Highway raid ends in drugs charges
A MAN has been charged with serious drug offences after a police raid on a vehicle on the Leichhardt Hwy near Taroom on Wednesday allegedly uncovered more than five kilograms of marijuana.
Christopher James Lamb, 31, of Sarina, south of Mackay, attended Roma Magistrates Court on Wednesday and was released on bail of $2000 to re-appear at a later date.
Mr Lamb will face two drug possession charges and one of possessing drug utensils.
Roma police district inspector Roger Whyte said the raid on the vehicle was carried out as part of Operation Fiji 3, a multi-regional command and jurisdictional operation involving 27 police and department officers.
"The operation was executed at 11am along the Leichhardt Highway, via Taroom, by Roma District Operational Support Command with officers from Charleville, Central and North Coast as well as DEEDI and the Department of Main Roads," Insp Whyte said.
Insp Whyte said the operation had located 5.3kg of marijuana inside the vehicle in 10 sealed bags, as well as four marijuana plants and a bong.
"Anyone who carries drugs on our roads can expect to be intercepted anytime or anywhere," he said.
Insp Whyte said over two days Operation Fiji 3 had conducted 590 random breath tests and 159 random drug tests - three of which were positive - and had issued 85 infringement notices. It had also located 3.8kg of cannabis in another vehicle.
