Drugs intel dents crime

But vigilance never ends as cops make inroads

A RUN of small to mid-level drug busts on the Gold Coast are helping cops build a bigger picture of the drug culture on the Glitter Strip.

The raids are also helping detectives build intelligence on the higher-level suppliers and traffickers operating throughout the southeast, to help bring down the major players flooding Coast streets with everything from ice, to fantasy, to MDMA.

And it is a constant battle to rid the city of illicit substances, with sources telling the Bulletin the Coast is seeing an influx of street-level dealers coming to the city to make a quick buck, while larger profits are being moved around through gangs and organised crime figures.

“It is a constant battle here on the Coast,” the police source said.

“There is money to be made, if there’s an appetite for drugs, there’s always going to be that element who think they can make an easy dollar.

“We are working hard to bring these people to account.”

It comes as the Gold Coast Rapid Action Patrol group hit another home, seizing drugs and cash, in an ever-growing list of jobs conducted by the sharp end of Coast policing.

In recent months police have raided numerous homes on the back of community tipoffs and intelligence from other warrants executed, gaining a better insight into the web of drug crime.

On Sunday night officers from RAP raided a home in Ormeau, arresting a 29-yearold Mount Warren Park man and a 27-year-old Daisy Hill woman, after allegedly finding GHB, ice and $22,000 in cash, along with drug utensils.

Officer in Charge of the Gold Coast RAP, Senior-Sergeant Andrew Frick said his squad was an integral part of the machine fighting back against drug dealers.

“The RAP is a cog in a big machine working with 1000 police across the district, including external partners like the Major and Organised Crime Squad and Taskforce Maxima,” Sen-Sgt Frick said.

“Every bit of intel accounts to building a bigger picture of what the drug possession and dealing that occurs across the Gold Coast looks like.

“It’s our continual attention to the issue of drug possession on the Gold Coast.

“We may maintain a watch over several things, including OMCGs, drugs and high risk offenders. As these things come to our attention we allocate the resources to respond to them, which is what you’ve seen here with this job.”

If you have any information about crime on the Gold Coast, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.