The Source: Fire Rescue Victoria trainees stumble upon bag of drugs during training exercise

New recruits at FRV appear to be getting a bit more than they bargained for, with a group recently forced to abandon an exercise after stumbling upon a stash of hidden contraband.

Trainee firefighters uncovered hidden drugs in a vehicle donated by Victoria police.

Putting the squeeze on Victoria’s movers, shakers and headline makers

One of Victoria’s emergency services has been discovering hidden “items of contraband” hidden in vehicles impounded by Victoria Police and later used for training purposes.

Fire Rescue Victoria confirmed staff at their Craigieburn facility recently stumbled across a sealed bag of what appeared to be methamphetamine during a training exercise on October 25 last year.

Trainee firefighters cutting up the vehicle were shocked to discover the “illegal contraband” stashed away inside the vehicle, which is understood to have been kept at the facility for a few years.

“The exercise was immediately stopped and FRV’s established procedures were followed, which included notifying Victoria Police,” the spokesman said.

Contraband is discovered about once a month by firefighters during training exercised. Picture: file image

“The following day, Victoria Police attended and removed the contraband.”

Under a Memorandum of Understanding, FRV takes impounded or unclaimed vehicles from Victoria Police to use during training exercises and demonstrations.

As an unintended consequence, trainee firefighters are often discovering “items of contraband” inside these vehicles.

It is estimated that contraband is discovered about once a month.

FRV has now established official “procedures” to handle the contraband and handball the discovered items to police.

“When items are discovered, the exercise is paused immediately, and the matter is handed over to Victoria Police,” a FRV spokesman said.

Eyebrows raise over Allan’s crackdown

Premier Jacinta Allan’s pre-Christmas announcement of a crackdown on protests in the city has since raised a few eyebrows among the comrades at Trades Hall.

Along with a ban on masks, glue and protests outside places of worship was a ban on chains which aimed to stop noisy dissident types locking themselves to fences or railings.

Equal pay activist Zelda D’Aprano famously chained herself to the doors of Melbourne’s Commonwealth Arbitration Commission building in 1969.

The statue of equal pay activist Zelda D'Aprano stands outside Trades Hall. Picture: Mark Stewart

But outside Trades Hall on Lygon St is a statue of celebrated equal pay activist Zelda D’Aprano who famously chained herself to the doors of Melbourne’s Commonwealth Arbitration Commission building in 1969.

The statue, opened in 2023 by former PM Julia Gillard no less and lauded by Labor types young and old, even has D’Aprano holding chains.

And yes, it’s called ‘Chain Reaction’.

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