Police have charged two men and two women after they tracked a vehicle allegedly displaying cloned plates through Melbourne's south-east this morning.
Operation Trinity officers sighted the silver Ford Falcon on Clyde Road in Berwick and attempted to intercept the car about 2am.
The vehicle allegedly took off, reaching speeds in excess of 160km/h.
Police tracked the Ford towards Tooradin before it stopped outside a shed on Island Road in Koo Wee Rup.
Two men and two women allegedly jumped out of the car and dumped four large bags inside the shed.
Investigators alleged that three of the original occupants got back into the car and continued driving.
Police successfully deployed stop sticks and the vehicle came to a stop on Manks Road.
Two men and two women were arrested close to the scene.
Police searched the four bags and allegedly found a commercial quantity of cannabis.
Officers also located and seized methylamphetamine, MDMA, heroin and a machete during their search of the Ford.
A 28-year-old Cowes man was charged with:
- trafficking cannabis
- possess cannabis
- possess methylamphetamine
- commit indictable offence whilst on bail (x3)
- possess controlled weapon (x2)
- fraudulently use registration plate
- unlicenced driving
- contravene bail condition
- fail to provide information as to driver
He has been remanded to appear at Dandenong Magistrates' Court later today.
A 36-year-old Argyle woman was charged with trafficking cannabis, possess cannabis, possess methylamphetamine and possess MDMA.
She was bailed to appear at the Dandenong Magistrates' Court on 27 November.
A 33-year-old Cowes woman and a 40-year-old Argyle man were charged with trafficking cannabis and possess cannabis.
They were both bailed to appear at the Dandenong Magistrates' Court on 28 November.
The vehicle was subsequently seized by police and it is expected an application will be made for its forfeiture.
Victoria Police has a dedicated operation targeting burglars and car thieves from dusk to dawn across Melbourne.
On top of standard patrols, there are large numbers of additional police including members of the Dog Squad, Public Order Response and Air Wing, specifically tasked with preventing and responding to burglaries and car thefts each night.
As a result of this intense focus, police arrested 656 burglars and car thieves almost 1,700 times in the twelve months to the end of June 2025.
That equates to over five burglars and car thieves arrested every single day.
Operation Trinity is Victoria Police's most well-resourced operation, with over 140,000 policing hours dedicated solely to this operation last year.
On top of this, the Air Wing spent well over a thousand hours in the sky last year tracking burglars and car thieves as part of Trinity.
