Albany police target disruption of local drug trade as five homes raided, substances and cash seized

Seven people have been charged with drug offences after police raided a string of homes in an extensive drug operation across Albany on Thursday. Albany inquiry team, detectives, Australian Border Force and WA Police Force Canine Section executed search warrants on five homes where they seized drugs, money and a replica gun. Police raided properties in Orana, McKail, Centennial Park and Yakamia and subsequently charged seven people. Drug detection dogs from the Australian Border Force and WA’s canine unit helped find the illegal substances at the properties. A 20-year-old Yakamia woman was charged with possession of methylamphetamine with intent to sell supply and possession of drug paraphernalia. The woman was arrested on Thursday morning and was seen being interviewed by police outside a Yakamia property. Drug detection dogs were led into the property before the woman was taken inside by police. Albany officer-in-charge Sen. Sgt Carlos Correia said the operation would disrupt the local drug trade. “Several houses were identified as targets and we executed warrants on those houses for the purpose of locating prohibited drugs,” Sen. Sgt Correia said. “It helps disrupt and dismantle drug operations in Albany and identify those who are selling drugs in the community and living off the vulnerability of others. “We will continue to do this … taking drugs leads to other offences whether that be volume crime or serious family domestic violence. “It was a successful operation in the disruption of people selling and supplying drugs to others in the community.” Six others were charged with drug offences, including a 36-year-old McKail man with possession of methylamphetamine and dexamphetamine, a 20-year-old McKail man with possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia and a 43-year-old Yakamia man with cannabis possession and two counts of drug paraphernalia possession. A 28-year-old McKail woman was charged with three counts of offering to sell methylamphetamine while a 36-year-old Centennial Park woman and a 66-year-old Centennial Park man will both face counts of methylamphetamine, cannabis and drug paraphernalia possession. “There was an amount of money and an undisclosed amount of drugs was seized from operation,” Sen. Sgt Correia said. “There were also a number of electronic devices seized during the raids and they will be subject to further investigation.”