More than 40 people were detected driving under the influence of prohibited drugs during a two-day operation targeting anti-social behaviour and driving offences in the Lake Illawarra area at the weekend.
As part of Operation Summer Safe, between Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December 2020, officers from the Southern Region Enforcement Squad (RES) coordinated a high visibility operation throughout the Lake Illawarra Area.
RES officers were assisted by the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command.
Of note across the two days;
- Forty-seven people tested positive to drug-driving, with 36 of these tests providing a positive result for the presence of 'ice';
- More than 400 random breath tests and 289 random drug tests were conducted, with seven charges laid for drink driving;
- Four people were charged with possessing prohibited drugs;
- More than 100 infringements were issues for offences including speeding, defects and other traffic-related incidents.
Southern Region Operations Manager, Detective Superintendent Kevin McNeil, said the number of drug-affected drivers is a real cause for concern.
"To have more than forty people test positive to drug driving across a small footprint is absolutely disgraceful," Supt McNeil said.
"That's 47 people who have made an active decision to take prohibited drugs and get behind the wheel.
"We are very fortunate that there were no fatalities or serious injuries as a result of this kind of behaviour."
Road safety will continue be a focus of Operation Summer Safe, with Traffic and Highway Patrol officers to assist police districts with targeting speeding, drink and drug driving, driving while fatigued, mobile phone and other traffic offences.
Operation Summer Safe is a high-visibility operation which will be in place for the duration of summer 2020/2021 throughout regional NSW.
Operation Summer Safe will focus on policing licensed premises, public spaces and entertainment precincts in an effort to decrease anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related violence, whilst also ensuring adherence to current Public Health Orders.
Operation Summer Safe will be continually running from now until the end of summer in February 2021.
