400 rail users searched for drugs

[boulder]

A TOTAL of 18 people have been charged with supplying drugs after a two-day police operation on the Sydney rail network.

 

Police said Operation Guardian, which was conducted with rail transit officers, had targeted drug offences at major city rail stations.

 

More than 400 people were searched during the operation, resulting in 150 cannabis cautions, 130 court attendance notices, and 18 people being charged with supply of a prohibited drug.

 

One of those charged was a man on his way to the Big Day Out music festival, who was arrested at the Olympic Park Rail Station in possession of 46 ecstasy tablets, police said.

 

The operation included more than 300 police from ten Local Area Commands, police from the Vikings Unit, nine drug detection dogs and 259 State Transit Officers, police said.

 

The operation ran on Friday and Saturday and covered the Illawarra Line from Central to Wollongong, the northern line from Gosford to Strathfield, the inner west Line from Central to Strathfield, the southern line from Liverpool to Lidcombe and the western line from Blacktown to Lidcombe.

 

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/commo...55E1702,00.html

[99waystofuckyou]

I find those "busts" revolting. How many crooks pushers and big time dealers are going to be carrying a sack full of saddys around on the train?The only people this catches are kids and small time growers which is pathetic.

 

My brother recently got caught in this, lucky he only got a caution but he had about 6 cones worth of mix which he was taking back to his place in this city.

 

They did this at my school railway station once too, all these kids were going look, police dogs *how cute* and running over to pat it and I was like, AAARGH running the other way.

 

Their ploy is to siphon everyone getting off the trains through the area with the sniffer dog by channeling them through one exit and not letting them go through others.

 

Another time my brother was on the train he actually saw the dogs at the station before he got off, he had to smoke in his pocket so he just dropped it on the train floor, the second time it was in the bottom of his bag where he couldn't get to it to ditch it.

[Bubba]

The operation included more than 300 police from ten Local Area Commands, police from the Vikings Unit, nine drug detection dogs and 259 State Transit Officers, police said.

 

And look what they got for it. A guy with less than two dozen pills and kids with nothing but their own weed is the highlight of this story. If that's the most they got then I'd call that operation a complete failure.

 

They should be spending resources on finding herion and speed suppliers instead of picking on cannabis users, stupid fucks are probably too stuck for hard drug leads so the asshat cheif whips up this idea to keep their image intact - "Look Australia, we caught 150 cannabis users, glory to us!"

 

Yep, but there's still more hard shit out on the streets than ever, where the real harm is being done.

[boulder]

Right on Bubba a total waste of taxpayers money and police resources when they could be out catching or preventing real crimes.

But i guess it makes them look pretty good to the politicians and makes good reading for the general public.

Edited January 25, 2004 by boulder

[Guest jesus]

what dumb fucks! (police)

[deejayvee]

This has annoyed me ever since the NSW government gave itself the right to use sniffer dogs on public transport.

 

Shouldn't we be encouraging drug users onto public transport? Otherwise they're going to get in their cars and drive.

 

Just doesn't make sense to me.

[El_Badass]

Well it may be a two pronged strategy. Where first they bust people on the trains and then they move to test drivers trying to cut the supply or really just piss people off.

[Mr_Moogle]

Dammit....im due for a pickup soon....and it could be risky

 

Is carrying half an Oz for about half an hour too risky?

[holysmokesbatman]

go for it, the op is over. they rest on their laurels for awhile if they really are doing it to save some face. i carried half an ounce on a plane to melbourne once, and ive carried 1/8s to melbourne on a plane and back a few times aswell

in brisbane we dont have much of what i read in sydney and melbourne. its a pretty fuckin cool place.

[Brash]

More than 400 people were searched during the operation, resulting in 150 cannabis cautions, 130 court attendance notices, and 18 people being charged with supply of a prohibited drug. ...

The problem i have with this story is:

150 cannabis cautions

130 court attendance notices

18 people being charged with supply

398 total busts ?

 

Am I reading this right? out of 400+ searches?

 

If so this is one of the most successful actions for police in recent history. Last year 600 police searched over a 1000 people on Oxford Street, Sydney and only busted 1 supplier and about 12 users. This is far closer to their normal success rate. Are they improving or is this a case of a journo misreporting the facts?