt Procter said about half of those charged were well known to police, while for the others, it was their first serious offence.
“We have a variety of people, probably half of the people have some serious history with the police, and we also have three or four people who have never come to the attention of police,” he said.
“It will be alleged it is a criminal network, and they are working in conjunction to sell predominantly cocaine to our nightclubs and to our community.”
According to police, approximately 14 ounces of cocaine has been seized from the Gold Coast region in the last eight months.
Det Snr Sgnt Procter said although the battle of drugs remains ongoing, police had “certainly made a dint in the syndicate.”
Asked whether today’s early morning raids had any link to yesterday’s drug related arrests of Mongols OMCG members, or the ongoing homicide investigation in relation to the murder of notorious bikie Shane Bowden, Det Snr Sgnt Procter said today’s arrests had been weeks in the making.
“We planned this closure about three weeks ago, so it would have taken some serious foretelling … But no, it’s been (in place) for some time,” he said.