Australian Ice Thread

[poledriver]

Instead of cluttering up the main forum with so many ice related threads I thought it a decent idea to start a thread for all Aussie crystal meth articles to go into.

 

[poledriver]

New powers to sedate extreme ice addicts in hospital emergency departments

WITH frequent psychotic episodes taking place in every hospital emergency room across the country, new guidelines have been developed for dealing with ice addicts.

The Daily Telegraph has reported instances of a woman chewing off her own toes and a man refusing to have his finger reattached after slicing it off as contributing factors to the development of the guidelines.

Another ice patient reportedly ran on the spot beside his bed for 24 hours until he suffered muscle failure in his legs and collapsed.

The guidelines, titled Management of Patients with Acute Severe Behavioural Disturbance in Emergency Departments, are set to change the way emergency services deal with ice patients.

Paramedic and Health Services Union official Steve Fraser said he welcomed the changes after having experienced what it is like to deal with an ice addict in the back of an ambulance.

“They are rocking back and forth, picking at their skin, and you don’t know if they are going to lash out at you. There are users as young as 10 up here, but it can affect all ages,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

Under the new guidelines, staff are told to “avoid prolonged eye contact” and to “avoid sudden or threatening gestures”.

They also provide a standardised list of drugs for sedating ice patients and detail the ability to inject patients who refuse to swallow the sedatives.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...ency-departments/story-fneuzlbd-1227545828269

 

[poledriver]

Man charged after more than 800 grams of 'Ice' seized - Gladesville

Sunday, 27 September 2015 12:11:53 PM

A Chinese national has been charged after being found in possession of 824 grams of crystal methylamphetamine (‘Ice’).

Around 10.30pm yesterday (Saturday 26 September 2015), police attended Punt Road, Gladesville, where they approached a man sitting in a parked silver Audi.

While speaking to the man, officers noticed a plastic container, allegedly filled with Ice, sitting on the front passenger seat.

The man – a 29-year-old Chinese national from the Sydney CBD – was arrested and taken to Ryde Police Station.

He was charged with drug supply and refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court today (Sunday 27 September 2015).

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/l...vdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGNDg4ODQuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ==

 

[poledriver]

Perth men extradited from Queensland to face court over $8M meth seizure

Two Perth men have been extradited from Queensland after failing to appear in court on drug trafficking charges.

Queensland Police arrested the pair on Tuesday after investigating reports of suspicious behaviour at a Maryborough business.

The men, aged 39 and 41, flew into Perth last night with detectives from the WA Police Organised Crime Squad.

They had been due to face drug trafficking charges which were laid in April 2014 as a result of an Organised Crime Squad investigation.

That investigation was sparked by the discovery of two kilograms of drugs during a routine traffic stop in January that year.

It culminated in raids on six properties across Perth, with officers seizing methylamphetamine with a street value of $8 million, firearms and $380,000 in cash.

Bench warrants were issued for the pair in June this year after they failed to appear in the WA District Court.

The pair, from Kewdale, are due in Perth Magistrate's Court today.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-26/perth-drug-accused-extradited-from-queensland/6806986

 

[poledriver]

Five in custody after $650k in ice and cannabis seized in Brisbane

Queensland Police are preparing to charge five people after a major drug haul in Brisbane in which ice and cannabis worth $650,000 was allegedly seized.

Police raided four homes and properties at Ferny Grove and Upper Mount Gravatt this morning.

Acting Superintendent Peter Aitken said the dealers had been under surveillance for six months.

"Charges are pending and we will be continuing our investigations; at present, we have seized about a half-kilogram of ice worth about a half-a-million dollars, and also about nine kilograms of cannabis worth about $150,000," he said.

He said police hoped to identify more offenders.

"There's definitely no connection to any organised crime group - this group is operating locally," he said.

"What we do believe is that we've disrupted the local supplier of ice and cannabis.

"There is some slight connection with northern New South Wales where we have worked with NSW detectives on arresting another offender earlier today."

He said the people in custody in Brisbane were known to police.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-...-bus-of-650k-of-ice-cannabis-brisbane/6806114

 

[poledriver]

Mastermind behind Taiwanese meth smuggling operation sentenced to six years' jail over $1 million haul

A 64-year-old man who attempted to import methamphetamine from Taiwan to Perth while serving time at a prison work camp in Western Australia has been sentenced to at least six years behind bars.

