Fifteen people have been charged during Operation Soteria, which was established to target youth crime in the western and northern regional areas of the state.
Last week, between Thursday 8 May and Friday 9 May 2025, officers attached to Operation Soteria were assisted by Northern Region police districts and Operation UTAH for a two-day operation.
As a result of the operation:
- 15 people were charged with a range of offences
- 86 bail compliance checks were conducted
- Three knives/weapons were seized
- Six drug seizes took place, and
- Two stolen vehicles were recovered.
Incidents of note include:
- On Thursday 8 May 2025, officers attended a home at Gateshead in relation to an ongoing investigation into several alleged property and driving offences in the Lake Macquarie area. A 15-year-old boy was arrested at the home and taken to Belmont Police Station where he was charged with four counts of drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, damage property by fire/exp, two counts of aggravated break and enter with intent, police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously, and commit s 112(1) offence and disseminate. He was refused bail to appear before a children's court on Friday 9 May 2025, where he was formally refused bail to appear before the same court on Friday 16 May 2025.
- About 6.30pm on Thursday 8 May 2025, Mid North Coast Police were patrolling Macksville when they observed a vehicle allegedly driving without registration plates. The vehicle stopped and officers arrested the driver, a 26-year-old man, for an alleged breach of bail and driving whilst disqualified. During a search of the vehicle, officers allegedly located and seized a replica firearm, an MDMA tablet, and resealable bags containing cannabis. As the man was taken to Kempsey Police Station, he allegedly threatened the arresting officer. He was subsequently charged with eight offences; drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, use unregistered registrable Class A motor vehicle on road, possess unregistered firearm in public place, possess loaded firearm public place, intimidate police officer in execution of duty without actual bodily harm, contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (Domestic), and two counts of possess prohibited drug. He was refused bail to appear before Kempsey Local Court on Friday 9 May 2025, where he was formally refused bail to appear before Macksville Local Court on Thursday 15 May 2025.
- About 10.35pm on Friday 9 May 2025, officers stopped a vehicle on Victoria Street, Taree. Following inquiries, police searched the vehicle and driver, allegedly locating and seizing $1560 cash, 3.91g of cocaine, and 1.96g of methamphetamine. The 26-year-old man was arrested and taken to Taree Police Station where he was charged with two counts of possess prohibited drug, supply prohibited drug (greater than small and less than or equal to indictable quantity), and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not m/v). He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Saturday 10 May 2025, where he was granted strict conditional bail to appear before Taree Local Court on Tuesday 13 May 2025.
Investigations under Operation Soteria continue.
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