Crime crackdown in Moreton

Operation Whiskey Legion wrapped up its fifth deployment, in the Moreton Police District, today with more than 370 people arrested on almost 965 charges.

The 10-day blitz, which started on May 22, involved specialist police from Highway Patrol, Crime and Intelligence Command, Rail Squad, Water Police, Dog Squad, Crime Prevention and local police to target high-risk crime and offenders.

At the end of the Moreton deployment, the total operation arrests was more than 1410 people charged with more than 3360 offences, including more than 260 juveniles.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Special Operations Brian Connors said the operation was established to ensure the community is safe and feels safe.

“We’ve seen a significant amount of police activity on the ground in Moreton yielding exceptional results,” Acting Deputy Commissioner Special Operations Brian Connors said.

“But beyond the numbers, our goal is to drive down crime in hotspot locations across Queensland.

“Each arrest of a high-risk offender is one less person that has the opportunity to cause significant harm to their community, and themselves.”

Acting Chief Superintendent Adam Guild said the operation has caused a significant disruption to crime in the Moreton area.

“Throughout the Moreton deployment, officers focused on high visibility policing by conducting 41 search warrants, 3588 RBTs and RDTs, 131 people wanded and 227 hotspot patrols,” A/Chief Superintendent Guild said.

“Community engagement was also a top priority and the team deployed the Mobile Police Beat to shopping centres and public areas across the districts every day to speak with and support the local community.

“Police also engaged with 217 victims and referred 39 people in need to local support services.

“Through it all, we’ve received some really positive feedback from the community and look forward to continuing on this trajectory towards strengthened community safety.”

During the operation, police conducted 41 targeted raids on properties across the Moreton area, through which police were able to successfully disrupt a significant drug trafficking business.

Police will allege a 24-year-old Caboolture man was producing and trafficking a range of drugs including cannabis, amphetamine and cocaine.

He has been charged with three counts of possessing dangerous drugs, two counts of producing dangerous drugs and one count each of possessing dangerous drugs Schedule 2 drug quantity of or exceeding Schedule 3, possessing anything used in the commission of crime, and possess utensils or pipes etc that had been used.

He has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear in the Caboolture magistrates Court on May 31.

Further investigations led police to charge the 24-year-old Caboolture man with an additional two counts of possessing dangerous drugs Schedule 2 drug quantity of or exceeding Schedule 3, and one count each of possessing dangerous drugs Schedule 1 drug quantity of or exceeding Schedule 3 but less than Schedule 4, possession of property suspected of being the proceeds of an offence under Drugs Misuse Act, unlawful possession of suspected stolen property, and unlawful possession of weapons.

He was due to appear in the Caboolture Magistrates Court on May 31.

The operation also narrowed in on hooning in the area with Moreton Highway Patrol charging a 24-year-old Burpengary man with more than 75 offences and seizing three motorcycles after a search warrant in Burpengary on May 23.

A 24-year-old Burpengary man has been charged with 15 counts each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlicenced driving, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving an uninsured vehicle, driving a defective vehicle and two associated hooning offences, wilful damage, public nuisance and using a mobile phone whilst driving.

Police were also able to track and disrupt a planned hooning event in Caboolture through sophisticated intelligence tools.

The Digital Intelligence Collection and Evaluation (DICE) team were made aware of a hooning event planned for Saturday, May 25, allowing police to strategically plan for Highway Patrol vehicles to attend and POLAIR to monitor from above.

As cars began to arrive at the event on Beerburrum Road, they were met with a heavy police presence and quickly dispersed.

This allowed police to shut down the dangerous event, before it even began, creating a safer community.