Ngoo Chan had already served 15 years of a 20-year sentence for his role in importing heroin in Sydney in 2000.

He had been in prison in Western Australia since March 2006 and was only five months away from being eligible for parole when he was arrested earlier this year.

He was identified as the ringleader in the operation to import three kilograms of the drug with 95 per cent purity, equalling a street value of almost $1 million.

He was serving time in the Walpole prison work camp in the state's south-west.

Chan was organising for the drugs to be sent to various addresses and contacts in the state via a mobile phone he was accessing when he was at work placements outside of the Walpole prison work camp in the state's south-west.

He was arrested in January along with four other men after police intercepted the delivery of a package to a house in Butler, in Perth's northern suburbs.

The Perth Supreme Court was told Chan had been communicating with a foreign national overseas about the drugs, but they would speak in code.

Malaysian national Yoh Wah Khew, who travelled to Perth to receive the package, was also sentenced to at least five years in jail.

Both men had previously pleaded guilty to the attempted importation.

Prosecutors said Khew was sent as an associate of the foreign national Chan liaised with and was promised $7,000 after flying to WA to receive the package.

The court heard Khew did not speak English and was unemployed.

Chan was involved in organising several different safe houses, cash payments and sim cards for Khew once he arrived in Perth.

But the plan was foiled as Taiwanese police seized the package before it was posted to an address in Butler in January and removed the drugs hidden inside.

Australian Federal Police seized the package once it arrived just over a week later and placed a substitute substance inside the package.

Once the package was delivered to Khew in Ballajura, police arrested him and three other men in the laundry of the house, where they also found the open package.

Police also found digital scales, a pick hammer and clip seal bags.

In sentencing Justice Peter Martino said Chan had gone to a lot of effort to import what was a significant amount of drugs.

"The offences you committed was serious. The drug methamphetamine causes great damage to the lives of people who use the drugs, their families, and to victims of crimes committed by people who use the drug," he said.

Both Chan and Khew had received reduced sentences for agreeing to give evidence against others accused of being involved in the criminal enterprise.

The joint operation by authorities in Western Australia and overseas also led to three arrests in Taiwan.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-24/meth-smuggling-mastermind-sentenced/6801514

 

[poledriver]

Hong Kong men charged over WA's biggest ever ice haul appear in Perth court

Three Hong Kong men have made no application for bail when they appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court via video link charged over the seizure of 320 kilograms of the drug ice.

Pak Cheong Cheung, Chin Yeung Ng and Yik To Ng were arrested earlier this month after most of the drugs were found hidden inside packages of tea in suitcases at a house in Canning Vale.

More drugs were found in an apartment and a hotel in the city, and $1.4 million in cash was also seized.

The drugs were estimated to have a street value of about $320 million and the seizure was the largest ever made of the drug ice in Western Australia.

The three men appeared in court via video link from Hakea prison.

Perth lawyer Sean O'Sullivan represented the trio with the help of a solicitor from Hong Kong.

Mr O'Sullivan told the court the solicitor had been engaged by the men's parents to try to "sort out" legal representation for them.

The solicitor also acted as an interpreter because Mr O'Sullivan said none of the men spoke English.

The men were not required to plead to charges of possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply and possession of unlawfully obtained property.

They were remanded in custody until their next court appearance in December.

A fourth man, Jian Tat Ng, did not appear in court due to technical problems with the video link to the prison.

However his lawyer Patti Chong appeared on his behalf and that case was also adjourned to December.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-...-320kg-ice-haul-appear-in-perth-court/6799170

 

[poledriver]

NT Govt pulls 'gutter politics' ice advertisements after pressure from Labor, independents

The Northern Territory Government has decided to pull a string of advertisements that accuse Labor and Independent MLAs of blocking drug legislation, after the taxpayer-funded campaign was slammed as misleading by the Opposition and independents.

A full-page article appeared in the NT News on Friday and Monday with an NT Government crest published on it.

The office of Chief Minister Adam Giles said the combined cost of the ads was $8,203.87.

"The NT Government proposed legislation to give police more power to stop and search ice traffickers on our major highways," the advertisement said.

"This law was was blocked in Parliament," it continued, before listing Labor and independent MLAs who "blocked" the laws.

Independent MLA Gerry Wood slammed it as "deceptive ... gutter politics" that was factually incorrect because Labor and the cross bench last week only voted against an "urgency motion".

