Last Wednesday morning the area known as 'The Block' in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern was the scene of police raids as part of an operation targeting street-level drug supply and drug use in the area.

Operation Strike Force Gildea commenced in March of this year to address the problem of drug related crime in 'The Block'.

During Wednesday's raid on a number of houses, More than 100 New South Wales police, some of whom were armed, arrested 17 people.

Those arrested have been charged with various offences including the ongoing supply of a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug and other offences.

While many in the community have welcomed the drug raids, some are critical, saying that vital services and infrastructure are needed to address the many social issues being experienced in the community.

Living Black video journalist Karen Minniecon visited The Block to find out how the raid has affected the community there.


Watch the video

Redfern in the news:

• Redfern Redevelopment
• New police station for Redfern
• Redfern riot drugs-related
• Indigenous protests over police mistreatment

TRANSCRIPT

KG: Hello and welcome to Living Black. I'm Karla Grant. Last week the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern was subjected to raids on a number of houses in the area known as the 'Block'. More than 100 police were involved, arresting 17 people during the raid to combat street-level purchase and supply of prohibited drugs in the area. While some community members supported the police raids, others are critical. Video journalist Karen Minniecon has spent the last few days in the Block, speaking to residents in the aftermath to see how they're coping.

Reporter: Last Wednesday morning the area known as the 'Block' in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern was the scene of a police raid. As part of an operation targeting street-level drug supply and drug use in the area, operation Strike Force Gildea commenced in March of this year to address the problem of drug-related crime in the Block. As part of the operation, NSW Police arrested 17 people during the raid on a number of houses, with more than 100 police, some armed, taking part in the search. Those arrested have been charged with various offences, including the ongoing supply and supply of a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug and warrant offences. While many in the community have welcomed the drug raids, some are critical, saying that vital services and infrastructure is needed to address the many social issues being experienced in the community.

Lyall Munro Jr, Community Leader: About two hours ago the police raided here en masse on the grounds that there's drugs here. We're very much aware there's a situation here with drugs, but it's no different to anywhere else. The only exception is that our people haven't got access to the rehabilitation programs, we haven't got a legalised injection room or we haven't got health experts other than the Aboriginal Medical Service and they're certainly doing it hard because of the lack of funding in this area.

Reporter: I spoke a resident who was arrested during the raid. She's lived on the Block most of her life and has seen raids of this nature many times over the years. While she's willing to share her story with Living Black, she wants to remain anonymous.

Redfern Resident: What happened on this day that was similar to before was they were just grabbing us and taking us off the Block and holding us in custody and then letting us know of the charges in the police station. They weren't saying what we were charged with there and then on the spot.

Reporter: During the days after the raid, the Redfern community has been left to pick up the pieces. The community's feelings and opinions are divided, but it is evident that this dramatic event has left its mark on the community.

Mick Mundine, CEO Redfern Aboriginal Housing Corporation: The reason why the police coming down here on Wednesday is because people are still selling drugs on our premises and plus around the community. And I believe too that there would be no raid in this community - if people stopped selling drugs there would not be any raid in this community. I know a lot of people are saying the police come here to raid just to move the Aboriginal people out of here, but from the company point of view, we are behind it 100% because we don't need the drugs in this community and all the vicious crime, we don't need people shooting up because I think we are starting to pave the way and start building a good, strong platform for the next generation of children.

Reporter: Since the raid, Living Black has attempted to seek comment with the Redfern Police and members of Operation Strike Force Gildea on their investigations. However, our repeated requests were declined. Instead, a statement was issued, saying that they had intended to arrest at least 30 people last Wednesday but only 17 were located by police and some remain wanted. In addition to the arrests, there were seven houses searched which had been identified as being used by heroin users. These functions required a large number of police to ensure effectiveness and safety. During the operation, approximately $4,000 worth of drugs - mainly heroin - was purchased from street-level drug dealers in the Block. At this time, 20 people in total have now been arrested. Investigations by Strike Force Gildea are ongoing and further arrests are anticipated. Dixie Gordon, CEO of the Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal women's centre based in Redfern, says that the constant raids have instilled fear in the local women.

Dixie Gordon, CEO Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Corporation: The large amount of police that were here, women got their back up, they were pushing their prams, we actually had a room full of women here at our drop-in who were just saying, "I'm not going out there till the police go." It was not about any of those women being wanted by the police, it was their fear regarding the police. We gotta remember Redfern, people live down there at the Block, people socialise down there. Not everyone's down there to sell drugs or score drugs. But the minute the raid was on everybody was under surveillance, everybody was a likely candidate to get arrested, that's what it appeared to be and that's how the clients who use our service felt.

Reporter: While residents now wait for much-needed redevelopment to take place, under the State Government's Redfern Waterloo Plan the local community can only sit and wait in the hope there's a brighter future.

Shane Phillips, CEO Tribal Warrior Association: I still live on the Block, I've been here all my life, I've seen all the good and bad times, and I still aspire to see the great things that the Block can provide again, that it turns around the situation our people are in and it becomes a model for greatness in our communities.

KG: That story was filmed and reported by Karen Minniecon. And Living Black approached the NSW Minister for Planning and Redfern Waterloo, Frank Sartor, for comment on how he plans to address social problems in the Block. However, he was unavailable, saying the drug raids are a police matter. Still to come on Living Black - tighter border controls between Australian and Papua New Guinean waters.