Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
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- Nov 3, 1999
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Every parent's nightmare as Year 12 students use Facebook and Craigslist to buy dangerous drugs including 'zombie powder' flakka ahead of Schoolies
Year 12 students are using social media websites to sell illicit substances to their friends ahead of Schoolies celebrations.
The students have posted advertisements with their mobile number and Snapchat details on Facebook to notify their friends they will be selling drugs at Schoolies, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
One friend responded to the advert asking if the teenager was selling the dangerous synthetic drug flakka, which is believed to have caused an outbreak of overdoses in October that left two victims in a coma.
Following the spate of overdoses on the Gold Coast last month, police feared students could be duped into buying the 'party drug' assuming it was ecstasy and warned they would be keeping a close eye on revellers.
Thousands of students are expected to travel to popular beach locations like the Gold Coast and Byron Bay for a week of partying and sun once end of year exams are completed.
During last year's celebrations 37 schoolies were arrested on 48 charges, while 81 non-schoolies faced 113 charges in the same period, according to police.
There was a 60 per cent drop in arrests from the year before, which Gold Coast District Inspector Damien Crosby attributed to the heavy police presence and co-operation with licenced venues across the party district.
Susan McLean, a former police officer and cyber safety expert, said it would be 'extremely dumb' for students to think they would fly under the radar or be unnoticed by police if they advertise online.
Police use a range of tools to gather intelligence during Schoolies and they do monitor the internet and social media.
'To blatantly sell drugs online is pretty dumb because it doesn't matter if you have a fake account officers can contact Facebook and get all the relevant details of who has been posting and managing the account,' Ms McLean told Daily Mail Australia.
'Then they will obtain a warrant and arrest you,' she added.
Ms McLean said there are harsh penalties for possessing drugs but warned they were far more significant for those selling.
'Trafficking a drug of dependence or an illicit drug is far more significant than possession. Penalties for those selling is double or triple that of possession.'
'There are always going to be people that don't heed the warnings and think it will all be okay and usually the moment of reality is when you are arrested or dead.'
She said users should also take caution as they have 'no idea' where the drugs were cooked and the people who make them rarely cause about the health consequences for those who consume them.
'Doing drugs is really risky and we have seen time and time again good kids getting sucked in that are sadly no longer with us.'
Advertisements for drugs including ecstasy, ketamine, cannabis, LSD, methamphetamine and cocaine have also appeared the online classified websites Craigslist.
Most advertisements used code words such as crank, lucy, molly or charlie, while others blatantly advertised the illegal activity, even posting pictures of zip lock bags containing ice, cannabis and pills.
Some even trying to persuade buyers to chose them over their competitors.
'You want real sh** or what? You won't find it elsewhere. Go try. You probably already have. Numbers of wannabe dealers is growing faster than ever. Come to years of experience in the game.'
Three dealers responded to messages from Daily Mail Australia and advised they could deliver large quantities of ecstasy for $20 a pill to a hotel during the end of year celebrations - some even offering a 'Schoolies discount'.
One warned they would not meet face to face and planned to drop the delivery in a mailbox to avoid detection from police.
Paramedics have also warned about the deadly repercussions of using 'party drugs' ahead of this year's celebrations.
'Any illegal drugs or unknown substance that you take, the effect is totally unknown,' Queensland Ambulance Supervisor Paul Young said.
'There is no such thing as a Party Drug. Drugs used improperly can and will kill.'
Drug Arm Australia's Dennis Young said alcohol was by far the drug most abused by schoolies historically, but also issued a warning to anyone contemplating taking synthetic drugs, such as those that resulted in the overdose situation in
October.
'The real issue is they don't know what they're taking, they don't know the strength, they don't know where it's come from,' Mr Young said.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ing-zombie-powder-flakka-ahead-Schoolies.html
Year 12 students are using social media websites to sell illicit substances to their friends ahead of Schoolies celebrations.
The students have posted advertisements with their mobile number and Snapchat details on Facebook to notify their friends they will be selling drugs at Schoolies, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
One friend responded to the advert asking if the teenager was selling the dangerous synthetic drug flakka, which is believed to have caused an outbreak of overdoses in October that left two victims in a coma.
Following the spate of overdoses on the Gold Coast last month, police feared students could be duped into buying the 'party drug' assuming it was ecstasy and warned they would be keeping a close eye on revellers.
Thousands of students are expected to travel to popular beach locations like the Gold Coast and Byron Bay for a week of partying and sun once end of year exams are completed.
During last year's celebrations 37 schoolies were arrested on 48 charges, while 81 non-schoolies faced 113 charges in the same period, according to police.
There was a 60 per cent drop in arrests from the year before, which Gold Coast District Inspector Damien Crosby attributed to the heavy police presence and co-operation with licenced venues across the party district.
Susan McLean, a former police officer and cyber safety expert, said it would be 'extremely dumb' for students to think they would fly under the radar or be unnoticed by police if they advertise online.
Police use a range of tools to gather intelligence during Schoolies and they do monitor the internet and social media.
'To blatantly sell drugs online is pretty dumb because it doesn't matter if you have a fake account officers can contact Facebook and get all the relevant details of who has been posting and managing the account,' Ms McLean told Daily Mail Australia.
'Then they will obtain a warrant and arrest you,' she added.
Ms McLean said there are harsh penalties for possessing drugs but warned they were far more significant for those selling.
'Trafficking a drug of dependence or an illicit drug is far more significant than possession. Penalties for those selling is double or triple that of possession.'
'There are always going to be people that don't heed the warnings and think it will all be okay and usually the moment of reality is when you are arrested or dead.'
She said users should also take caution as they have 'no idea' where the drugs were cooked and the people who make them rarely cause about the health consequences for those who consume them.
'Doing drugs is really risky and we have seen time and time again good kids getting sucked in that are sadly no longer with us.'
Advertisements for drugs including ecstasy, ketamine, cannabis, LSD, methamphetamine and cocaine have also appeared the online classified websites Craigslist.
Most advertisements used code words such as crank, lucy, molly or charlie, while others blatantly advertised the illegal activity, even posting pictures of zip lock bags containing ice, cannabis and pills.
Some even trying to persuade buyers to chose them over their competitors.
'You want real sh** or what? You won't find it elsewhere. Go try. You probably already have. Numbers of wannabe dealers is growing faster than ever. Come to years of experience in the game.'
Three dealers responded to messages from Daily Mail Australia and advised they could deliver large quantities of ecstasy for $20 a pill to a hotel during the end of year celebrations - some even offering a 'Schoolies discount'.
One warned they would not meet face to face and planned to drop the delivery in a mailbox to avoid detection from police.
Paramedics have also warned about the deadly repercussions of using 'party drugs' ahead of this year's celebrations.
'Any illegal drugs or unknown substance that you take, the effect is totally unknown,' Queensland Ambulance Supervisor Paul Young said.
'There is no such thing as a Party Drug. Drugs used improperly can and will kill.'
Drug Arm Australia's Dennis Young said alcohol was by far the drug most abused by schoolies historically, but also issued a warning to anyone contemplating taking synthetic drugs, such as those that resulted in the overdose situation in
October.
'The real issue is they don't know what they're taking, they don't know the strength, they don't know where it's come from,' Mr Young said.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ing-zombie-powder-flakka-ahead-Schoolies.html
