poledriver
Bluelighter
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- Jul 21, 2005
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AUS - $1b worth of illicit drugs seized in past year
http://www.smh.com.au/national/1b-w...eized-in-past-year-report-20120517-1ys89.html
More than nine tonnes of illicit drugs worth more than $1 billion have been seized across Australia in the past year, but authorities concede that organised criminals continue to find clandestine ways to get their product on the streets.
The Australian Crime Commission's Illicit Drug Data Report 2010-11 which was launched this morning, reveals a record number of illicit drug seizures - about 69,595 separate hauls - which is the highest in a decade.
The report reveals the 9.3 tonnes of illicit drugs seized was a 19 per cent increase on the previous year, and approximately 84,700 illicit drug arrests were made.
At the launch of the report in Sydney this morning, ACC boss John Lawler was joined by AFP Commissioner Tony Negus and Minister for Home Affairs Jason Clare.
All spoke of the success of law-enforcement agencies in getting such a huge quantity of drugs off the streets.
However, Mr Lawler said that, increasingly, criminals were employing chemists to alter the make-up of drugs, thereby creating fresh substances that were not technically illegal in this country.
Mr Negus said the National Measurement Institute was working hard to identify these "slight derivatives" or "slight variations" and changes to traditional substances.
"It is difficult. It's difficult for frontline officers and customs as well, to have the proper tests in place to do that, but we're working very hard to make sure that we are equipped with what they need to stop these drugs coming in," he said.
The Australian Crime Commission's Illicit Drug Data Report 2010-11 which was launched this morning, reveals a record number of illicit drug seizures - about 69,595 separate hauls - which is the highest in a decade.
The report reveals the 9.3 tonnes of illicit drugs seized was a 19 per cent increase on the previous year, and approximately 84,700 illicit drug arrests were made.
At the launch of the report in Sydney this morning, ACC boss John Lawler was joined by AFP Commissioner Tony Negus and Minister for Home Affairs Jason Clare.
All spoke of the success of law-enforcement agencies in getting such a huge quantity of drugs off the streets.
However, Mr Lawler said that, increasingly, criminals were employing chemists to alter the make-up of drugs, thereby creating fresh substances that were not technically illegal in this country.
Mr Negus said the National Measurement Institute was working hard to identify these "slight derivatives" or "slight variations" and changes to traditional substances.
"It is difficult. It's difficult for frontline officers and customs as well, to have the proper tests in place to do that, but we're working very hard to make sure that we are equipped with what they need to stop these drugs coming in," he said.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/1b-w...eized-in-past-year-report-20120517-1ys89.html
