Cairns North drug bust: Melanie Patricia Ruddock charged with allegedly trafficking meth, heroin
Police have allegedly seized large amounts of cash, heroin and meth in an early morning raid of a Cairns North property. Five people have been charged with drug offences. See the video.
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Police have allegedly seized large amounts of cash, heroin and meth during an early morning raid of a Cairns North property.
During the execution of the search warrant 47-year-old Cairns woman Melanie Patricia Ruddock was held on seven drug trafficking-related charges.
Also charged during a crackdown on the Cairns illegal drug trade known as Operation Xray Gaston, was a 46-year-old Earlville man, a 25-year-old Cairns woman, a 71-year-old Edge Hill man and 39-year-old Manunda woman.
Detectives from the Major and Organised Crime Squad said they stormed the Cairns North property on Sunday morning and allegedly found quantities of methamphetamine and heroin, as well as a significant quantity of cash.
Officer in charge of the Major and Organised Crime Squad Far Northern Detective Senior Sergeant Brad Grace said stopping the illegal drug trade remained one of the priorities of the Queensland Police Service.
“Illegal drug activity not only affects the individual but the wider community with families being impacted by this scourge in our society,” he said.
“We encourage any member of the public that has information to offer police about this criminal activity to come forward and rest assured it will be acted on.”
Police have not stated exactly how much heroin and meth was allegedly found at the property but the threshold for trafficable quantities of heroin, cocaine, amphetamine or methamphetamine is set at two pure grams in Queensland.
Ms Ruddock was arrested and charged with three counts of possess tainted property, two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one count each of trafficking in dangerous drugs, and contravening order to access information stored electronically.
Ms Ruddock appeared in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday, May 26 where she applied for bail before Magistrate James Morton. However bail was denied and the defendant was remanded in custody until July 15.
The Earlville man was charged with 46 counts of supply dangerous drugs, and one count each of trafficking in dangerous drugs and possess dangerous drugs.
He is due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on June 12.
The Cairns woman was charged with one count of trafficking in dangerous drugs and is due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on June 25.
Issued with a drug diversion notice for his role in the operation was the 71-year-old Edge Hill man.
And the Manunda woman was charged with one count of possess dangerous drugs and is due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on June 17.
Originally published as Cairns North drug bust: Melanie Patricia Ruddock charged with allegedly trafficking meth, heroin
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