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A NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol operation last week not only swept up hundreds of drivers with drugs in their system, but also led to high-speed pursuits and the arrests of alleged drug dealers.
Between 12:01am on Thursday, May 8 and 11:59pm on Saturday, May 10, police set up “hundreds” of stationary and mobile random breath and drug testing sites across the state.
Officers conducted 6841 drug tests with 461 people returning positive tests, and 109,796 breath tests with 132 drink-driving offences detected.
The operation also saw police detect 1373 speed-related offences, 286 mobile phone usage offences, and 84 seatbelt or helmet-related offences.
Concerningly, multiple drivers allegedly tried to evade police after being directed to stop – including at least one who led police on a high-speed pursuit.
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Those who allegedly attempted to evade police included a 34-year-old truck driver in Gregory Hills, who was later intercepted by police, arrested, and taken to Narellan Police Station where he returned a breath analysis reading of 0.206.
His licence was suspended and he was issued with a field court attendance notice for failing to stop for random breath testing and driving with a high-range prescribed concentration of alcohol.
A 34-year-old driver in Ingleside, who had allegedly left the road and collided with a rock wall, allegedly attempted to enter another car before police arrested him.
Police said he returned positive results to alcohol and drug tests, and his licence was suspended.
A 41-year-old-man allegedly led Lake Illawarra Highway Patrol officers on a high-speed chase on Friday morning in Shell Cove, speeding away from officers when they approached the vehicle at around 9:20am.
The driver allegedly reached speeds of 165km/h in a 100km/h zone in Dunmore, leading to officers terminating the pursuit for safety reasons. But just before 10:00am, officers located the driver in Farmborough Heights and successfully stopped him, and he allegedly returned a positive drug test.
He was charged with not stopping for police, driving dangerously, exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h, driving while disqualified, as well as driving recklessly/furiously in a speed or manner that was dangerous.
The driver was granted conditional bail to appear at Kiama Local Court on Monday, June 2.
Another pursuit took place on Saturday, May 10 at around 1:40am, when Hunter Valley Highway Patrol Officers patrolling in Kurri Kurri tried to stop a vehicle.
In the end, a gutter stopped the vehicle and the 20-year-old driver – on a learner licence – was apprehended, allegedly returning a positive roadside reading.
Upon searching the vehicle, police allegedly located 320 capsules of MDMA, $1060 in cash, and “other substances” in bags, as well as “large knives and hatchets”.
He was taken to Cessnock Police Station where he was charged with a litany of offences. These were:
- Recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime
- Not stopping for police
- Driving recklessly
- Possessing or using a prohibited weapon with permit
- Possessing a prohibited drug
- Supplying a prohibited drug in more than an indictable quantity but less than a commercial quantity
- Driving unsupervised on a learner’s licence
- Novice driver with novice range prescribed concentration of alcohol
He was refused bail and remanded to appear before Parramatta Local Court, where he was then granted conditional bail to appear at Kurri Kurri Local Court.
Another driver pulled over on Friday, May 9 was allegedly found to have been disqualified from driving until 2059 and had 96.26g of cannabis, 14.21g of methamphetamine and a foldable knife inside his car, as well as $1455 in cash.
He allegedly returned positive results to methamphetamine and cannabis after a secondary oral fluid test, and was charged with various offences including driving while disqualified, possessing and supplying drugs, and having a knife in a public place.
He appeared in Parramatta Local Court where he was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday, May 15.
“We have seen 19 more people lose their lives on our roads this year compared to 2024. That is unacceptable and that is 131 lives too many,” said Assistant Commissioner David Driver, Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander.
“We run these operations to promote road safety, educate drivers, encourage compliance with road rules and reduce loss of life.
“Whilst we saw the majority of motorists comply with the law during the operation, it was disappointing to see some drivers completely disregard the road rules.”
“It is concerning to see any offence occur on our roads, but particularly drink and drug driving combined with high-speed.
“We will continue to run road operations to keep the community safe. Those drivers who break the road rules risk being detected by police, losing their licence, and facing the consequences of their actions in court.”
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