Police dismantle Hunter drug operation

BY JARROD MELMETH

Two men have been arrested after police allegedly uncovered cannabis growing operations at three locations in the Hunter.

In July, detectives established Strike Force Jinker to investigate the commercial supply of cannabis in the Port Stephens and lower Hunter areas.

On Monday, officers executed raids at properties in Jewells, Vacy and Beresfield where they allegedly uncovered 162 cannabis plants and five kilograms of the drug.

Police also seized drug paraphernalia, nun chucks, ammunition and firearm parts.

A 67-year-old man was arrested at a Beresfield, another 48-year-old man was arrested at Belmont. They've both been charged with a number of drug offences.

Both men were granted condition bail and will appear before court on Wednesday 13 October.

Police say they are continuing their investigations and anticipate further arrests.

Man with Kids in His Car Caught with Drugs and Cash on M1

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man faced Newcastle Local Court yesterday after allegedly being caught with drugs and cash in his car on the M1.

Police say at about 12:15pm on Tuesday, a 51-year-old, was driving a sedan north on the M1 at Mandalong when he was stopped for speeding.

Police conducted a roadside drug test on the man which tested positive for cannabis.

Officers then searched the vehicle locating several bags of cannabis totally 2.4kg, 300 capsules of ecstasy (MDMA) and $11,500 in cash which police allege are the proceeds of crime. A knife was also seized.

Image NSW Police Force.

Two children and another adult were also in the car at the time.

The man was taken to Toronto Police Station where he was charged with possess prohibited drug, deal with property proceeds of crime, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, possess prohibited drug (x5), supply cannabis (x2), possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, supply prohibited drug, and custody of knife in public place.

He was refused bail.

Image NSW Police Force

Man Off to Court after Police Pursuit Through Wallsend

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man will face Newcastle Local Court today after a police pursuit through Wallsend.

At about 3:35pm yesterday police attempted to pull over a Holden Commodore Sedan on Sandgate Road, but the vehicle accelerated away initiating a pursuit.

The pursuit was terminated a short time later due to the manner of driving, but the vehicle was eventually located on Lorna Street, Waratah West.

The 31-year-old driver had fled into nearby swamp land and was found hiding in a creek by Police from the Dog Unit.

The man was discovered to be a disqualified driver and also subject to a firearms prohibition order.

Police searched him allegedly finding a small amount of methylamphetamine and then searched the vehicle allegedly finding a 12 gauge sawn off shotgun.

He was taken to Waratah Police Station where he was charged with possess prohibited drug (x2), drive whilst disqualified, police pursuit (Skye’s Law), possess prohibited firearm, and breach firearm prohibition order (x2).

The 31-year-old was refused bail to face court today.

Raid on Hunter House Uncovers Cannabis Set-up

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police have uncovered a large hydroponic cannabis set-up near Cessnock in the Hunter.

At about 10:30pm on Monday night police stopped a Blue Ford Sedan XR6 on Middle Road heading towards Paxton near Cessnock. Police searched the car and allegedly found an amount of cash.

The 50-year-old driver was arrested and taken to Cessnock Police Station.

Police then applied for a search warrant for a property on Middle Road at Paxton.

During raid on the home police allegedly found a hydroponic setup in the rear shed where nine cannabis plants were being grown.

Police say they also found an indoor setup with more cannabis plants, about $3,000 cash which they say is believed to be the proceeds of crime, cannabis leaf throughout the premises, and small resealable bags believed to have contained around 600 grams of methamphetamine.

Police seized all of the items and interviewed a 46-year-old man believed to be the occupant of the home.

He was handed a court attendance notice for cultivating prohibited plants.

He faces Cessnock Local Court next month.

Man on the Run Caught in Warners Bay

BY JESSICA ROUSE

After being on the run since earlier this year, police have finally tracked down a Warners Bay man who was allegedly involved in several police pursuits.

Police from Lake Macquarie Local Area Command were tipped off to the whereabouts of the man by a stolen vehicle parked on Hillsborough Road yesterday.

After further inquiries, and with the assistance of the police dog, officers forced entry into a nearby motel room.

They found three people in the room including the 32-year-old man they were after and two other women.

Officers executed a search warrant and will allege they seized quantities of illegal drugs and more than $1,000 in cash.

