A teenager will face court accused of having a prohibited drug in his possession when stopped by police at the weekend.
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Riverina highway patrol officers pulled over a Holden Commodore on Byrnes Road, between Wagga and Junee, just before 7pm on Saturday.
The driver, a 17-year-old male, was spoken to. During a subsequent search, police said officers found the drug MDMA in his wallet and 5.42g of MDMA in the car.
The driver was arrested and taken to Wagga police station, where he was charged with supplying a prohibited drug (indictable) and possessing a prohibited drug.
He is due to appear at a children's court in February.
The teen's arrest came during a high-visibility police blitz on the region's roads, dubbed Operation Chrome.
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The operation, which targeted criminal activity and poor driver behaviour, was enforced across the NSW Police Force's South West Metropolitan Region and also in regional areas on Friday and Saturday.
Operation Chrome focused on anti-social behaviour, as well as speeding, drink and drug-driving, not wearing seatbelts, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and fatigue.
During the operation, police conducted 551 random breath tests and charged six people with drink-driving.
Police conducted 144 random drug tests, with 12 people returning a positive indication for the presence of a prohibited drug. Eight people were charged after allegedly being found in possession of prohibited drugs.
Twenty-eight charges were laid in total, while an additional 232 infringement notices were issued for a range of offences including burnouts, distraction devices and seatbelts.
Acting Superintendent Robert Toynton, from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, said Operation Chrome continues to strengthen police visibility and road safety awareness.
"We are making state-wide preparations to be on the road in numbers over the summer months, and Operation Chrome is one of many traffic enforcement operations being conducted," Superintendent Toynton said.
"People continue to ignore our warnings and get behind the wheel when affected by alcohol and drugs, or engage in criminal behaviour, and police will not tolerate it.
"These types of high-visibility strategies will continue to prevent and disrupt criminal behaviour before it happens."
Andrew Pearson
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
