Thirteen people were charged and 64 charges have been laid following a six-month investigation into the sale and supply of illicit drugs in the South West.
Operation Zagros was launched in July 2017 and focused on areas in Manjimup.
Bunbury detectives, Manjimup police, SW District Police officers, the Organised Crime Squad and Police Canine Unit co-ordinated 14 search warrants on homes and businesses in the town.
A 45-year-old Manjimup man was charged with 19 counts of offering to supply methamphetamine, three counts of selling meth, two for possessing cannabis, two of unlawfully possessing a controlled or prescribed drug, one for possessing meth and one of unlawfully obtaining cash.
A 37-year-old Manjimup man was charged with three counts of selling meth and one of possessing cannabis.
Both men were due in Bunbury Magistrates Court on January 10.
Others from Manjimup were charged with numerous offences, including possessing meth, cannabis and drug paraphernalia.
A search of a Bunbury property allegedly uncovered 156 grams of meth as well as cannabis, an unlicensed semi-automatic rifle and more than $20,000 in cash.
Meanwhile, a 43-year-old Withers man was also charged with seven offences, including possessing meth with intent to sell or supply,and possessing cannabis, possessing an unlicensed firearm, possessing a silencer, possessing ammunition and possessing unlawfully obtained cash.
The Withers man is due in Bunbury Magistrates Court on January 11.
Those charged include people in their 20s through to people in their late 40s.
Inspector Peter Morrissey said police had uncovered about 250g of meth, just over one kilogram of cannabis and cash in excess of $25,000, in total.
Inspector Morrissey said police used a number of strategies to collect information and nominate persons of interest.
He said information collected from the community created a “jigsaw puzzle” used to conduct the investigation.
“Community concerns were raised both through the local police and through Crime Stoppers,” he said.
“This is a really significant event and operation for a small community like Manjimup and has come as a direct result of community feedback and community dissatisfaction with a lot of the stuff that has been happening.
“The dissatisfaction has been communicated to the local police who have engaged with Bunbury detectives who engaged with this investigation.”
Inspector Morrissey confirmed all 13 people charged were linked.
In acknowledging the public’s impact on the investigation, he said he believed the outcome would give people in the community some relief and assurance.
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a report to crimestoppers.com.au