This means the legislation, which aims to make it easier for police to search cars for drugs, could not be rushed through and will now follow the usual path and be debated in November.

"Politics is a dirty game, unfortunately this is dirty politics," Mr Wood said.

"We stopped an urgency motion, we didn't stop the bill.

"I believe this ad is definitely misleading."

Both the Member for Nelson and the Opposition have referred the matter to the auditor general, claiming the advertisements breached the Public Information Act.

"That's the right process, I encourage that," Mr Giles said.

"Just last week I referred one of Labor's ads to the auditor general.

"So while that process is going on I've said let's not do any more ads."

Ads 'misleading and a blatant lie'

The advertisements have infuriated the very MLAs the new minority government will need to negotiate with to secure legislation.

Many have already indicated they will at least support some aspects of the bill but would not commit to any decisions until consulting with the NT's legal fraternity.

"We can't go forward like this," Labor's Lauren Moss said.

[The advertising] is a disgraceful waste of taxpayers' money,
Independent Member for Goyder Kezia Purick
"We have a Government clearly over the last week has just completely lost control in Parliament, has lost control in terms of its behaviour."

Independent Member for Goyder Kezia Purick said if the Government continued its recent behaviour she would reconsider her view not to supporting a no-confidence motion.

"[The advertising] is a disgraceful waste of taxpayers' money," Ms Purick said.

"It's misleading and a blatant lie.

"If a Government continues to act the way they have, which has been very unprofessional and not in the interests of Territorians, I may well have to consider my position [on a no confidence motion]."

Previously Ms Purick has said she would not back a no-confidence motion in the Giles-led Government.

The Government did not have any legislation tabled ahead of last week's parliamentary sittings.

The urgency motion surprised a few MLAs, but Mr Giles defended the way the Government handled the issue.

"This is the legislation that police have asked to come forward giving them more powers," he said.

"I don't apologise for trying to bring this legislation in on urgency because I think it's important."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-21/nt-govt-pulls-gutter-politics-ice-advertisements/6792596

 

[poledriver]

Pair plead guilty over methamphetamines found buried in remote bushland at Tutye near Ouyen

Two men from Sydney have pleaded guilty to trafficking almost a kilogram of methamphetamines found buried in remote bushland in north-west Victoria.

Stephen Gillard, 39, and Geoffrey Hitchen, 42, from South Penrith, were arrested in February.

They are accused of stashing nearly $300,000 worth of methamphetamines in scrubland off the Mallee Highway at Tutye, west of Ouyen.

Court documents reveal two farmers saw the pair acting suspiciously.

When the accused hid the drugs and left the area, one farmer entered the scrubland and dug up loose soil , uncovering plastic fruit juice bottles containing the drugs.

Police were waiting for Hitchen and Gillard when they returned the next day frantically searching for the drugs.

At the Mildura Magistrates Court yesterday, the pair pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.

They were granted bail on strict conditions and are due to return to court in November.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-...over-buried-drugs-at-tutye-near-ouyen/6785798

 

[poledriver]

Media Release: Two men charged with importing 50kg of methamphetamine in packing machine equipment

Two Taiwanese men are scheduled to appear before the Sydney Central Local Court this morning (Thursday 24 September) charged with importing approximately 50 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in packaging equipment.

The operation, code-named Operation Nightbird, began on Wednesday 9 September, when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers at the Sydney container examination facility examined a consignment from China.

The shipment consisted of three pallets comprising of 112 metal rollers forming part of a packaging machine.

During the examination, ABF officers found a suspicious white crystalline substance within one of the metal rollers. Further examination revealed the consignment was estimated to contain approximately 50 kilograms of methamphetamine.

The matter was subsequently referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for investigation.

On Tuesday 15 September, the AFP commenced a controlled delivery of the consignment to a residential address in Ashfield.

After further investigation, AFP officers searched a storage facility and arrested a 34-year-old Sydney man and a 33-year-old Chippendale man. It will be alleged in court these men were key facilitators and organisers for the syndicate.

An additional 20 kilograms of methamphetamine was seized by the AFP at a Broadway property occupied by one of the men. Investigations are continuing and further charges are likely to be laid as a result.

