Child protection lays more charges
Special operation to stamp out exploitation
TWO men and a woman have been charged by the Cairns Child Protection and Investigation Unit and fronted the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday.
The latest arrests follow an investigation by officers working with Operation Uniform Kalahari, which was set up to stamp out the grooming and exploitation of vulnerable young people in the Cairns area since January this year.
To date, detectives have charged 10 men and one woman with a total of 245 charges as part of Operation Uniform Kalahari.
On October 18, detectives charged 38-year-old Brinsmead woman Shantali Suzann Bramble with a total of six offences including three counts each of wounding, (which related to the alleged injecting of intravenous drugs) and supplying dangerous drugs to a minor under 16-years.
She fronted Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday and was released on bail to reappear on February 1, 2023.
On November 10, 26-year-old Woree man Brian Palauskaus was apprehended by police and charged with seven of aggravated supply of dangerous drugs to a minor under 16, six of carnal knowledge of a child under 16, two of grooming a child under 16, five counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16, five of making child exploitation material, one of possessing child exploitation material and one count of serious assault/obstruct police.
His matter was heard before Joe Pinder in Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday.
Mr Palauskaus was remanded in custody for a committal mention slated for early February next year.
On Sunday detectives charged a 41-year old White Rock man, Anton Ford, with 10 counts of supply dangerous drugs to minors and three counts of wounding. He appeared in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday.
Mr Ford was remanded in custody until February 1, 2023, no bail application was made.
Officer in Charge of the Cairns District Child Protection Investigation Unit Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Gooiker said it had taken officers some time to locate the alleged offenders following the issuing of arrest warrants and investigations so far revealed those arrested acted independently of each other.
Sergeant Gooiker praised the courage of the young people that had come forward to provide information about alleged offenders.
“Operation Kalahari was instigated to investigate allegations that some people were exploiting young people by providing them with drugs for either other things or sexual favours,” he said. “Queensland Police treats these sorts of matters with the utmost importance.”