The 32-year-old man was arrested and charged with break, enter & steal, predatory driving (x 2), drive conveyance without consent of owner (x 2), police pursuit (x 2), goods in custody (x 2), possess prohibited drug, possess equipment to administer prohibited drug and possess housebreaking implements.

He was refused bail to face Newcastle Local Court today.

The two women were also arrested without incident - A 25-year-old was issued a court attendance notice for possess prohibited drug and will appear in court next year. The other woman, a 35-year-old, was charged with be carried in conveyance and possess prohibited drug.

She was granted bail to appear at Belmont Local Court on January 10, 2018.

Cessnock Gaol Officer Charged after Smuggling Contraband into Facility

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's alleged that a Cessnock Correctional Centre officer not once, not twice, but at least ten times took contraband into the goal throughout this year.

Police have charged a 29-year-old Corrective Services employee after a drug dog operation on Monday (December 18, 2017) uncovered drugs in the officer's wallet.

The man was arrested and taken to Cessnock Police Station where he was interviewed.

Police allege this isn't the first time the officer had taken contraband into the facility - he's been accused of bringing various types of contraband in on ten other occasions and exchanging the contraband for cash.

The 29-year-old has been charged with two counts of agent corruptly receive benefit, bring drugs into place of detention and two counts of unlawfully deliver or attempt to deliver anything to inmate.

The officer has been suspended from duty, and was granted conditional bail to appear in Cessnock Local Court on January 24, 2018.

Hunter Car Stealing Syndicate Smashed

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police have smashed a long time running car-stealing racket in the Hunter.

Strike Force Luchetti has been investigating a syndicate of vehicle theft throughout the Central Hunter and Lake Macquarie Local Area Commands since September where vehicles were stolen and parts of vehicles were exchanged for drugs.

Following extensive investigations, an 18-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday.

He was charged with two counts of steal from motor vehicle, trespass, goods in custody, self administer prohibited drug and fraud.

The 18-year-old was granted conditional bail and will appear at Toronto Local Court next Tuesday (December 12, 2017).

Strike Force Luchetti investigations continue.

Raids on a Dozen Hunter Properties Find Drugs, Weapons

BY JESSICA ROUSE

NSW Police have released details on just what they seized from 12 properties in the Hunter region yesterday.

The Central Hunter Target Action Group and Central Hunter Dog Unit established Strike Force Hoadley in December 2016 to investigate the ongoing supply of drugs in the region.

Ten people have been charged after search warrants at Cessnock, Newcastle, Bellbird, Mayfield and Jesmond uncovered a plethora of drugs including cannabis, and prescription drugs - at a home in Mayfield a number of weapons were allegedly seized including knives, a cross bow, samurai swords and replica firearms.

Six of the ten people arrested face court today on numerous charges.

One man, a 71-year-old who was arrested at Cessnock is charged with supply prohibited drug on ongoing basis, four counts of supply prohibited drug, deal in the proceeds of crime and operate a drug premises. He was refused bail to appear in Cessnock Local Court today.

At the Cessnock properties, police seized methylamphetamines, LSD, cannabis, cash, prescription drugs, replica firearms, ammunition, throwing knives and tools suspected of being stolen.

The others arrested include a 46-year-old man and 29-year-old woman who were arrested at Cessnock; a 32 and 40-year-old man and two women aged 42 and 45 from Cessnock; two men aged 47 and 52 were arrested in Bellbird; and a 37-year-old man was arrested in Jesmond.

Investigations are continuing and its expected further arrests will be made.

Image supplied.

UPDATE $245 Million Cocaine Haul Stopped in Lake Macquarie

BY JESSICA ROUSE

UPDATE:

A multi-agency investigation into international drug trafficking by sea has uncovered 700kg of cocaine in a yacht at Lake Macquarie.

Investigations started in August by officers from NSW Police, the State Crime Command's Organised Crime Squad, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to investigate the importation of cocaine by private vessels.

The vessel travelling from the South Pacific had been tracked by the Australian Border Force, the National Gendarmeie, Tahiti as well as NSW Police's Marine Area Command and PolAir.

At about 3pm yesterday afternoon the vessel was intercepted at Toronto.

A 68-year-old man was arrested on board the vessel, a 47-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Warners Bay and a 63-year-old man was arrested at a home in Islington - all three were charged with import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs and formally refused bail in Newcastle Local Court this morning.

They will all appear back in the same court on January 30.

Mulitple search warrants were carried out across Lake Macquarie as well.