70 kilograms of methamphetamine has the potential street value of up to $47 million.

http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/...-methamphetamine-in-packing-machine-equipment

 

[poledriver]

Crazy behaviour of ice addicts: Woman chewed off toes, young boy goughed out eyes

FROM a young boy who gouged out his own eyes and ate them to a man who needed to be restrained by 12 people during a violent fit, ice addicts are a danger to not only themselves but also the community.

As Australia’s federal and state’s government wrestle with how to address our nation’s ice scourge, it is our emergency services that are dealing with the problem on a daily basis.

It has become such an issue in our hospitals that every emergency doctor and nurse are soon to be given new powers to subdue ice addicts. Scroll to bottom for more information on the new guidelines.

But it is not only medical staff affected. Police are confronted with violent addicts on a daily basis and for the family and friends of those strung out life can be a nightmare.

Here are some of the worst stories.

PLAUGING OUR HOSPITALS

A young woman at a Sydney hospital chewed off her own toes while under the influence of ice

At the same hospital an ice patient ran on the spot for 24 hours beside his bed. He was only stopped by intermittent periods of sedation and eventually muscle failure in his legs.

Meanwhile medical staff where left helpless when an addict cut off his own finger and then refused to allow them to sew it back on.

“The medical staff offered to put it back,” a medic said. He said: “I’m good thanks.”

“It’s very confronting but it explains the problem”.

IT WAS LIKE A PYSCHOSIS ALL THE TIME

Ice addict Jack Nagle went on a 10 day bender and spent $7000. At one stage he thought his life was a TV show where everyone could see what he was doing.

He would black out and only after talking with friends and family would he learn he had been

There were long black-outs where he couldn’t remember what had happened. It was only after rambling, incoherent. On one occasion he believed he was at the airport about to board a flight to Thailand.

Jack Nagle Mr Nagle spent $7000 during a 10 day ice binge. Source: Supplied

“What happens is you lose your grip on reality. Your ability to reason just gets knocked out of the ballpark ... basically you’ll do anything to get it.”

“It was like a psychosis all the time.”

A HORROR STORY

In May Dobell Federal Liberal MP Karen McNamara told an ice summit on the Central Coast about a young boy who was rushed to hospital after he gouged out his own eyes and ate them while high on the horror drug.

The incident occurred at John Hunter Hospital at Newcastle and was relayed to the MP by a frontline emergency services officer.

“We have to get these kinds of stories out to young people — this is not a recreational drug,” she said.

SUPER HUMAN STRENGTH

At Toukley on the NSW Central Coast it took 12 people to restrain an out of control addict.

NSW Ambulance Toukley station manager Dave Morris told the Central Coast Express Advocate that the man weighed only 60kg but 12 men, including “strong NSW police officers, security staff and paramedics” were needed to subdue the violent addict.

A DEATH IN CUSTODY

Kevin Norris, 38, was on a three-day ice binge when he became violent at a McDonald’s restaurant in Bowral in January 10 this year.

The 38-year-old threatened his partner before storming into the restaurant and jumping the counter.

He was confronted by police who used capsicum spray and then tasered him. He was handcuffed at the restaurant and was conscious when he arrived at the police station. However he later collapsed in his cell and could not be revived by paramedics.

NEW GUIDELINES FOR EMERGENCY STAFF

* Avoid prolonged eye contact, do not confront orn stand over patient

* Remove other patients and bystanders

* Only use assessment rooms with at least two doors

* Call security if necessary

* Never assess patients alone

* Never approach a patientholding, or who has access to a potential weapon

* Verball de-escalate from a distance

* Avoid sudden or threatening gestures

* Search the patient for dangerous items

* Try to identify the patient’s unmet needs

* Avoid potentially provocative statements such as “calm down” or if you don’t settle down ... x will happen”

With a vid -

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...utm_source=DailyTelegraph&utm_medium=Facebook

 

[poledriver]

Ice scourge: How the drug claimed one desperate mother’s son

CHRISTINE Evans loved seeing her aspiring actor son show off his talent as a child, but now he is the star of an ice horror show.

Since falling into the drug’s grip 23-year-old Jesse Civello has been involved in a string of bizarre crimes, culminating in him destroying a ceramic basin at a popular Lebanese restaurant in Newtown.

Civello told police last month he smashed it “in anger”.

He was found with 0.4 grams of ice and pleaded guilty to destroying property, possessing ice and giving a false name in Newtown Local Court. He has also admitted walking out of a police station in a forensic tracksuit and stealing from Marrickville 7-Eleven.

