Police meth raids target small towns

Police efforts to curb the prevalence of methamphetamine have identified smaller towns in the Great Southern are being used to traffic the drug in large quantities.

An ongoing operation by Albany detectives targeting the drug’s distribution into the region has so far resulted in 10 people being charged with 18 offences, including possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell or supply and firearms-related offences.

Operation Bullfrog follows on from Operation Solar Flare in July, where mid-level drug dealers in smaller towns in the region were targeted.

Great Southern police district Inspector Dave Bryson said in the year to date, associated offences relating to methamphetamine use, such as burglaries, were down 4 per cent across the Great Southern district, while Albany had experienced a 34.4 per cent drop.

Insp. Bryson said operations targeting methamphetamine trafficking into Albany had found a trend of large quantities being distributed by mid-level dealers in smaller surrounding towns.

“One search warrant executed in the Porongurups identified two drug traffickers from Perth and one mid-level drug supplier from Porongurup and netted approximately 35g of methamphetamine, along with a stolen firearm and a large quantity of cannabis,” he said.

“The Great Southern district continues with drug day of action operations in which known drug dealers are targeted through the execution of drug warrants at their addresses or through vehicle stops.

“Drug seizures for the year to date are up 42.6 per cent. Intelligence on these operations are coming from the public and other sources.”

Insp. Bryson said there was no evidence to suggest availability of methamphetamine was higher in the Great Southern than any other district after national research found WA was among one of the easiest places in Australia to buy the drug.

Data from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre’s illicit drug reporting system found 96 per cent of those surveyed in WA rated the availability of methamphetamine easy or very easy to acquire.

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