Sydney [Australia], December 10: Small-time drug pushers operating dial-a-dealer schemes are in police sights in the lead-up to Christmas as revellers unwind during the party season.
In the three weekends leading to December 7, NSW Police arrested and charged 108 people as part of a strike force aiming to bust open the on-demand drug suppliers predominantly delivering cocaine to the lucrative Sydney market.
Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said operations targeting the distribution of illegal drugs in the city would continue throughout the coming weeks.
"It's no secret this time of year, there are more people out and about for whatever reason," he said on Monday.
"If you're silly enough to do it, at this time of year specifically, we have a specific focus on it, and you're likely to come unstuck."
Of those arrested, 64 were charged with supplying a prohibited drug and 44 were charged with drug-possession offences.
More than $20,000 worth of drugs were seized, including 560g of cocaine, 78 MDMA caps, cannabis, ketamine and ice.
Almost $99,000 in cash and several cars were also seized.
Among those arrested was a 22-year-old man allegedly found driving around Sydney's city centre with 14 bags of cocaine and thousands in cash, and a Cronulla teenager allegedly caught with 18 bags of cocaine.
A Korean national was also arrested in the city centre allegedly in possession of 21 bags of cocaine and 60 MDMA caps.
In Sydney's east, a 26-year-old man was allegedly found with cocaine and cash inside a hidden compartment, while a 45-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man were allegedly found driving with 24 bags of cocaine, more than $3000 in cash and a knife.
Many of those arrested had no significant criminal history and were first-time offenders, police said.
Mr McKenna said investigators were not just targeting small-time drug dealers.
"This is part of larger operations that we run and we make no apologies for saying that this was a street-level drug supply operation, but we also target mid-level and up the line to the big fish," he said.
NSW Police in September revealed they had busted a syndicate known as "The Commission" that had effectively controlled Sydney's cocaine trade, facilitating billions of dollars' worth of deals each year.
Speaking at the time, Police Commissioner Karen Webb said those busts highlighted the "massive appetite" in the NSW capital for the drug and called for a conversation about what could be done to limit demand.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
