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Police swarm Melbourne's party district

Police have saturated Melbourne's Chapel Street party district, but the cold, wet weather kept many punters away.

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Source: AAP


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An overnight police blitz in Melbourne's entertainment district of Prahran has uncovered more than 40 offences, including drug trafficking and drink driving, with seven people arrested and placed in drug diversion programs.

Victoria Police swarmed Melbourne's famed Chapel Street as part of Operation Safenight seizing cannabis and GHB, while eight drink drivers and five drug drivers were also caught through Saturday night.

But the cold, wet weather may have been kept many people at bay, says Victoria Police Superintendent Philip Green.

"I think...we had less numbers because when the rain started an (the temperature) hit the single digits, it was uncomfortable," he told reporters on Sunday.

Uniform police, with the support of specialist resources including detector dogs, Highway Patrol, Liquor Licencing Unit, Regional Crime Team and local detectives saturated the district as part of the operation.

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The main drugs detected were methamphetamines and GHB, Supt Green said.

Police vehicles with automated number plate recognition capabilities detected 15 cars connected to ongoing investigations.

The Sheriff's office also dealt with more than 36 drivers and clamped 23 vehicles and recovered over $300,000 of unpaid debt.

Superintendent Philip Green said the community should expect a continued police presence in and around entertainment precincts as Operation Safenight continues until August in a bid to increase harm minimisation.

Several people overdosed in the Prahan area last month.


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