Citizens help nab druggies
P E O P L E a r e b o m b a r d i n g Crime Stoppers and Police Link with information on crime in the first week of Operation Ironside, a top Townsville cop says.
Superintendent Steve Munro said the “dob in a druggie” element of the intensive police operation had shown great early success, with a large amount of information from the public leading to police action.
Raids have been executed across the city, with lower level drug offenders specifically targeted.
A 56- year- old Aitkenvale man was charged with production and possession of a dangerous drug when 19 cannabis plants and 131 seeds were seized in the raid of a Kelso St address on Wednesday.
The man was also charged with possessing a drug utensil.
From other raids on that day, a 39- year- old Rosslea woman was charged with failing to dispose of a syringe, possession of cannabis and possession of a drug utensil.
A 40- year- old Aitkenvale woman was charged with possessing cannabis, a 27- year- old Pimlico man was charged with possessing ice and a 38- yearold woman from Vincent was charged with possessing a drug utensil and found to have $ 11,000 in her possession, which was seized and is being investigated.
Complete statistics for the first week of the operation will be released in coming days but Supt Munro said there had been “big impacts” in disrupting the drug trade and its connection with property crime.
“We are extremely im- pressed with the number of people picking up the phone and talking to Crime Stoppers,” Supt Munro said.
“The community are getting on board with this operation.
“Our increased visibility has been very positive … I had someone come up to me and say they saw five police cars in their street one night this week and my answer was if you are in what we call a hot spot, we want people to feel safe and ensure that they are safe.”
Supt Munro said police would continue to have a strong presence in various parts of the city throughout the month- long operation.
He said there was strong message for anyone breaking the law that they “will be targeted and we will track you down”.
Community engagement is another aspect of the operation.
Representatives from the Townsville Crime Prevention Unit were at The Strand markets this week and will be present at the Riverway Moonlight Markets later this month.