Officers from Police Transport and Public Safety Command have saturated Sydney’s south-west in a high-visibility operation targeting crime on the public transport network.
Operation Colossus was conducted yesterday (Thursday 2 May 2019), and involved more than 125 officers from Police Transport and Public Safety Command South-West.
The operation focussed on public transport and transport hubs throughout the city’s south-west, and also areas throughout the state’s south, such as Wollongong and Wagga Wagga.
During the operation, police charged five people with a range of offences, including possess prohibited drug, and possession of a knife if a public place.
Officers searched a total of 52 people, issued 47 move-on directions, and 229 infringement notices for a range of offences.
Of note, two men were charged after being found in possession of a knife. One man, aged 32, was searched at Cabramatta Railway Station and a flick knife was allegedly located in his possession, and another, aged 38, was searched at Liverpool Station and a knife was allegedly located in his possession.
Both were issued Field Court Attendance Notices for the offence of custody of knife, the younger man for second offence. The older man is expected to appear at Fairfield Local Court on Wednesday 29 May 2019. The younger’s man court date is yet to be determined.
Commander of Police Transport and Public Safety Command South-West, Superintendent Michael Rochester, said the operation is about making public transport as safe as possible.
“Just last month we saw one of our colleagues stabbed in an unprovoked attack at Central Railway Station, which demonstrates the sorts of dangers police face every day as they work to make the community safer.”
“The incident has only strengthened our resolve to get out there and not take a backward step as we get these knives and drugs off the street and off the public transport network,”
“Expect to continue seeing police at these locations and throughout the state as more operations are expected”, Superintendent Rochester said.
