The Queensland Racing Crime Squad (QRCS) have charged five people with 33 charges in a blitz of the far north Queensland region over six days in the past week, Queensland Police say.
These charges have arisen as a result of the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission Integrity Investigation Team (IIT) team Stewards and QRCS working effectively together as a result of information received.
Between September 3 and 9, the QRCS and IIT conducted a series of collaborative investigations in the Innisfail and Cairns region with assistance of local Cairns police officers.
On September 5, searches in the Innisfail area resulted in 17 drug charges against a 32-year-old former Innisfail track rider including 16 offences of supplying methylamphetamine.
On the same day, QRCS charged a 38-year-old former jockey also from Innisfail with nine drug offences including supply methamphetamine. Both men were bailed to appear in the Innisfail Magistrates Court on October 8.
A 37-year-old Innisfail man, un-related to the racing industry was also charged with two drug offences and issued a notice to appear at Innisfail Court on the same day.
On September 6, the QRCS operation moved to Cairns and in conjunction with Cairns Property Crime Squad, conducted search warrants in the Woree area resulting in several property offence charges against two racing industry participants.
Property worth thousands of dollars allegedly stolen during a burglary at the Cairns Jockey Club on August 31 was recovered and a 33-year-old man was remanded in custody to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on September 24 and a 35-year-old man was issued a notice to appear on the same day.
On September 9, two racing participants; a 30-year-old woman and a 33-year old man were detected in possession of illicit drugs (cannabis) and diverted from the court process to attend health counselling after a search warrant was executed at a Woree property.
Queensland Racing Integrity Commissioner Ross Barnett said as part of the far north Queensland operation there was also an increased presence at the Cairns Amateurs event on Saturday September 8 and in a pleasing result there were no breaches of the Rules of Racing or criminal activities detected.
"If you have any information about wrong doing in the racing industry including the mistreatment of racing animals I urge you to report it through the Report Something portal on the QRIC website," he said.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
