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NSW Police aim to tackle rogue truckies running millions in drugs, guns and prostitutes

Sen-Constable Rob Jolliffe and Sen-Constable Tom Pollock search cars and trucks along the

Sen-Constable Rob Jolliffe and Sen-Constable Tom Pollock search cars and trucks along the highway just outside of Goulburn. Picture: Jeremy Piper

  • $93m seized in contraband in four years
  • Bikies buying small companies to help move guns, prostitutes, drugs and cash
IT’S 11am on the Hume Hwy near Goulburn where two highway patrol officers have stopped a blue Commodore for an initially innocuous RBT — nothing out of the ordinary.

But an officer suddenly notices something awry.

As he later told The Daily Telegraph, a quick observation of the 22-year-old driver showed a man quickly becoming “nervous and his story didn’t add up”.

A search of the car turns up $600,000 in cash — just part of the $93 million in contraband seized by officers in a highway crime crackdown using training and techniques employed by US state troopers.

 

A photo showing a car sticker which serves to identify the driver of the vehicle as a pot

A photo showing a car sticker which serves to identify the driver of the vehicle as a potential drug dealer, according to NSW Highway Patrol. Picture: NSW Police

 

 
The two officers involved in the April 8 Goulburn bust are among NSW Police highway patrol teams who have received the specialised state trooper-style training to battle rogue truck drivers and criminal syndicates using the east coast’s highways as clandestine corridors to transport guns, drugs, cash and prostitutes.

 

The $93 million in contraband seized by patrol teams over the past four years is mainly drugs and unexplained cash. Police have also discovered bikies have shifted into trucking, buying small to medium companies to move drugs, guns and prostitutes.

 

Gunning, June 5, 2013: During a vehicle search police find and seize $60,800 in cash. A 4

Gunning, June 5, 2013: During a vehicle search police find and seize $60,800 in cash. A 44-year-old man in the car was found to be carrying $3500 in his jacket.

 

“Our traffic and highway patrol command officers are identifying and prosecuting criminals on a daily basis who are involved in serious cross-­border crime,’’ Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said.

“Two recent intercepts by NSW highway patrol led to the discovery of a large number of weapons and drugs by South Australian police,” she said.

Police have known for years that contraband, especially drugs, had to be moved around the country and that highways were the most logical route. But it is only in recent years that a concerted effort using specially trained officers has been deployed.

 

Wallabadah, January 26, 2012: A Toyota Altise is stopped on the New England Highway. Officers spoke to the 32-year-old driver and searched the vehicle where they found a bottle containing liquid amphetamines, with an estimated potential street value of $40,000.

Narranderra, June 26, 2013: A truck towing a trailer was stopped and searched. Police uncovered 37.18kg of cannabis and $44,500 cash. Two men, aged 50 and 58, were arrested.

 

A vital part of the police operations is the use of the Roads and Maritime Services truck inspection sites and their staff around the state.

“Most truckies are hardworking people, but there is a criminal element using the highways and they are now being targeted,’’ Ms Burn said.

Special codes and stickers on vehicles are used to let criminals know the truck is available to transport drugs.

The most common signs are an eight-ball sticker and the red thumbs-up sign.

 

Wagga Wagga, June 10, 2014: A truck driver and passenger are pulled over and 9kg of canna

Wagga Wagga, June 10, 2014: A truck driver and passenger are pulled over and 9kg of cannabis is uncovered. Further inquiries lead to the arrests in South Australia and the seizure of homemade guns and ammunition.

 

Police have also uncovered two drug laboratories being shifted in the back of semitrailers.

Bikie groups are also behind prostitutes being moved along the highways to towns, or used at truck stops to service drivers on their road trips.

“We can’t elaborate on methodology, training or delivery, but the community can be confident we have embedded a tried and trusted international concept into our traffic and highway patrol command enforcement program,” Ms Burn said.

 

Goulburn, April 8, 2014: Police pull over a blue Commodore for an RBT. The driver was act

Goulburn, April 8, 2014: Police pull over a blue Commodore for an RBT. The driver was acting suspiciously and his vehicle was searched. Police found $600,000 in cash and arrested the 22-year-old driver and charged him with recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

 

Automatic numberplate recognition and ­­­in-car video have also given police the edge in responding to crime on our highways. “Officers are now more than ever highly capable and experienced in the detection, prosecution and prevention of serious crime on our major highways, at the same time helping us achieve the lowest road toll in 90 years last year,” Ms Burn said

More than 60 per cent of the state’s 1254 highway patrol officers have undergone the special training program called CATCH.

 

Police Assistant Commissioner Catherine Burns with Inspector Matt Gilkes at the truck wei

Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn with Inspector Matt Gilkes at the truck weight stop in Marulan. Picture: Jeremy Piper

 

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