Closure of hotel after raid

[Tom]

A HOTEL was shut down for three days in Tamworth on the weekend after police located drugs during a raid on the premises.

The Good Companions Hotel in Brisbane St was closed to drinkers on Saturday night following the execution of a search warrant earlier that day. The raid and arrest of a 32-year-old Tamworth man comes a month after an undercover police officer was allegedly supplied quantities of prohibited drugs at the pub.

 

Oxley LAC duty officer inspector Darren Steel yesterday said Tamworth police executed a search warrant on the hotel on Saturday night in the culmination of a Law Enforcement Controlled Operation carried out in recent weeks.

 

He said during the course of the operation, named Taskforce Stirling, it is alleged the man supplied quantities of the prohibited drug MDMA, known as ecstasy, to a police officer working undercover at the hotel.

 

"The search warrant was carried out on the Brisbane St hotel on Saturday morning and included general duties officers, detectives and a canine from the NSW Police Dog Unit," Inspector Steel said.

 

"During the search a small amount of cannabis was located in two guest rooms of the premises and seized.

 

Inspector Steel said the 32-year-old man was arrested during the raid and taken to Tamworth Police Station where he was questioned and later charged.

 

He said the man was charged with the alleged supply of a prohibited drug to police and is likely to be charged with other drug matters.

 

"A notice forcing the closure of the hotel for 72 hours was also served during the search warrant," Inspector Steel said.

 

"This means the hotel won't be allowed to open its doors until Tuesday."

 

Inspector Steel said the man was given conditional bail to appear in Tamworth Local Court on November 28.

 

The Good Companions Hotel will be open on Tuesday and be back to business as usual on Thursday night.

 

Author:www.yourguide.com.au

Date:Monday, 24 October 2005

Source:www.yourguide.com.au

Copyright:© Copyright 2000 by Rural Press Ltd