Police have charged 17 people and allegedly detected 47 drug drivers, during a traffic operation in the Illawarra.
Operation Spoiler is a high visibility policing operation focusing on dangerous driving practices, recidivist traffic offenders, and vehicle and driver compliance
Between 6am Friday 6 March 2026 and 2am Saturday 7 March 2026, officers attached to Traffic South Highway Patrol targeted unauthorised and recidivist drivers within the Illawarra, covering the Wollongong and Lake Illawarra Police Districts.
The following results were achieved;
1824 roadside tests conducted
10 PCA offences detected (6 x Mid Range, 3 x Low Range, 1 x Novice Range)
45 positive random drug tests
2 combined offences (PCA and positive random drug test)
17 charges laid
32 licence offences
9 vehicle and person searches
247 Traffic Infringement Notices (TINs)
8 defect notices
Notable incidents include;
About 5.40pm on Friday 6 March 2026, officers were patrolling Windang Road, Windang, when they allegedly detected an unregistered car. Officers attached to Illawarra Highway Patrol pulled over the SUV and submitted the 49-year-old male driver to a roadside drug test. He allegedly returned a positive result. A second test allegedly returned a positive reading for methylamphetamine. Further action will be taken pending the results of secondary testing. Further inquiries revealed the driver's license was suspended until May 2027 and he was subject to an outstanding warrant. The driver was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station. He was charged with drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, use unregistered registrable Class A motor vehicle on road and use uninsured motor vehicle on road. He was issued with a court attendance notice to appear in Wollongong Local Court tomorrow (Tuesday 10 March 2026).
Operations Spoiler continues.
