Police have charged 12 people on 48 drug and weapons charges following the closure of an operation targeting the Stanthorpe and Warwick areas.
Police from State Crime Command's Drug and Serious Crime Group along with officers from Stanthorpe and Warwick CIB, Major and Organised Crime Squad (MOCS Rural) and the dog squad closed Operation Romeo Portal on Sunday.
Following searches of 11 properties and residences, police made a number of arrests and seized 41 pounds of cannabis and six illegal firearms.
The arrests included:
- A 24-year-old Clumber man on five drug offence charges.
- A 48-year-old Dugandan man on five drug offence charges
- A 43-year-old Stanthorpe man on three drug offence charges
- A 53-year-old Stanthorpe man on ten drug offence charges
- A 40-year-old Stanthorpe woman on one drug offence charge
- A 25-year-old Cottonvale man on two drug offence charges
- A 49-year-old Stanthorpe man on two drug offence charges
- A 27-year-old Stanthorpe woman on one count of serious assault police and one drug offence charge
- A 26-year-old Stanthorpe woman on two drug offence charges
- A 46-year-old Amiens man on two drug offence and a number of weapons offences
- A 66-year-old Eukey man on three drug offence charges
- A 30-year-old Warwick man on two drug offence charges
- A 36-year-old Warwick woman on 7 drug offences and one obstruct police charge.
"This operation is the result of intelligence-led policing and collaboration with our regional colleagues to target the supply of drugs in the local area. It is widely acknowledged that 'ice' use within regional communities causes significant social and family dysfunction, and those persons who attempt to profiteer from the drug trade will be strongly targeted by police. The actions of police across the weekend show their commitment to enhancing safety throughout Queensland's regional communities.
"It is also a timely warning for any members of the public holding illegal firearms in the community to hand those firearms in, or risk being arrested for being complacent. Illegal firearms pose an unacceptable risk to everyone, and those persons possessing such firearms need to acknowledge their responsibility" Detective Senior Sergeant Tony Parsons of the Drug and Serious Crime Group said.
