Drug dealers targeting vulnerable northern beaches kids online
It has been revealed that drug dealers are targeting vulnerable young people on the northern beaches through social media, following a warning from the region’s top cop that kids are out of control on drink and drugs.
- ‘It’s only a matter of time before someone gets killed’
- Bus driver says Warringah Mall kids are abusive
- Concerning rise in teens ‘fuelled on alcohol and drugs’
Drug dealers are targeting vulnerable young people on social media, according to a youth worker on the northern beaches where there has been a worrying spike in anti-social behaviour.
It follows a stern message to parents from the peninsula’s top cop Supt Dave Darcy that children “fuelled on drugs and alcohol, both illegal and prescription” have been acting angrily and aggressively towards police, members of the public and bus drivers.
Justene Gordon, who works for youth group The Burdekin Association, said social media had given young people greater access to alcohol and drugs and that dealers were even engaging with their clientele on Facebook and group messaging sites.
“They are targeting vulnerable young people,” she said.
“They’ve been some tragic incidents on the beaches where young people have died and drug dealers are joining in group chats offering drugs.”
Supt Darcy told the Manly Daily there were around 200 young people on the beaches that were causing a nuisance and it had to stop.
The parents of 21 children were contacted last weekend due to their alcohol-affected behaviour.
Police also found drugs and knives.
He said while it was a relatively small number of children at the northern end of the beaches police would be out in force again this weekend and subsequent weekends until the behaviour was “pruned back”.
He said concerns around the mixing of alcohol and prescription drugs such as Xanax, Valium and Ritalin were concerns as it was causing them to go into a “disassociated state”.
He said during searches police were finding prescription drugs.
“We will be out every weekend in force until this settles down,” he said.
Pittwater ward Northern Beaches Councillor Kylie Ferguson said she was behind Supt Darcy 100 per cent.
She said the issue had escalated over the past month with two classrooms being broken into and smashed up.
She said Newport had also been graffitied from top to bottom.
“It’s got out of control,” she said.
“We are seeing violence and crime.
“Parents are telling me they are concerned about their kids. They are feeling frightened of gangs.
“We are calling it out, making parents aware.”
Cr Ferguson said parents needed to talk to their kids.
“If you don’t the police will,” she said.
“It’s the parents’ job to discipline their children.”
She also said she was looking to provide more for young people in the area including a basketball court.
A father-of-three from Scotland Island, said his Year 12 son had told him that he was relieved that action was being taken over aggressive teenagers who were threatening others.
“He says kids are running rife and are causing all sorts of damage,” said the dad who did not want to be named.
“He’s showed me pictures of what they are doing on the buses and them running amok.
“The problem is that we’re the insular peninsula with a lot of money and some people don’t have a lot of money.”
A spokesman for the Sydney Drug Education and Counselling Centre (SDECC) said it was important to recognise that the number of children involved were very small and that there was no need for hysteria.
The spokesman said they catered for young people from the age of 12 to 24 and the main problem was alcohol and cannabis, although they had seen a rise in numbers of kids also using pharmaceuticals such as Xanax with alcohol which can cause blackouts, aggression and violence.
“The concern with that is the risk of an overdose is quite high,” the spokesman said.
A NSW Department of Education spokesman said the Northern Beaches Police Area Command had written to local parents about anti-social behaviour by young people in the area.
“It is important to note that the behaviour they are referring to is occurring outside of school hours and includes students enrolled in government and non-government schools,” he said.
“Local schools and the NSW Department of Education will continue to work closely with police on this issue. This includes regular contact with police youth liaison officers.
“Expulsion and suspensions rates at public schools on the Northern Beaches have remained consistent over the last two years.”
SDECC offers information and support for young people and their parents on 02 9977 0711.
Dramatic arrest when car crashes after alleged police chase
A man has been hit with a string of charges after allegedly taking police on a chase in a stolen Mercedes before it was involved in a crash on the northern beaches.
Inquest call 50 years after mystery disappearance of Sydney woman
A tormented family is calling for an inquest into the mystery disappearance of a young Sydney woman 50 years ago — they believe she may have been murdered.