Operation Surge nails drugs, child abuse materials, car thieves, DV, and traffic offenders across North Coast in four day high-vis police blitz

A North Coast police blitz has charged 10 people with more than 50 offences in four-day high-visibility operation which senior officers say is a bid to clamp down on crime.

Between Monday and Thursday, Richmond Police District officers were assisted by Northern Region Operations teams, Highway Patrol, the Dog Unit, Police Rescue and Polair, saturated the Richmond Police District under Operation Surge to target and reduce crime.

North Coast police have charged 10 people with more than 50 offences during a four-day high-visibility operation focused on preventing and disrupting crime in the state’s north.

Between Monday and Thursday, Richmond Police District officers were assisted by Northern Region Operations teams, Highway Patrol, the Dog Unit, Police Rescue and Polair, saturated the Richmond Police District under Operation Surge to target and reduce crime.

By Friday, the operation had yielded 10 arrests and laying a combined 53 offences.

Officers also completed 28 AVO compliance checks and four firearms prohibition order compliance checks, while four search warrants were also executed.

It included officers from the North Coast DV High Risk Offenders Team along with Ballina Child Abuse Squad attending a hotel in Lismore following an “extensive investigation into alleged sexual assault and drug supply offences”.

Richmond police officers have 10 arrests and charged offenders with a combined 53 offences. (File picture)

Officers arrested a 46-year-old man about 8.30am before taking him to Lismore Police Station where he was charged with five counts of supply prohibited drug (small quantity to small child by adult), three counts of aggravated sexual assault – victim under the age of 16 years, three counts of have sexual intercourse with child, intentionally sexually touch child, and procure child for unlawful sexual activity.

He appeared before Magistrate Michael Dakin on Monday, was formally refused bail to reappear before Lismore Local

Court on March 12.

Operation Surge produced arrests for alleged child abuse material. (File picture: Eliza Barr)

Then, about 2pm on Monday, and as part of an ongoing investigation into stolen vehicles, officers attended a home on Boronia Ave, Casino, where they conducted a firearms prohibition order search.

A man, 31, was arrested and taken to Lismore Police Station where he was charge with drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, and drive motor vehicle during disqualification period.

He was refused bail to appear before Lismore Local Court on January 14, where magistrate Michael Dakin formally refused bail and ordered him to appear before Tweed Heads local court on March 3.

Lismore detectives investigating allegations into child abuse material were assisted by the AFP dog unit to execute a search warrant about at a home in Girards Hill about 8.40am on Tuesday.

Operation Surge focusing on preventing and disrupting crime on the North Coast will continue. Picture: Tom Parrish

Police allegedly seized several electronic devices that will undergo forensic examination.

Officers also allegedly found an amount of cannabis and heroin that was also seized.

Officers arrested a 53-year-old man and charged him with two counts of possess prohibited drug, use carriage service to access child abuse material, possess child abuse material, and self-administer/attempt self-administer prohibited drug.

The man was refused bail to appear before Lismore Local Court January 15 before being granted strict conditional bail to appear before Lismore Local Court on March 12.

On Tuesday, police arrested a 20-year-old man at a home on Oak Ave, Casino after inquiries into alleged break and enter, drug, and traffic offences.

The man was charged with 26 offences at Casino Police Station.

He appeared before magistrate Michael Dakin in Lismore Local Court on Wednesday where he was formally refused bail and ordered to appear before Coffs Harbour Local Court on March 11.

A man was taken to Casino Police Station and charged with 26 offences relating to alleged break and enter, drug, and traffic offences. (File picture)

Police were kept busy, attending a home in Goonellabah about 11.40pm on Wednesday as part of an investigation into property and traffic offences.

Police located and arrested a 14-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man, taking them to Lismore Police Station.

The 14-year-old was charged with take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, and breach of bail. He was refused bail to appear before a children’s court on Thursday where he was granted conditional bail to appear before the same court on February 7.

The 19-year-old man was charged with aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence, drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, unlicensed for class, and breach of bail.

He was refused bail and appeared before magistrate Michael Dakin in Lismore Local Court on January 16.

He was formally refused bail to appear before the same court on March 26.

Police said in a statement further surge operations are expected across the Northern Region as police target and disrupt crime.

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Originally published as Operation Surge nails drugs, child abuse materials, car thieves, DV, and traffic offenders across North Coast in four day high-vis police blitz