Police arrest 18 people during Snowy Mountain drug blitz
An operation targetting drug use at the NSW ski fields has resulted in the arrest of 18 people.
Canberra Star
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Police arrested 18 people during a crackdown on drug use at the Snowy Mountains at the weekend.
The blitz follows a special investigation by The Daily Telegraph which revealed rampant drug use among powder hounds who slay the slopes by day and party hard by night.
A shocking 29 out of 30 drug tests detected illicit substances, mainly cocaine, at 14 bars and restaurants.
Officers from the Southern Region Enforcement Squad and Monoro Police District carried out Operation Azure on the weekend at licensed Jindabyne, Thredbo and Perisher venues.
Police patrolled 13 licensed premises and searched 60 people during the two day operation which resulted in the arrest of 18 people for a range of offences including drug supply, possession and fail to quit.
Eight people were issued court attendance notices for possessing a prohibited drug.
Operation commander Joseph Thone was pleased with the results of the operation.
“Each year, the NSW Police Force works to maintain the safety of visitors in the alpine region through high visibility policing and specific drug and traffic enforcement operations,” Detective Chief Inspector Thone said.
“I can assure the community that we are using numerous methods to proactively target individuals and groups who are involved in illegal drug supply, drug use and anti-social behaviour.
“We will also not be tolerating anyone who puts the public at risk by driving on our roads under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”
Police will continue to conduct operations that target road safety, alcohol-related crime, anti-social behaviour and personal safety during the 2019 snow season.
Drug use at the ski fields has become such a concern NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller last year formed the Southern Region Enforcement Squad for covert operations into drug supplies in and around the resorts.
The police stations at Thredbo and Perisher open especially for the snow season while Jindabyne station extends its hours to deal with crime and other issues stemming from the huge numbers of people who descend on the region in winter.
Ten additional officers are brought in from other parts of NSW during the ski season.
Figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) show a clear spike in drug offences over the ski season in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council area, which encompasses Thredbo, Jindabyne, Cooma and Perisher.
Australians are hoovering more than 4.1 tonnes of cocaine up their noses every year amid record seizures and arrests over the pricey powder, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission report released this month.
A record 30.6 tonnes of illicit drugs, with an estimated street value of $5 billion, were seized nationally in 2017-2018.
New records set included 5,096 cocaine seizures and 4,325 cocaine arrests.
This included the record-breaking seizure of cocaine worth $144 million hidden in an excavator shipped from South Africa to Port Botany.
ACT Police said the 384kg of cocaine, found packed into 384 tightly bound parcels inside the vehicle, was allegedly set to blanket the NSW ski fields as well as Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
The Telegraph revealed Rebels bikies were behind the failed importation.
Monaro Police District Commander, Superintendent Paul Condon, said regular police and “intelligence-driven” operations are underway in the alpine region.
“We are using numerous methods including covert and high visibility police operations to proactively target individuals and groups who are involved in illegal drug supply,” Supt Condon said.
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