SHOCKING IMAGES IN DRUG FIGHT
DISTURBING scenes are confronting Darling Downs police as they knock down doors in a relentless battle against drugs.
Pregnant women and mothers are living in homes littered with used needles and syringes where children play in lounge rooms.
Tomato sauce bottles are turned into crude bongs that adults are using to smoke marijuana.
Teenagers possess elaborate knowledge of where to hide drugs including methamphetamines – or ice – from police.
Almost 340 people have been charged with nearly 900 offences since Operation Quebec Trawler began in Toowoomba in July. And police warn they won’t stop any time soon.
scenes are confronting Darling Downs police as they knock down doors in a relentless battle against drugs in the community.
Pregnant women and mothers are living in homes littered with used needles and syringes where children play in lounge rooms.
Tomato sauce bottles turned into crude bongs are being used by adults to smoke marijuana.
Teenagers show an elaborate knowledge of how and where to store drugs including methamphetamines – or ice – from police.
For the Darling Downs Tactical Crime Squad, the situations are an alarming reminder of the drug scourge impacting communities.
Fifteen homes were raided this week under Operation Quebec Trawler, the ongoing community information fuelled attack against drug use, supply and possession in the Darling Downs.
The 21 people charged with 46 offences bring the operation’s total well into the hun- dreds.
“It’s a concern for Darling Downs police that since we started this operation in July, we’ve charged almost 340 people for drug offences including trafficking and possession and supply of drugs,” TCD Acting Officer-in-Charge Senior Sergeant Matt Howard said.
“It’s a battle we’re going to continue. We’re not going to stop and further raids will occur before the end of the year.”
Snr-Sgt Howard said the operation took a long-game approach, verifying intelligence supplied from the community which then led to specific people being targeted on raid days.
Since it began in July, there have been 12 “raid days”.
Among the first properties to be searched five months ago, officers were confronted with a pregnant woman with young children inside a home littered with used needles.
Snr-Sgt Howard said finding children in those conditions, and having that information provided from the public, spurred officers on in the relentless war on drugs.
Police work closely with the Department of Child Safety and other agencies to help the children caught up in the drug abuse cycle in the hope of giving them a better future.
“Obviously members of the community have had enough of drugs in this town and they’re telling us about where the drugs are.,” he said.
“We execute warrants and we will continue to do that to stop crime in Toowoomba and the Darling Downs as a whole.”
The crackdown will continue during the Christmas period, with more raids and charges anticipated before the end of the year.
“Operation Quebec Trawler will continue to run into 2019,” Snr-Sgt Howard said.
“With information being provided to us, and the results we are getting, there’s no reason to stop it.”
Information can be reported to Crime Stoppers 24 hours a day on 1800 333 000.