AUSTRALIA: Journalist abused while covering drug story

BRISBANE (ABC News/Pacific Media Watch): An ABC journalist has been assaulted while covering a series of drug raids across south-east Queensland today, ABC News reports.

 

A man hit journalist Imogen Brennan and stole the keys to an ABC car at Mount Nathan near Nerang on the Gold Coast.

 

Brennan later tweeted "Thank you for your concern... No journalist likes being part of the story".

 

Earlier, Brennan described the assault while she was covering the story: "He backhanded me across the face, he has taken the car keys out of the car, and he has gone back inside. We don't know what's happening now.

 

"He has just chased my cameraman down the street. We are going to wait and see and hope the police show up soon."

 

The news crew had been covering raids that targeted people with links to outlaw motorcycle gangs involved in the supply and production of the drugs GHB and methylamphetamine.

 

A total of 115 police officers exercised about 30 search warrants in simultaneous raids at the Gold Coast, Logan and Ipswich.

 

Witnesses at the exclusive Palm Meadows estate reported hearing up to 20 shots around dawn.

 

"There were flashes and smoke and things like that," one person said.

 

Thirty-four people have been arrested on nearly 200 drug-related and other charges.

 

Detective Inspector Garry Watts says two of the people arrested are known members of the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang and others have bikie links.

 

"We have made a serious and major dent in respect to a major criminal network operating on the Gold Coast," he said.

 

He says the operation, codenamed Ice Vulcan, found a Taser, 66 litres of a chemical used to make illicit drugs, and quantities of GHB and methylamphetamine.

 

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