The search warrants were a joint response from our Target Action Group and Lower River (Yamba/Maclean) units, with assistance from police attached to Grafton Police Station.

At 11:30am, Police executed a search warrant at a unit on Heber Street, South Grafton. Police allegedly seized 6 grams of crystal methylamphetamine, half a gram of cocaine, and 60 grams of cannabis.

The drugs have a combined estimated potential street value of $7,600.

At 2.30pm, Police then executed a search warrant at a premises on Back Kings Creek Road Lawrence where 13 cannabis plants were seized allegedly growing in a hydroponic (indoor) setup.

The cannabis plants have a potential estimated street value of $55,000. A 45yo man from that premises was arrested at the scene and taken to Grafton Police Station where he has been charged with Cultivating and possessing cannabis, and given bail to appear at Grafton Local Court on the 24 April 2017.

Around 3pm, Police then executed a search warrant a premises on Iluka Road, The Freshwater, where they located 40 mature cannabis plants with an estimated street value of $80,000.00, as well as 135 grams of cannabis leaf with a potential street value of $3,375.

All up, drugs with an estimated potential street value of almost $150,000 have been stopped from entering or affecting our community.

“It is a good day when we can improve the safety of the community by taking a large amount of dangerous drugs like cannabis, ice and cocaine away, said Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command’s crime manager, Detective Inspector Darren Jameson.

“We are extremely pleased with the results from yesterday, but the thanks goes to the communities of the Coffs/Clarence who continue to understand how dangerous these drugs are to our safety and security, and provide us with quality information so that we can undertake these operations, and seize these drugs.

“Again, this shows us that locally cannabis is the gateway drug in our community, given its use alongside other drugs, and in this case ice and cocaine.

“We will continue to keep the throttle on in targeting cannabis and all other dangerous drugs, particularly as they continue to infect our kids and our communities”.