Three removalists who allegedly travelled from Sydney to regional NSW, including Figtree, knowing they were COVID positive have been labelled selfish and their actions "disturbing" by authorities.
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Just after 2.30pm on Friday officers from Central West Police District attended Speedy Street, Molong, and spoke with three men after receiving information they had travelled there from West Hoxton.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said on Sunday the men were issued court attendance notices with the maximum penalty being $11,000 and/or six months in jail.
"Police found this behaviour from these three people, to be particularly disturbing, despite the best health advice they continued on their journey and left their home," Dept Com Worboys said.
"People are angry about it, there's no doubt the behaviour is reckless and certainly very selfish."
Police established the men, who were working as removalists, had travelled from West Hoxton to Figtree, before travelling to Molong, stopping in regional areas including South Bowenfels and Orange along the way.
It will be alleged three of the men travelled to Molong after being notified they had tested positive to COVID-19.
Police escorted all the men and their vehicles back to Greater Sydney where they were instructed to isolate for 14-days.
The younger three men were issued Court Attendance Notices for not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 - COVID-19.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said he was troubled by significant breaches of the Public Health Orders.
"This thoughtless act has now placed our regional communities in NSW at the greatest risk so far with this pandemic," Mr Elliott said.
"We know that the delta variant is highly transmissible, and it is unfathomable to think that, with all the public information and health warnings, people could so blatantly ignore the health orders."
As of Saturday, police have issued 162 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) and charged 18 people for breaches of the Public Health Act in the past 24 hours.
Police attended more than 1,000 COVID-related jobs yesterday, with about 630 of those coming from reports to Crime Stoppers.
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