Police seize drugs, stolen items from motel
Updated: November 19, 2009 1:14 PM
Six Victoria police officers knocked on a door at the Traveller's Inn on Wednesday, arresting two people and seizing drugs and stolen goods.
Members of the Focused Enforcement Team carried out a search warrant at the Rock Bay Avenue motel at 5 p.m. after watching people come and go from the unit.
Officers found three ounces of crack-cocaine worth $4,500, four laptop computers, digital cameras, purses, credit cards, cellphones, a samurai sword and $4,500 cash.
"(The drug bust) may not appear significant, but the disruption in the area and traffic to the location are significant, because there were lots of people showing up to pick up drugs and move stolen property," said police spokesman Sgt. Grant Hamilton.
Hamilton said activities in the motel room were creating a "ripple effect" in the community – customers carry out house break-ins to collect items, which they likely traded for drugs.
A 41-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested and both have "extensive histories with police," Hamilton said. They face charges of possession of drugs and stolen property and drug trafficking.
Hamilton said the Rock Bay Traveller's Inn "provides a valuable service there for people needing housing, for people trying to get away from the street and get back on their feet. This kind of activity (negatively) affects those people."
ecardone@vicnews.com






