Detectives from the Katherine Substance Abuse Intelligence Desk (SAID) a Federal Government Initiative funded by FAHCSIA to combat substance abuse in remote communities, conducted a joint operation with the Darwin based Drug Enforcement Section Detectives at the weekend.

Police arrested a 38-year-old man from Adelaide at a caravan park in Howard Springs on Sunday afternoon after he was found in possession of over $50,000 cash and 980 grams of cannabis.

Further enquiries conducted by police this morning resulted in a seizure of an additional fourteen kilograms of cannabis from an industrial premises in Yarrawonga.

Acting Superintendent Clint Sims from the Drug and Organised Crime Division said that he believed that the majority of the haul was destined for remote communities throughout the Top End of the Northern Territory.

"This should serve as a warning to those people involved in the distribution of drugs in remote communities that they will be caught.

"These drugs if sold at street level within remote communities in the Top End would have netted at least $745 000.

"Groups such as this profit from the devastating affects that substance abuse have on our community so it is excellent to see seizures like this resulting from police working together with the community to address the problem head on."

Police say that further enquiries are continuing in regards to this matter and more arrests are anticipated.

The 38-year-old male was charged with:

Supplying a commercial quantity of a schedule 2 substance;
Possessing a commercial quantity of a schedule 2 substance; and
Possessing Tainted Property;

He was remanded in custody and is to appear in the Darwin Magistrate's Court today.


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Amy Sloan
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