Police were questioning Civello over a May 20 robbery at a Lewisham service station in which an attendant was threatened with a 35cm chrome blade. He has also pleaded guilty to plastering a Kogarah pedestrian tunnel with graffiti.

Ms Evans, who raised Jesse and his siblings in Bathurst, finds it hard to reconcile her son’s crimes with the happy boy she knew.

“It’s the ice epidemic making kids go crazy,” she said. “This stuff does not sound like Jesse.

“He was such a beautiful boy and so polite. He was very popular. He used to act growing up. He’d attract people because he is so funny and lively.

“He is a different person now, he says some really bizarre things. It changes the chemistry in their brain.”

Ms Evans reported her son missing earlier this year after the family lost contact with him. He had been living with his father in Sutherland.

She said he had converted to Islam during a period he was drug-free.

“He’s Muslim, he actually turned to the Muslim faith for a while when he was drug free,” she said.

“He was going to a mosque. I think it’s very strict, he would get down on himself because he couldn’t follow the rules on not smoking and drinking.”

Ms Evans said her son had last worked as a body piercer and a stint in jail may do him some good.

“Unfortunately I think it’s the best for him so he can’t get a hold of anymore drugs. I am hoping one day he will get the help he needs. He has got to want to be helped,” she said.

Ms Evans fully supported state government moves to introduce mandatory jail terms for ice manufacturers.

“They are killing a lot of people. They are not only ruining the person that is buying the ice they’re ruining families,” she said.

She also wants the power to force her son into rehabilitation.

“Where a family member can put them into a rehab situation without their consent. That’s the thing I tried to do over and over and they kept saying ‘no you can’t do that’,” she said.

With a vid-

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...ate-mothers-son/story-fni0cx12-1227552869620?

 

[poledriver]

Tradie paid teen worker with drugs in lieu of wages

AN ice-addicted Darwin tradesman got his teenage employee hooked on the drug in lieu of wages and stole almost $220,000 worth of tools to fund his habit and clear debts to his dealer.

Ricky Lee Jones, 27, was sentenced to six years behind bars, with three years non-parole, after admitting 52 charges of stealing, property damage, receiving stolen property unlawful entry, meth possession and supplying ice to a child — which carries a maximum life in prison — in the NT Supreme Court.

Defence lawyer Catherine Voumard said her client’s crimes were disorganised because he stole double-sided tape and pencils along with expensive tools from Northern Territory businesses.
But Justice Judith Kelly said: “He targeted building sites and businesses and had an organised pattern of breaking into containers.
“If, in his hurry to get out, he scooped up tape and pencils, that hardly makes it less organised.”
Jones, whose painting business was strapped due to his six-year ice addiction, committed 40 offences from April to December, 2014.

He was arrested after being busted on top of a shipping container at Radio Rentals, with an angle grinder, a jemmy, a torch and his 17-year-old employee.
He broke into premises, stole gear and cut padlocks for “someone” else to steal the tools, including those belonging to contract tradies who left them in locked boxes on site.
The stolen goods ended up in his possession.

He employed the teenager in June, 2014, and recruited him as a criminal offender, substituting the youth’s pay with drugs because he had no cash. Ms Voumard said the motive was not “sinister”.
But the teen became addicted.

Jones was released on bail after his arrest but 10 days later drilled into vending machines at McDonalds, Coolalinga, and a plant nursery, and the coin machine at a laundromat, to get money.
“You hardly broke stride — you seem to have picked up the pace,” Justice Kelly said.

“I do not accept you are remorseful. I dare say you are sorry about the predicament you are now in.”
Police found about $115,000 worth of stolen goods in Jones’ caravan at Lee Point caravan park and a storage shed.

He has been in custody for nine months.
His sentence was backdated to Christmas Day, 2014.

http://www.news.com.au/national/tra...in-lieu-of-wages/story-fncynjr2-1227555311578

 

[Jabberwocky]

Wow, methamp is really Oz's version of the US's crack epidemic of the 80's/90's

 

[poledriver]

Increasing number of pregnant women seeking help for ice addiction

NSFW:

New data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has shown the number of Australians who have used ice has more than doubled to about 1.3 million people.

The AIHW examined trends in the use and availability of methamphetamines — commonly known as 'ice' — and reported a big jump in the past decade in the production and supply of the drug across Australia.

