Mackay’s biggest drug busts of 2021 reveal seedy crime underbelly

Drug arrests in the region reveal what police believe is a seedy underbelly of crime permeating the streets of Mackay to Eton bushland. Watch the videos of the region’s biggest raids.

Efforts from police unveil how drug traffickers are trying all the tricks in the book from drug-laced gummy bears to $200,000 stuffed in a mattress. Picture: Supplied

Drug arrests in the region reveal what police believe is a seedy underbelly of crime stretching from Mackay’s quiet suburbs to rural Eton bushland.

Here are some of Mackay’s biggest drug arrests for the year so far.

ETON

The footage from police body-worn cameras show a rugged chase on foot through Eton’s bushland after a rural property was searched on June 3.

The chase lead police through a barb-wire fence and multiple neighbouring properties before a 44-year-old man was arrested.

A search of the Kinchant Dam Rd property allegedly uncovered an array of drugs.

The search allegedly found:

• 10.77g of methamphetamine
  
• 182g of marijuana
  
• 0.4g of cocaine
  
• $540 in cash
  
• Nunchucks
  

YALBOROO

Police say 2kg of drug-laced gummy bears were just the tip of the iceberg in a high-visibility Bruce Highway roadside operation.

Operation Mackay Fraser was set up to target impaired drivers at Yalboroo near the Happy Daze festival that took place from May 28 til May 30.

But police claim the operation revealed more than just dangerous driving with searches of vehicles allegedly uncovering a wide array of drugs.

Two kilograms of drug-laced gummy bears were seized in the Mackay Fraser operation. Picture: Queensland Police Service

Mackay Tactical Crime Squad officer and operation lead Senior Sergeant Scott Ingram said there was at least one offender charged for supply and trafficking of dangerous drugs.

Operation Mackay Fraser seized a multitude of drugs including LSD, ketamine, cocaine and cannabis on the Bruce Highway outside of the Happy Daze festival. Picture: Queensland Police Service

The search allegedly found:

• Two kilograms of drug-laced gummy bears
• Drug-laced baked goods
• LSD
• Ketamine
• Marijuana
• Cocaine

WHITSUNDAYS

Whitsunday police had a busy Thursday on May 6 when they carried out five search warrants in a single day uncovering a whopping $43,000 in cash.

On May 6, five search warrants were executed across the Whitsundays division resulting in the seizure of over $43,000, 22kg in cannabis, 41 grams in methamphetamine and 89 grams in cocaine. Picture: Queensland Police Service

Police claim a significant amount of drugs were found in the properties and a 22-year-old Airlie Beach man was arrested on nine charges.

The search allegedly found:

• 22kg of marijuana
• 41g of methamphetamine
• 89g of cocaine
• $43,000 in cash
• A taser

BLACKS BEACH

Police got more than they bargained for when they went looking for a wanted person in a Blacks Beach house on May 4.

Officers entered the Warrilla View property for a wanted person inquiry and allegedly stumbled across drugs, $15,000 cash and a fully functional gun.

A 34-year-old woman was charged in relation to the findings.

Police seized a gun, drugs ammunition and cash from a Blacks Beach address. Picture: Queensland Police Service

Mackay Criminal Investigation Branch Officer-in-charge Jack Savage at the time said inquiries were being made into how the woman came to possess the cash and whether commercial elements were at play.

Police seized a gun, drugs ammunition and cash from a Blacks Beach address. Picture: Queensland Police Service

The search allegedly found:

• A fully functional gun
• Multiple rounds of ammunition
• 3g methamphetamine
• Small quantity of marijuana
• $15,000 cash
• Power tools
• Car registration plates

WEST MACKAY

Police say a raid on a West Mackay house uncovered almost $200,000 stuffed inside a mattress and an array of illicit drugs and stolen property.

Police searched the Landsdowne Rd house in a Saturday blitz on April 24 resulting in four Mackay men, one Sarina man, and one woman from Mt Jukes being charged.

The search allegedly found:

• $186,000 in cash
• 24g of methylamphetamine
• 6g marijuana
• A white 2003 Subaru Liberty reported to be stolen from Cairns
• Prescription medication
• Drug utensils

NORTH MACKAY

Drugs, weapons, fireworks and stolen property were among the illegal paraphernalia allegedly found at a North Mackay house.

Mackay detectives searched the Canberra St property on April 14 where a 28-year-old man was charged with multiple offences.

The search allegedly found:

• Methylamphetamine
• $20,000 in cash
• A rifle and ammunition
• A red Honda motorbike reported stolen in a break and enter in Blacks Beach
• Drug utensils
• Fireworks

ILBILBIE

A mammoth 800 marijuana plants were seized after a raid on an Ilbilbie property on February 17.

Photos from a drug raid at Schirmers Rd at Ilbilbie where police allegedly found about 800 marijuana plants, weapons and explosives. Picture: Queensland Police Service

An unlikely trio comprising a 65-year-old man, a 40-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy was charged after the search on the Schirmers Rd property.

Police also allegedly found and seized a number of items they suspect were used for tending the large crop.

Photos from a drug raid at Schirmers Rd at Ilbilbie where police allegedly found about 800 marijuana plants, weapons and explosives. Picture: Queensland Police Service

The search allegedly found:

• 800 marijuana plants
• Two firearms
• ATV buggy, quad bike, generators, water tanks, pumps and other items used for tending the crop

BLACKS BEACH

Mackay’s first drug bust of the year dismantled an alleged marijuana production network in Blacks Beach.

Marijuana plants seized during a raid on a Whitehaven Dr home in Blacks Beach on January 21. Picture: QPS

Constable Josh Sleep said police were acting on intelligence which led them to the Whitehaven Dr property on January 21.

The operation was allegedly set up inside a house where 12 marijuana plants were reaching maturity.

Marijuana plants seized during a raid on a Whitehaven Dr home in Blacks Beach on January 21. Picture: QPS

Police also seized materials which it alleges could be used to grow more than 100 additional plants.

The search allegedly found:

• 12 marijuana plants
• Materials to grow more than 100 additional marijuana plants

Originally published as Mackay’s biggest drug busts of 2021 reveal seedy crime underbelly