One street-level trafficker is getting arrested each day in Melbourne's south, with police estimating more than $1.5 million worth of illegal drugs have been taken off the streets.
About 350 people were arrested and 650 charges were laid over the past year, netting authorities 2.5kg of drugs in the Port Phillip council area.
Officers carried out 40 drug-related search warrants and several street-level arrests across hotspots including St Kilda and Port Melbourne.
Cocaine with a street value of about $590,000 was the most common drug seized followed by half a million dollars of cannabis and $389,000 of methylamphetamine.
Ketamine and MDMA were other common substances seized by local police.
Officers are targeting street-level traffickers who supply vulnerable community members and revellers heading to the area's nightlife, Port Phillip Inspector Brett Coloe said.
"We understand the concerns of the Port Phillip community when it comes to drugs and flow-on crimes," he said.
During a raid on a St Kilda East apartment on July 4, Victoria Police allegedly found $270,000 worth of cocaine, $13,000 of MDMA and almost $30,000 in cash.
A 34-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were charged with drug trafficking offences and possessing and dealing with proceeds of crime and have been remanded to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court at a later date.
Police allegedly uncovered almost $330,000 of methylamphetamine, $52,000 of cocaine and $12,000 of MDMA during a raid in Port Melbourne in October.
More than half a million dollars in cash and a loaded handgun were also seized with a 28-year-old woman going through the courts in connection to the seizures.
In February, more than $200,000 of cocaine, MDMA and ketamine were seized at a St Kilda property, with police also finding $40,000 cash and confiscating two Porsches, believed to be the proceeds of crime.
A 46-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman were bailed after being charged with drug trafficking.
Police are using local intelligence to make arrests, which is contributing to a 10-year crime low in the St Kilda area, Insp Coloe said.
"It's known nationally for its culture, its diversity, its arts, and its food, and we're determined to keep it an iconic location," he said.
"With around four million visitors to the suburb every year, your chances of being robbed are one in 160,000 and the chances of being randomly assaulted are almost one in 15,000."
