DRUG offences in the North East have skyrocketed in recent months — and police couldn’t be happier.
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The spike in recorded drug-related crimes shows the success of police operations targeting the trafficking of ice and cannabis, Benalla Inspector Mark Byers said.
Figures from Victoria Police released yesterday show drug offences in Benalla have increased 40 per cent between April last year and March this year — 154 offences compared with 110 in April 2012 to March last year.
In Wangaratta, 403 offences were recorded compared with 335 the year before, up 20 per cent.
Insp Byers said police executed many search warrants and had located drugs at several homes as part of a series of ongoing operations.
He said ice and cannabis were ongoing issues in the area, with Victoria Police working statewide to take action on.
“We don’t want ice in our communities, it has a devastating effect,” he said.
“It ruins families and it ruins people’s lives.”
