Police have charged 17 people during a three-day high-visibility operation focused on preventing and disrupting crime in the state’s north-east.
Between Thursday 27 August 2026 and Saturday 29 August 2026, officers attached to Oxley Police District – assisted by Western Region Operations Support Group, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command and Youth Command – saturated the Tamworth area under Operation Soteria to target and reduce crime.
As a result of the operation, police arrested and charged 17 people with a total of 34 offences relating to prohibited drugs, family and domestic violence, traffic, knives and breach of bail.
Of the total number of people charged, six were issued with Court Attendance Notices for drug and domestic violence related offences.
Officers conducted a combined 19 person searches and move-on directions, 44 bail compliance and apprehended domestic violence order checks, and made seven drug detections.
Incidents of note include,
- About 6.40pm on Saturday 29 August 2026, police stopped an SUV on Goonoo Goonoo Road, Tamworth. During a search of the vehicle, officers seized 3.6kg of cannabis with an estimated potential street value of $20,000. The driver – a 28-year-old woman – was arrested and taken to Tamworth Police Station, where she was charged with supply cannabis greater than indictable and less than commercial quantity, and possess prohibited drug. She was granted strict conditional bail to appear before Tamworth Local Court on Monday 14 September 2026.
- About 10pm on Saturday 29 August 2026, police were called to a home on Goonoo Goonoo Road, Tamworth, following reports of a concern for welfare. Officers spoke to a 40-year-old man at the residence and, when searched, police will allege they found he had methylamphetamine and cannabis in his possession. Police arrested the man and took him to Tamworth Police Station, where he was charged with possess prohibited drug (two counts), and breach of bail. The man was refused bail and appeared before Bail Division Court 5 yesterday (Sunday 30 August 2026), where he was granted strict conditional bail to reappear before Tamworth Local Court today (Monday 31 August 2026).
Further Operation Soteria surges are expected to be deployed in the future.
