TWENTY seven people will face the ACT Magistrates Court following a 15 month operation targeting the link between property offences and the trafficking of illicit drugs, predominantly Methylamphetamine (Ice), within the ACT.

Over the 15 month period, ACT Policing’s Crime Targeting Team executed over 50 search warrants, seizing:

• over 5 kilograms of illicit drugs,
• over $200,000 in Australian currency,
• 20 firearms,
• over half a million dollars worth of stolen property, and
• eight motor vehicles.

Police have charged 27 offenders, aged between19 and 62, with over 70 offences. These offences include receiving stolen property, traffic in controlled drug other than cannabis, forgery, unauthorised possession of firearms, possess/use a prohibited weapon without authorisation, use false document and obtain property by deception.

Investigations are continuing in relation to a further 15 offenders, with more charges expected to be laid in the coming months.

Detective Acting Superintendent of Criminal Investigations, Marcus Boorman, attributed the success of Operation Ronin to the dedication of Criminal Investigators, Intelligence Officers and information provided by members of the ACT community, through reports to police and Crime Stoppers.

“Drug trafficking has a flow on effect to other crimes, including burglaries and thefts – these illegal activities won’t be tolerated by police and we have achieved significant results addressing this illegal activity.”

“I would like to thank the ACT community for their ongoing assistance, the information you have provided has assisted police to achieve these results” he said.

If you have any information on drug trafficking or stolen property, police urge you to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report via the Crime Stoppers website.

Police remind people not to report crime to Facebook or Twitter pages.