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Police lay 56 charges in major Geraldton operation targeting crime

Headshot of Adam Poulsen
Adam PoulsenGeraldton Guardian

Geraldton police have charged 32 people with 56 offences relating to burglaries, stealing and drugs, following a five-day crackdown targeting all aspects of crime.

Police recovered a large amount of stolen property, including whitegoods and power tools, after executing a number of search warrants.

Officers also allegedly seized drugs including LSD, methamphetamine, cannabis and the prescription medication dexamphetamine.

Additional resources including the WA Police Air Wing and a drug detection dog were employed as part of the operation, which began last Monday.

Two people were charged with drug offences and one motorist was allegedly detected drug driving following a major vehicle checkpoint on Brand Highway at Dongara.

Sergeant Julie Leighton said officers stopped more than 450 vehicles but no one blew over the legal blood alcohol limit.

Officer-in-charge at Geraldton Police Station, Senior Sergeant Brad Bird, said the strategy also involved “flooding” Geraldton’s suburbs with large numbers of officers.

He said the crackdown would have a flow-on effect and would “cause detriment and disruption to crime in the entire Midwest Gascoyne”.

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