Police charge six people after probe spanning Gold Coast to Sydney, cross-border drug raids

Police have charged six people from northern NSW and the Gold Coast after a cross-border operation targeting dealers allegedly resulted in the seizure of more than $2m of drugs. Here’s what we know.

Multiple people were arrested by police on Tuesday.

Police have charged six people, including four from northern NSW, after a cross-border operation targeting dealers allegedly resulted in the seizure of more than $2 million of drugs.

Tuesday’s arrests of the alleged offenders occurred as part of an investigation involving the NSW Police Force, Queensland Police Service and Australian Federal Police into the supply of prohibited drugs from Sydney to the Gold Coast.

In February 2023, officers from the Northern Rivers Region Enforcement Squad established Strike Force Nesabo to zero in on the supply of prohibited drugs in Tweed and Byron Shire.

Following an extensive investigation, police from across NSW carried out raids at seven locations on Tuesday.

Two of these locations were in Sydney’s Inner West – the suburbs of Five Dock and Ashfield.

The other searches took place in the Tweed Shire – at Tweed Heads, Tyalgum, South Murwillumbah, and Dum Dum.

Police arrested multiple people in the Tweed Shire. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Police allege officers seized 256g grams of cannabis, 29g of MDMA capsules, and 12.49g of methamphetamines, with a combined estimated street value of $21,800.

Since February 2023, a total of 1.64kg of meth, 295g of cannabis, 220g of heroin, 56g of cocaine and 56g of MDMA capsules have been seized as part of the strike force.

Police believe the drugs have an estimated potential street value of more than $2 million.

Following the search warrants, three northern NSW men and a woman were arrested at properties in South Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads, and Dum Dum.

A 26-year-old South Murwillumbah man was charged with 63 alleged offences, including 47 counts of supplying a prohibited drug, three counts of supplying a prohibited drug to a child, supplying a prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), possessing a prohibited drug, and attempting to prescribe a restricted substance.

Police allege drugs including methamphetamines were seized in the cross-border raids.

A 25-year-old South Murwillumbah woman was charged with 20 alleged offences, including 12 counts of taking part in the supply of prohibited drugs, four counts of supplying prohibited drugs, and taking part in supplying a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs.

A 24-year-old man from the small town of Dum Dum was charged with 11 alleged offences, including six counts of supplying prohibited drugs, two counts of possessing prohibited drugs and two counts of intimidation.

The final northern NSW arrest was that of a 55-year-old Tweed Heads man.

He was charged with eight alleged offences, including three counts of supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, two counts of possessing prohibited drugs, supplying prohibited drugs, and dealing with the property proceeds of crime.

All four were refused bail to face Tweed Heads Local Court on Wednesday.

The four northern NSW people were refused bail on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, just over the border, eight more raids were executed by officers on the Gold Coast.

Two people have been charged with “significant drug supply matters”, NSW Police states.

They were due to face Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Police allege significant amounts of cash, prohibited weapons and other items were also allegedly seized during the raids across the two states.

Northern Region operations manager Detective Superintendent David Waddel, said the cross-border collaboration produced strong results.

Detective Superintendent David Waddell. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“By working closely with our QPS and AFP colleagues, we have successfully dismantled a significant drug operation with links from Sydney to the Gold Coast,” he said.

“Following these significant results, we look forward to continuing this collaboration with other agencies to tackle drug supply across the state.”

Australian Federal Police Acting Commander Anthony Conway said police would continue to work collaboratively to prevent the impacts of illicit drugs.

“Drugs don’t stop at the border and neither do the police,” he said.

Inquiries into the supply of drugs across northern NSW are ongoing.

Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.