Hobart streets blocked as Tasmania Police conduct ‘planned operations’

UPDATED: Five people have been charged after drugs, guns, cash and a car believed to be linked to a murder were seized in several Greater Hobart police raids.

Police on the scene of a planned operation at Moonah. Police are conducting several raids around Greater Hobart. Picture: JAMES KITTO

UPDATE: FOUR people will front the Hobart Magistrates Court on Thursday morning after police raided nine properties in a major operation targeting drug and firearm trafficking

More than 100 officers executed the simultaneous search warrants at addresses across Greater Hobart on Wednesday morning.

The searches were part of an extensive investigation, codenamed Operation Gold, targeting the organised trafficking of ice, cannabis and guns in Tasmania.

Upon police entry to one property, a man suffered an injury to the buttocks and was taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital for treatment.

Detective Inspector Kate Chambers on Wednesday night said police had seized three firearms, more than $100,000 worth of illicit drugs and more than $25,000 cash as part of the operation.

Inspector Chambers said a white Holden station wagon believed to be linked to the April murder of Jarrod Leigh Turner at Colebrook was also seized from a fortified shed on Albert Rd, Moonah.

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Police cars at the scene of one of the raids. Picture: JAMES KITTO

Four people were on Wednesday night charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and were remanded in custody to appear at the Hobart Magistrates Court at 10am on Thursday.

Another alleged offender was charged with selling a controlled drug and was bailed to appear at the Hobart Magistrates Court on July 15.

Inspector Chambers said the latest charges came after two 23-year-old women from Glenorchy and Gagebrook were charged in April with drug trafficking in relation to the same operation.

“Every ‘street deal’ seized by police counts. It’s one less ‘deal’ of illicit substance available to our families, friends and our community,’’ she said.

“Police not only work hard to seize illicit substances, they also work to disrupt syndicates and networks responsible for the distribution of them.”

If you have any information about drug or firearms crime in the community, contact Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au.

UPDATE: FIVE people have been taken into police custody and $80,000 worth of drugs seized in a Greater Hobart police raid which left one man in hospital.

Police this morning seized three firearms, $80,000 worth of drugs and $25,000 cash after officers and drug investigators stormed a number of properties around Hobart.

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Police blocked off an address in New Town and property in Albert Rd Moonah from as early as 5am this morning when they raided a fortified shed and seized a vehicle.

Three men aged 31, 34 and 29, all from Hobart’s Northern suburbs, have been taken into police custody for allegedly trafficking a controlled substance.

A 29-year-old male and a 22-year-old female from Hobart’s Northern suburbs have also been arrested.

Detective Inspector Kate Chambers said upon police entry to one Hobart property a man received an injury to the buttocks and was receiving medical treatment at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

Insp Chambers said the arrests were linked with arrests made to two 23-year-old Glenorchy and Gagebrook women who were charged with drug trafficking in April.

“Tasmania Police is a united front when it comes community safety. More than 100 officers came together to address this syndicate’s criminal behaviour, removing drugs and firearms from our streets,” she said.

Insp Chambers said the vehicle seized from the Albert Rd shed was linked to the investigation into the murder of Jarrod Leigh Turner at Colebrook in April.

These serious offences don’t occur in isolation and this investigation clearly demonstrates our commitment to addressing drug related property crime and public place offences.

“Individuals or groups who choose to fortify their premises in order to conceal their criminal activities can expect police attention.”