Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance Police have charged 16 drivers for a range of traffic related offences as part of a concentrated blitz in the East Gippsland area.
Drug and alcohol-impaired drivers were the focus of Operation Serenity which ran for a 24-hour period and finished yesterday.
One notable arrest saw a 31-year-old man from Lake Tyers Beach charged with two offences including drug impaired driving and drink driving.
He will be summonsed to appear at the Bairnsdale Magistrates Court at a later date.
Another 15 people were charged with drug impaired driving and other traffic offences.
The operation featured proactive patrolling and interception of vehicles travelling in and around Lakes Entrance.
Inspector Mark Edwards said the operation involved officers from Lakes Entrance and other police from within the division, with a particular focus on known persons of interest.
“Our job as local police is to know and keep tabs on the people who are continually causing havoc within our community,” Inspector Edwards said.
“Some of them are committing serious crime, and it is important that they know we are always watching and they won’t get away with it.
“We certainly do not apologise for intercepting their vehicles as part of this operation and holding them to account for their criminal behaviour.”
Bairnsdale police will continue to invest time and resources into reducing road trauma.
“It is disappointing to see so many people still get behind the wheel of a car with drugs in their system,” Inspector Edwards said.
“Depending on the drug, it has the ability to slow down reaction times, distort perception of speed and distance, and reduce concentration and coordination when driving.
“I don’t want to be sending one of my officers to someone’s family home to let them know their child, brother or sister is not coming home due to driving with drugs in their system.”
Road policing operations such as Operation Serenity will continue to run targeting speeding, drink and drug driving, seatbelt non-compliance and fatigue. Highway patrol officers continue to monitor their local areas and adapt their operations and general patrols to target bad driver behaviour in the coronavirus climate.
If you witness any suspicious behaviour to please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Operation Serenity saw 16 traffic offences occur, including:
4 speeding related offences
7 drug drivers
1 drink drivers
1 vehicle impound
1 seatbelt offence
1 defect notice
