Police have conducted a high visibility road safety blitz 'Operation Fume' across the Illawarra, South Coast, Monaro and Hume at the weekend, targeting alcohol and drug affected drivers.
Operation Fume ran on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 January 2024 across the Wollongong, Lake Illawarra, South Coast, Monaro and Hume Police Districts, targeting drug and alcohol-related driving offences, and general road compliance.
The high-visibility operation involved officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, supported by the Southern Region Regional Enforcement Squad, the Dog Unit and other specialist resources.
Police issued 175 traffic infringements, laid 16 drink-driving charges and 40 drug-driving charges, detected 15 unlicensed drivers detected driving, conducted 1,600 random breath tests and 458 random drug tests.
Some examples of driver behaviour detected during the operation include
- About 6.15pm on Saturday (20 January 2024), officers spotted a Holden Cruze travelling along the Illawarra Highway at Mt Murray, about 28km west of Shellharbour, allegedly being driven by a man known to them. When the vehicle stopped a short time later, police will allege a woman was now occupying the driver's seat while the man was in the rear passenger seat. The 57-year-old man and 31-year-old female were subjected to a roadside drug test, returning a positive result. The man was also found in possession of prohibited drugs. The 57-year-old man and 31-year-old woman were taken to Moss Vale Station, where they both allegedly returned positive results to a secondary drug test. He was charged with drive while disqualified, drive without proper control, possess prohibited drug and breach bail. He was refused bail to appear in Moss Vale Local Court today (Monday 22 January 2024). She was issued a court attendance notice for drive while suspended and will appear at Moss Vale Local Court on a later date.
- About 9.30pm on Saturday (20 January 2024), officers allegedly detected a Mazda 3 travelling 146km in a 100km/hr zone on the Princes Highway, Bimbimbie, about 15 km South of Batemans Bay. The vehicle was stopped and the driver – a 26-year-old man - was stopped for a random breath test, returning a positive result. He was arrested and taken to Batemans Bay Police Station where a breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.112. He was issued a court attendance notice for drive with mid-range PCA and his license was suspended. He was also issued an infringement notice for exceed speed.
