The kingpin of Northam's drug trade is a 15-year-old Perth boy, police alleged on Wednesday as they revealed details of a massive drug operation to flush out the Wheatbelt town.
Detectives spent two months working Operation Virbius after floods of reports on drug-related harm in the town, and from Friday to Monday conducted a string of raids culminating in 10 arrests, including the Wanneroo boy.
"Disturbingly, police will allege that the primary source of supply into Northam involving the conspirators charged, originated from one of the 15-year-old offenders," a spokeswoman said.
Police arrested four adults on Friday after stopping a car on Great Eastern Highway in Bakers Hill, allegedly seizing about 45 grams of methamphetamine.
They then searched homes in Northam and arrested a further three men on the weekend, charging them with involvement in a 'conspiracy to possess methamphetamine', with intent to sell or supply.
Finally in Perth on Monday, they arrested two 15-year-olds and a man at a Wanneroo house, where they allegedly seized about 33 grams of ice, 30 grams of ecstasy, five tabs of LSD and some cannabis resin, three laptops, 10 smoking implements, pepper spray and house breaking implements, among other 'items of interest'.
Others peddling drugs should take heed, said Detective Senior Sergeant Mitch Howard, Wheatbelt Detectives officer-in-charge.
"We will not stand for the community to be rocked by your drug dealing and misery, which in turn fuels burglaries, theft and damage as drug users turn to crime in their desire to fund their next hit," he said.
The 31-year-old woman, 34-year-old woman, 28-year-old man and 30-year-old woman, all from Northam, arrested on Friday made preliminary appearances at Perth Magistrates Court on Saturday on numerous charges, mostly related to the possession and sale of drugs.
The 30-year-old and 26-year-old Northam men arrested and charged on the weekend have also made preliminary appearances.
The two 15-year-olds arrested on Monday, both from Wanneroo, appeared at Perth Children's Court on Tuesday.
The boy believed to be the kingpin faces charges including two counts of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent, one of selling a prohibited drug and two counts of possession of a prohibited drug with intent.
The other boy and the man arrested alongside them, a 28-year-old Kallaroo man, appeared on numerous charges related to the possession of drugs with intent to sell.
The investigation continues.