Over a four-month period this year, more than 20 expectant mothers sought help from a drug treatment centre in Newcastle.

Bill Robertson manages the stimulants clinic, a service for people who have "issues with stimulant type drugs, amphetamines, methamphetamine".

Some clients are self-referred, while others are referred by state agencies like Corrective Services or Family and Community Services.

About 150 people come to the clinic each year and lately there has been a growing number of pregnant women who have come for help to tackle their addictions to ice.

"Pregnancy is often a motivator and they want to try to do the best they can being a mother," Mr Robertson said.

"We had 26 referrals between January and April this year — all methamphetamine."

Associate professor Adrian Dunlop, chief addiction medicine specialist with NSW Health, said it was unclear whether there was an increasing number of pregnant women using methamphetamines or if it was simply more women reporting their drug use.

"To try to give you some sort of comparison, we know across the country that alcohol use in pregnancy is a really big concern," Mr Dunlop said .

"Around about 50 per cent of all women who used to drink before pregnancy stop but still there's about 50 per cent who continue to and a small group who don't cut down ... and the healthcare system is not good at all at identifying those.

"If we do some population-based estimates, we should be seeing dozens, if not hundreds, of that particular group in these clinics across the state each year and we're not."

The NSW Government recently announced funds to expand the service.

Ice users opt for more dangerous crystal form

The AIHW report found use of the drug ice increased across the board from urban areas, to regional Australia and remote indigenous communities.

In 2013, 7 per cent of Australians said they had used methamphetamines — more than a third of them had used the drugs within the last three years.

One of the report's authors, Geoff Neideck, said all indicators showed that supply of methamphetamines had jumped in recent years.

"That's consistent with the picture that we see internationally," Mr Neideck said.

"Certainly in all the particular areas in relation to supply — so that's around detections, and that includes detection of clandestine labs, seizures by Customs or police, and arrests — we see they're all up quite significantly over the last five years."

And more of those who consumed the drug were using crystal meth, which Mr Neideck said was more addictive and dangerous than the powder form.

"It's highly addictive," he said. "It can lead to severe paranoia and psychosis, and often results in violent behaviour."

Mr Neideck said there were multiple reasons why the use of ice had increased.

"We've seen, for example, a downturn in heroin use in Australia — and maybe there's a substitution issue there," he said.

"Maybe it's to do with just increased availability. I think that there are a number of complex issues that would impact on the overall level of usage."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-...ant-women-seek-help-for-ice-addiction/6821880

 

[poledriver]

Mr Ice arrested in Sydney's Kings Cross

AN alleged Kings Cross drug dealer known to local users as "Mr Ice" has been arrested and charged.

POLICE on Wednesday arrested a 52-year-old man in the entertainment district following a strike force investigation into the supply of methylamphetamine.

It's alleged the man is the main supplier of ice in the area and supplied the drug on at least 146 occasions over a 21-day period.
The man has been charged with ongoing supply of a prohibited drug and dealing with proceeds of crime and has been refused bail to appear before Central Local Court on Thursday.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...neys-kings-cross/story-fni0xqi3-1227561281331

 

[poledriver]

A national report on Australian drug use has found crystal meth use up by six per cent

A NATIONAL report into Australia’s drug culture has revealed crystal methamphetamine use among drugs users is worse - yet we are not in the midst of an epidemic.

Despite research indicating the availability and strength of the drug, also known as ice, had increased over the years, as well as media reports the illicit substance is ravaging some rural communities, experts say the data doesn’t suggest it is as rampant as its perceived.
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre has compiled two annual reports into Aussie drug use which are set to be released today at its National Drug Trends Conference in Sydney.

One of the key findings from the reports is that crystal meth use among intravenous drug users increased by six per cent this year. And of those, two thirds said they regularly used ice, indicating the drug had become embedded within that community.
The reports also found that crystal meth use among those who used psychostimulant drugs such as ecstasy was much lower, with many reporting they had also cut back their use of other forms of methamphetamine such as speed.
And while use of the drug was different among the different cohorts, both reports found that ice had become very easy to get hold of in Australia, and that its purity is high.

They also found that hospital presentations for amphetamine related problems have almost doubled since 2001 from 145 per million people to 272 per million people in 2013.
Treatment for amphetamine related problems have doubled from 10,027 in 2009 to

22,265 in 2013 and that methamphetamine related deaths have increased from 3.4 per million persons in 2001 to 8.1 per million persons in 2011.

