Limestone Coast Police, with assistance from Traffic Services Branch, State Emergency Services, National Heavy Vehicle Enforcement, Dog Operations Unit, Victoria Police and local council, conducted an operation near the South Australian border at Caroline, targeting the transit of drugs, vehicle standards and other road safety related offences.
On Wednesday April 5, police stopped over 240 vehicles, conducted 238 breath tests and 75 drug tests over an eight hour period.
All vehicles were inspected to ensure compliance with road safety standards with a number being searched under the Controlled Substances Act.
As a result, 10 fines were issued, 15 vehicles were found not to be roadworthy and were subsequently defected and three drivers were detected drug driving.
A 62-year-old Victorian truck driver returned a positive result for methamphetamine and cannabis.
He was issued a three month instant loss of licence for traffic offences and a drug diversion for a small amount of methamphetamine and cannabis located in his possession.
He will be summons to appear in court at a later date.
A 36-year-old Mount Gambier woman returned a positive result for methamphetamine.
She was found to be in possession of a small quantity of cannabis and other drug paraphernalia.
She was issued a three month instant loss of licence, a cannabis expiation notice and will be summonsed to attend court at a later date.
A third driver who returned a positive drug driving result was a South Australian female.
She was issued also issued a three month instant loss of licence and a fine.
Further to the operation, Limestone Coast Police stopped numerous drivers over the Easter long weekend committing various offences.
About 1.30am on Thursday April 6, a 25-year-old woman from Mount Gambier was stopped driving on Kennedy Avenue at Mount Gambier.
She was drug tested and returned a positive result for methamphetamine.
She was issued a three month instant loss of licence and will be summonsed to attend court at a later date.
Just before 10.30pm on Friday, April 7, patrols stopped a 27-year-old Naracoorte man on Deviation Road at Naracoorte for a mobile driver test.
The driver was submitted to a breath test and returned a positive result of 0.108. He was reported for drink driving and issued a six month instant loss of licence.
About 6pm on Saturday 8 April, police were called to Ferrers Street at Mount Gambier after reports a motorcyclist had collided.
The rider, a 49-year-old local man, became aggressive towards police when spoken to about the crash and was subsequently arrested for disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest.
The man was breath tested and provided a positive result of 0.190 – almost four times the legal limit. He was further charged with drink driving and misuse of a motor vehicle.
His motorbike was impounded for 28 days and he was issued a 12 month instant loss of licence.
He was granted police bail to appear in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court at a later date.
Just before 5.30pm on Sunday, April 9, police stopped a 68-year-old Beachport man driving on Beach Road at Beachport for a mobile driver test.
The driver returned a positive breath analysis result of 0.157 – more than three times the legal limit. He was reported for drink driving and issued a 12 month immediate loss of licence.
About 9.25pm on Monday, April 10, police detected a vehicle travelling at 155km/h in a 100km/h zone on the Dukes Highway at Bordertown.
Police stopped the car and spoke to the driver, a 38-year-old man from Torrensville.
He was issued a six month instant loss of licence and will be summonsed to attend court at a later date.
Over the Easter long weekend three Mount Gambier drivers were reported for driving whilst being disqualified and a fourth person was charged with driving unlicensed.
All drivers will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.
