11 arrested in Operation Surge across lower Hunter, including man with 69 MDMA capsules
A man arrested on drug-dealing charges at a popular Newcastle night spot and a woman who sent social media into a spin after offering up her own picture for a police mugshot, were among the 11 people arrested as part of a police operation.
Newcastle
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A man who allegedly had possession of 69 MDMA capsules at a popular Newcastle nightspot, a woman who had taunted police on social media and a suspect wanted over an aggravated break and enter are some of those arrested following a significant Hunter police blitz.
The second Operation Surge hit four police districts for 12 hours from Saturday afternoon, with 100 officers flooding areas across the lower Hunter to target drink-drivers, drug dealers, wanted suspects and those on the child protection register.
By 4am on Sunday, police had arrested 11 people and laid 17 charges.
Ten people were charged for possessing or supplying drugs, four were charged with drink-driving.
Police also issued 40 traffic infringements, checked 74 licenced premises and cautioned 11 juveniles.
The arrests include a 20-year-old at the Cambridge Hotel, in Newcastle West, who allegedly had 69 MDMA capsules in his possession.
He was charged with drug supply and conditionally bailed to appear in Newcastle Local Court on February 27.
His arrest occurred during the last phase of the operation, which began on Saturday afternoon with all four police districts identifying a top 10 list of those wanted on warrants.
It included Tiffany-Anne Brislane-Brown, who had sparked a social media frenzy after replying to a Newcastle City police post on Facebook which published a mugshot of her, including posting her own image, complete with filters.
“Loving the photo taken how many years ago,’’ she said on the post after a bevy of comments criticising her mugshot.
“Let’s calm down on the comments guys. It’s not everyday I look like trailer trash.
According to police she was wanted on an outstanding warrant.
Ms Brislane-Brown was picked up by police on Saturday afternoon.
“If you are going to taunt the police we are more than happy to oblige,’’
Operation Surge commander, Superintendent Danny Sullivan, told The Newcastle News.
Another wanted man was arrested in Maitland over a serious aggravated break and enter charge.
Superintendent Sullivan said the operation included several phases, including the afternoon hunt for those wanted on outstanding warrants.
Police then swarmed troubling areas around Cessnock, Maitland and Raymond Terrace before converging back on to the Newcastle entertainment precinct later in the evening.
Detectives conducted evening checks on those on the child protection register, a blanket after-dark check believed to be a first.
Drug dogs and police helicopters were also in use.
“Operation Surge was created to merge police resources across several Hunter suburbs, being able to move freely and deploy to wherever the demand and need is at any given time,’’ Superintendent Sullivan said.
“This operation allows police to engage with the public in highly visible areas and in vast numbers – reinforcing that the Hunter’s police are there to protect the community all day, every day.
“For the second deployment of Operation Surge, we wanted to focus on utilising the real-time intelligence from our analysts to target repeat offenders within each police district.
“Police will continue to put operations like surge into practice; those in the community who wish to cause trouble need to know we will be there, and we will be there in large numbers.’’