$1.30www.theguardian.com.au Wednesday, November 2, 2016

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CALL TO DOB IN A DRUGDEALERJOSHUA WELLS

SWAN Hill police are urging residents to dob in a dealer after the latest crime statistics revealed drug use was on the rise, while drug dealing and traffi cking offences were on the way down.

Swan Hill saw a 51.3 per cent decrease in drug dealing and traffi cking offences in the region with just 19 recorded in 2016, according to the latest crime fi gures.

In comparison, 39 people were caught in 2015, while this year the town’s drug use and possession rate had jumped 34 per cent.

It has climbed at an alarm-ing rate with 130 cases re-corded, compared to 97 cases in 2015 and just 56 offences back in 2012.

Swan Hill police Local Area Commander Inspector Dan Davison said they needed the public’s assistance to catch

those distributing illicit sub-stances.

“At the end of the day the statistics show that we aren’t catching traffi ckers as we would like to be. If you have people out there using - yet the rates of traffi ckers being charged are on the decline - it means people aren’t providing us with the information we need to act,” he said.

“We will continually urge people to dob in dealers and to ring CrimeStoppers if they have any information.

“As far as I am concerned, it is open season on drug deal-ers, ring anytime so we can investigate the information and act upon it.”

Swan Hill also saw a 20 per cent increase in people being busted for manufacturing il-licit substances.

If you have information, please contact CrimeStoppers on 1300 333 000 or for emer-gencies call 000.

Tracey Miller (Alice in Wonderland), Alix O'Meara (vampire), Charlotte Logan (White Queen) and Skylah Miller (Cheshire cat).

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