Police to crack down on 'systemic drug issue'

Police have vowed to crack down on a "systemic drug issue" in Geraldton amid rising methamphetamine use among drivers.

Police today revealed methamphetamine had outstripped cannabis two-to-one in positive drug tests in the Geraldton district in the past 18 months.

Two hundred out of 300 alleged drug-affected drivers had tested positive for methamphetamine.

One-in-10 WA drivers on meth

Senior sergeant Brad Bird said there was “a systematic drug issue in Geraldton”, but criminals “underestimated police’s abilities” to track illegal activity.

“There is a small element of the community who think it is accepted behaviour to use and traffic drugs,” he said.

“There is no such thing as a recreational drug. We will do everything in our power to arrest and charge you.”

Senior Constable Michael Bickford said every driver on the road would be targeted for drug testing – any time of day or night.

Every police car is now a drug testing facility, with local police no longer having to rely on the Drug and Alcohol Bus to come from Perth to test drivers.