One million dollars worth of drugs seized during random breath tests in the past week
MORE than $1.1 million worth of drugs has been seized by highway patrol officers in random breath tests on NSW roads in the past week.
NSW
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MORE than $1.1 million worth of drugs has been seized by highway patrol officers in random breath tests on NSW roads in the past week.
Two men were refused bail after they were allegedly caught taking more than $100,000 worth of marijuana, ecstasy and sedatives from Adelaide to Newcastle on April 26.
Joel David Matzanke, 28, and Aaron Samuel Christie-Gilbert, 26, were stopped on the Sturt Highway at Buronga and the loot was allegedly discovered after officers searched their car.
The pair, from Newcastle, are facing charges of supply and possession of a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug (ecstasy), supply and possession of an indictable quantity of drug (cannabis) and possession of a restricted substance (sedatives).
Hang Son Nguyen, 53, was refused bail on Sunday after he was allegedly discovered with a kilogram of the lethal drug ice, with a street value of $1 million, and cash during a vehicle stop in Coffs Harbour.
The latest hauls add to the millions of dollars worth of drugs and guns that have been pulled off the roads this year.
More than 90 serious indictable charges, for offences such as drugs, weapons, possessing stolen property and stolen motor vehicles, have been dealt out by highway patrol officers since January.
These include the seizure of 19.5kg of amphetamines with a street value of more than $20 million following a random breath test stoppage, and 34kg of cannabis from a heavy vehicle in western NSW.
Officers also seized 20kg of cannabis from a heavy vehicle in Sydney, 2kg of ice linked to an outlaw motorcycle gang; and a number of liquid amphetamine seizures from random breath testing, with an estimated street value of more than $1 million.
NSW highway patrol officers have been cracking down on would-be traffickers, with a specialised program targeting suspicious behaviour, firearm offenders and drug runners last month resulting in the arrests of more than 2700 people, slapping them with more than 3050 charges.
Below: Some of the drugs, guns and cash seized by police during random breath tests
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said police would not tolerate guns and drugs being brought into the state.
“These most recent events are a prime example that those who use our highways to commit crime will be identified by our CATCH-trained officers, and in turn prosecuted by investigators, all for the benefit of taking drugs, guns, cash and other contraband off our roads,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner Hartley said Traffic and Highway Patrol Command had seized at least $110 million in drugs, weapons and cash since the training began in 2010.
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