Ice trafficking ring busted
POLICE have shattered a major ice trafficking network with the arrest of 11 people on a combined 633 charges in the southwest region.
Detectives yesterday closed Operation Papa Knot, an 18month investigation into the supply and trafficking of methamphetamines in the Maranoa region, focusing on the use of heavy vehicles to transport the illicit substances.
More than 40 properties were raided with police seizing multiple vehicles and large supplies of ice.
South West Acting Superintendent Paul Hart said several people were found in possession of large quantities of ice, suspected of being headed for areas in the southwest.
He said the raids targeted high-level players and alluded to the distribution chain of the drug in the southwest.
“One of the modes of operations of this particular network has been the use of heavy vehicles and the heavy vehicle transport industry,” he said.
“That has provided a means for these offenders that we will be alleging have used vehicles to transport quantities of ice through out the state, and it has been centred here in Roma.”
Supt. Hart said a man, 37, was arrested at a Derry St property in Roma and charged with trafficking in ice as well as more than 390 charges of supplying ice to people in the town and surrounding areas, as well as property related offences and the offence of perverting the course of justice.
“We’ll be alleging that all these charges are related to a sophisticated network of drug trafficking and multiple offenders that have been operating in and around the southwest district, but also in other regions of Queensland,” Supt. Hart said.
“As a result of our activities so far, we have apprehended over 100 offenders in this area and we’ve charged these offenders with almost 800 charges relating specifically to the trafficking of ice right throughout the southwest.”
More raids are expected. “We have other search warrants that will be executed throughout the course of this week because we believe this network has far reaching tentacles,” Supt. Hart said.