The yacht is still being examined and dismantled at Toronto this afternoon by specialist forensic officers.

The estimated street value of the haul is $245 million.

700kg of cocaine that was found in the hull of the yacht. Image supplied.

Officers dismantling the yacht. Image supplied.

EARLIER:

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

Detectives and forensic officers are working to get a massive haul of cocaine off a yacht in Lake Macquarie.

At least half a tonne of cocaine bound for Australia from Tahiti was intercepted on a yacht at Toronto yesterday.

A multi-agency investigation comprising officers from the NSW Police Force, Federal Police, the Organised Crime Squad, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the Australian Border Force began in August, targeting the importation of cocaine by private vessels.

As a result of inquiries, officers commenced a joint resolution operation in Lake Macquarie on Wednesday, intercepting a yacht at Toronto.

It's alleged the massive drug haul was found concealed in the hull of the vessel.

The drugs have an estimated street value of at least $107 million.

Three men, a 47, 63 and a 68-year-old were arrested and charged over the alleged importation - they've been formally refused bail in Newcastle Local Court today.

The Yacht Which Police Alleged Was Being Used To Import To Import Cocaine To Australia Image supplied

More than 100 Inmates Facing Charges after being Caught out by Operation Purge

BY JESSICA ROUSE

In a bid to crack down on contraband in the state's prison system, Operation Purge has just finished searching NSW's 36 prisons including Cessnock Correctional Complex and collected quite a haul.

From Cessnock, five prison-made weapons were found as well as two smoking elements.

One of the biggest hauls was from Silverwater Correctional Complex where 10 steroid tablets, 4 prison made weapons, phone chargers and more than 15 grams of tobacco were among the many items discovered.

Minister for Corrections David Elliot said the search was conducted over an 11-week period and he's praised the officers who took part which included more than 1,300 custodial officers and 90 Security Operations Group officers.

Prison-made weapon found at Cessnock Correctional Centre.
Image supplied.

"The unprecedented operation has produced great results, with searches of 8,377 inmates, 5,079 cells and 576 common areas. A total of 105 inmates are now facing charges of possessing contraband," said Minister Elliot.

Officers will continue to remain vigilant when it comes to contraband making it behind prison walls and the inmates who are found to be responsible can face prosecution and other punishments such as segregation, withdrawal of privileges and no contact visits for up to 56 days.

Young Girl Brings Home Prescription Medication after Trick-or-Treating

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police are investigating after a young girl received prescription medication while trick-or-treating in Lake Macquarie overnight.

Police say the 13-year-old girl was given the medication in the Blackalls Park area.

Officers have arranged to seize the pills today.

At this stage, there are no further reports of pills being received by children last night.

Investigations are continuing and the matter is being treated very seriously.

Police are encouraging parents in the area to check what their children brought home and call local police if they have any concerns.

Bag of pills from trick-or-treating in Blackalls Park
Image Facebook Ellouise Hawes

Woman Charged Over Alleged Involvement in Cannabis Grow House

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A 44-year-old woman will face Newcastle Local Court today for her alleged involvement in a cannabis grow house.

She was arrested yesterday afternoon at a business in Kotara in relation to the investigation.

The woman was refused bail and charged with knowingly direct activities of a criminal group.

As well as the woman's arrest, police executed a search warrant at a Hunter Street address yesterday where a number of items were seized for forensic examination.

It comes after police uncovered an elaborate hydroponic set-up and a large number of cannabis plants at a commercial premises on Steel Street, Newcastle West on Tuesday.

Investigations are continuing.

Cannabis Plants uncovered on Tuesday Image NSW Police Force

Cannabis uncovered on Tuesday
Image NSW Police Force

Drugs, Cash And Weapons Seized During Raid On Broadmeadow Home

BY IAN CROUCH

A woman is due to face court today after police found drugs, cash and weapons during a raid on a Broadmeadow home.

Officers searched the Young Road property yesterday afternoon and allegedly uncovered more than $15,500 in cash, a small amount of the drug Ice, a taser and tools believed to be stolen.

The 44-year-old woman was arrested and taken to Newcastle City Police Station where she was charged with supply prohibited drug (indictable quantity), possess prohibited drug, goods in custody (x 2), possess prohibited weapon and deal with property proceeds of crime.

She was refused bail and will appear in Newcastle Local Court today (Tuesday 24 October 2017).