Dreaming of a white Christmas? Pregnant woman and a pug owner are arrested as 80 people are charged in mass crackdown on cocaine dealing in Sydney
- A pregnant woman was among those arrested in a drug enforcement operation
- Drugs were found hidden in energy drink cans and hidden car compartments
- Police targeted areas in Sydney’s east, the CBD and Sutherland shire
- It was part of a holiday crackdown to stop the supply of cocaine over Christmas
A pregnant woman and a pug owner were arrested by police in a Christmas crackdown on cocaine supply in Sydney.
Police charged 80 people after targeting some of the cities best-known white collar crime areas- including finance hubs around Martin Place, Barangaroo and the Eastern Suburbs.
One of the men arrested was a 51-year-old taxi driver who was allegedly found with two mobile phones, $3400 and more than 13 grams of cocaine in a hidden compartment within the taxi.
A pregnant woman was among 80 people arrested as part of NSW Police’s Strike Force Northtrop which investigated cocaine supply in Sydney
Police arrested the owner of a pug and took the dog into their care while the individual was processed through the system
Another was a 24-year-old pregnant woman who was the passenger of a car in Cronulla where police allegedly found $2,970 cash, four mobile phones and more than 13g of cocaine hidden in a can of energy drink.
While a man 29-year-old man allegedly tried to flee from the police by driving into oncoming traffic in Sydney’s CBD after an attempt by police to stop and search the vehicle.
The crackdown was part of Operation Strike Force Northrop which ran from September 2017 to December 2019 across Sydney’s CBD, the Eastern Suburbs and the Sutherland shire areas.
Police say the found drugs hidden in a series of locations, including a box of mints, hidden car compartment and can of energy drink
The most recent crackdown netted more than 350g of the drug cocaine, and more than $69,500 of cash over six nights in November and December.
Police also charged 46 people with drug supply, and 38 with possession in the most recent stage of the investigation.
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Bell said New South Wales police were disappointed.
Police arrested 80 people across Sydney for the supply and possession of drugs as part of Strike Force Northrop
‘Officers were astounded by how brazen some of these alleged drug transactions have become, often taking place in highly visible and crowded locations in Sydney’s CBD and surrounding suburbs,’ he said in a statement on Monday.
‘This operation once again shows that cocaine supply and possession is not limited to one specific group of people, with several individuals from well-regarded professions in the community among those now before the courts.
‘Unfortunately, some of these people will now spend Christmas behind bars or are likely to start 2020 with a criminal record.’
Since its inception in 2017, Strike Force Northrop investigators have charged 251 people with drug-related offences, including 160 for supply.
Cocaine, MDMA, marijuana and cash were seized during the NSW Police operation
More than $69,500 of cash was seized over six nights in November and December by NSW Police
80 people were arrested by police in the recent crackdown over six days between November and December 2019