Officers pulled the Mitsubishi over in Barnawarthna, which is roughly 300 kilometres northeast of Melbourne. The four-wheel drive was driven by a 28-year-old man from Point Cook. When prompted, he told police that he was heading for Sydney. However, as he didn’t have a permit, police subsequently searched the vehicle.
Inside, they found 50 kilograms of dried cannabis, which is worth $750,000 – $1,000,000 (at $15 – $20 per gram).
They later charged the man with trafficking and possessing a commercial quantity of cannabis. They also allege he could have been a drug runner.
But he isn’t the only person driving drugs up Victoria’s Hume Highway. Over a three-day operation, police discovered drug-runners, drug-affected drivers, stolen vehicles and disqualified drivers in regional Victoria. They ended up impounding eight vehicles and charging 14 people with offences. This included a 24-year-old from Kialla and a 25-year-old in Wodonga who police caught on unregistered bikes, and a 17-year-old from Shepparton.
According to comments made by Inspector Brad Sprague to 9News, these alleged drug runners are a risk to other drivers.
It’s extremely dangerous – we see them going through intersections against red lights and travelling on the wrong side of the road.
He also says that other criminals won’t fly under the radar, as more than 400 officers are patrolling Victoria as part of the latest COVID-19 lockdown.
