It’s just a week ago that the Western Advocate reported on the concerns of local police and health officials about the increasing use of methamphetamine – or ice, as it better known – around Bathurst.

They called ice a very addictive and very dangerous drug.

Paramedics are called to number of incidents each week involving ice users who, in their altered state, might actually believe they can fly, or go into a violent rage while high.

But none of these stories illustrated the size of the ice problem in Australia as much as yesterday’s photograph of Inspector Luke Rankin standing in front of a cache of guns, explosives and computers allegedly seized during Wednesday’s raids.

That photo tells us the distribution of ice in Bathurst is no fly-by-night operation. Rather, it is an organised, well-connected criminal operation that is distributing vast quantities of this deadly drug. And that should concern us all.

There might be many reasons that people fall prey to drug addiction, but one reason would be common to most: a ready availability of the drug.

So every packet of ice removed from the streets might be one less potential addict in the grip of the drug. By that measure, Wednesday’s police operation was a potential life saver.

But now is not the time to become complacent. One drug bust will not stop this deadly trade in its tracks and police would already be looking for the next seizure. And they need the community’s help to do their work. If you notice anything suspicious in your street, report it.

It may be nothing, but it may be something.

As this week’s raids have shown, the most ordinary houses could be hiding the most extraordinary secrets. We must all work together to end the scourge of ice.