Amanda Roxburgh, from the NDARC, told a media briefing ahead of today’s conference that while there was clearly an “upward trend” in the use of ice in Aussie communities, the country as a whole was not in the midst of an epidemic.

“We have done a little bit of work around methamphetamine, looking at all the data sources. Clearly there is an upward trend in the indicator data, the hospitalisation (rates), some of the deaths, and seizures. No doubt we have seen a major upswing in the number of crystal methamphetamine seizures coming into the country,” she said. “But when we look closer at the data, the issues are still happening to those people who are already engaged in the illicit drug market, and are already experiencing problematic drug use.
“I guess the part that we don’t know much about is regional and rural areas where we have heard reports of problematic crystal methamphetamine use, with more people presenting to treatment. I think it would be really interesting to find out what is happening at those local levels.

“But as a whole, at a broader level, all the epidemiology data doesn’t suggest we are in the midst of an epidemic.

“But we clearly are concerned, because the hospital separations are up and more people are presenting for treatment.”
In the first report concerning intravenous drug users, two thirds (67 per cent) said they used crystal methamphetamine in the last six months, an average of once a week, up from 61 per cent in 2014.
In comparison in 2010 only 39 per cent of users reported using the drug.

This group, the reports says, are a “high-risk population who are often unemployed, have spent time in prison, and have complex mental health and substance use problems across a range of drugs, including heroin”.
The report also says that number of intravenous drug users who took crystal methamphetamine has exceeded its previous peak of 56 per cent in 2006, the last time there was a major issue with the drug in Australia.

Whereas with ecstasy users, who were described as being likely to be employed, younger, university educated and unlikely to have a prison history, there was a 10 per cent decline in those who took ice down from 47 per cent in 2014 to 38 per cent this year.
Of those, only 19 per cent said they had used ice in the last six months which was a similar response in 2014 (20 per cent).
Use of speed powder, the most popular form of methamphetamine in this group, dropped from 36 per cent in 2014 to 25 per cent of participants this year.

Dr Courtney Breen from the NDARC also explained that while heroin still remained the drug of choice among intravenous drug users, the availability of ice made it attractive to them.
“This data shows that among people who inject drugs they are still choosing the drug they injected in the past, so heroin is still the drug of choice among this group,” she said. “They will use other drugs that are available. It appears the availability of crystal meth has increased, so they will use that drug.”

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...-by-six-per-cent/story-fneuzlbd-1227568189863

 

[poledriver]

 

[slimvictor]

Wow, poledriver. I can't believe how many stories there are just about Aussie Ice. I have heard that it is huge there, but I am starting to think that it is bigger than I suspected.

 

[poledriver]

Police seize 10kg of drug ice worth $10m in Canberra, man arrested

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has seized 10 kilograms of the drug ice, intended for a suburb in Canberra, and arrested a Nigerian national in a joint operation with Australian Border Force.

AFP officers said Australian Border Force in Sydney discovered the methamphetamine concealed in statues, which had been imported into Australia from China earlier this month.

The drugs, expected to have a street value of $10 million, were intended for the north Canberra suburb of Kaleen.

ACT police took control of the operation and continued with a controlled delivery of the drugs to Canberra.

One of three statues which contained 10kg of ice
PHOTO: Police said the drugs were contained within fish statues, which were about 80cm long by 20cm wide. (Supplied: ACT Policing)
Police said after the package was delivery to a residential address in Kaleen, the three statues were collected by the Nigerian national and driven to a second address in Kaleen, before being opened.

Yesterday, officers arrested Nigerian national at the Jolimont Centre in Canberra, when he tried to board a bus to Sydney.

Police said the man had on him the packages that had been removed from the statues.

The 32-year-old man had arrived in Australia in July this year on a student visa.

A search warrant was executed on one of the houses in Kaleen where police said similar packaging and statues were located.

The AFP also seized a car from the property.

The 32-year-old man is due to appear before the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday, where he will be charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border controlled drug.

Deputy Chief Police Officer Andrea Quinn credited the seizure to collaboration between law enforcement agencies.

"We continue to work closely with our partners to prevent this destructive drug reaching our streets," Commander Quinn said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-18/police-seize-10kg-of-drug-ice-in-canberra/6863786