Police seize 119 bags of cocaine in Sydney’s first weekend out of lockdown

More than 119 bags of cocaine were seized and 17 people arrested in just two days after Sydney emerged from a 106 day lockdown. 

The cocaine valued at about $50,000 – along with $30,000 in cash believed to be drug profits – was discovered in the city’s eastern suburbs as part of a street patrols rather than an operation targeting drugs.

The majority of the seizures were made after vehicles stops with those arrested suspected of being mobile drug dealers.

‘This weekend there was a focused effort targeting anti-social behaviour – and thanks to the work of our officers $50,000 worth of cocaine is now off our streets and 17 people have been charged, ‘ Eastern Suburbs commander Detective Superintendent Martin Fileman said. 

He said with hospitality venues reopening and the weather warming up towards summer, police expected large crowds in the eastern suburbs. 

‘The community can be assured that police will maintain a highly visible presence to ­target these types of illicit ­activities and other criminal behaviour,’ he said.

He said police wanted to ‘send a clear message’ that they would not tolerate illicit drugs and those found with them would be swiftly charged and be haled before a court. 

The confiscated cocaine was found in small plastic bags that are sold as containing one gram of the the drug for $250 to $500 each. 

The total weight of cocaine in the seized 119 bags over the weekend was 94.2g, showing some bags contained far less than a gram.

A taxi driver from Bankstown in the city’s west was one of the 17 arrested on the weekend after he was stopped in ritzy Double Bay.

A search of the man’s vehicle allegedly turned up $8,800 in cash and 20.9g of cocaine divided into 34 bags.

Among those arrested was a taxi driver who was allegedly found with 34 bags of cocaine and more than $8,000 in cash (pictured) in his cab