COVERT COPS PROVE WORTH IN WAR ON DRUGS

A team of undercover police officers dedicated to disrupting the Illawarra
drug trade has proved its worth after just one month of operation.

The 10 specialist officers have laid 223 charges in four weeks.

The man in charge, Lake Illawarra crime manager Peter Woods, said drugs
underpinned almost all crimes in the command and targeting the users and
dealers was proving effective.

``In the last two weeks the squad has arrested 13 car thieves,'' Chief
Inspector Woods said.

``That shows that through their drug investigations, they are solving other
crimes.''

Insp Woods said 67 people had been arrested and charged with 223 offences
including possessing and supplying a range of drugs, robberies and break,
enter and steals.

He said people had also been nabbed for failing to appear at court and
arrested on outstanding warrants.

The drug squad, which acts on information gathered by themselves and by
detectives and general duties officers, is made up of police from Lake
Illawarra and the South East Region Target Arrest Group.