Just hours into a two-week police operation targeting drug dealing near Melbourne's supervised injecting room, officers arrested a man allegedly selling heroin.
The 61-year-old from Thomastown was picked up on Monday, as Victoria Police announced the start of the two-week blitz on drug trafficking across the City of Yarra.
He has been bailed to face court later in the year, as police championed the inner-Melbourne crackdown.
"We do constantly hold operations but over the next few weeks, we have extra staff in the City of Yarra coming in from other areas to assist us in particularly targeting drug traffickers," acting Inspector Trish Duke told reporters.
"The whole idea is to keep this community safe and to reduce drug harm."
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Acting Insp Duke urged residents not be alarmed by the large police presence.
"It is not to do with the injecting room. It is actually Victoria Street and we are targeting the drug traffickers," she reiterated, adding the medical facility had prevented deaths.
"Any drug can kill in the wrong hands and in the wrong dosages."
State Labor MP Melissa Horne told reporters the operation was business-as-usual for police.
"The safe injecting room is saving lives and it is important that Vic Pol do run operations regularly," she said.
