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Queensland tops drug crime as addiction grows
Renee Viellaris
June 12, 2009 12:00am
QUEENSLAND'S appetite for drugs is the highest in the nation, fuelling demand for dangerous do-it-yourself amphetamine laboratories.
An Australian Crime Commission drug report has revealed the challenge faced by enforcement agencies, who continue to be tested by national and international traffickers.
The Illicit Drug Data Report also shows a re-emergence of cocaine use in Australia, at a time when the nation has the highest per capita use of ecstasy in the world.
It comes as ACC chief executive officer John Lawler exclusively told The Courier-Mail that intelligence operations had revealed drug pushers had infiltrated the nation's ports.
"Intelligence from these operations revealed criminal activity at the majority of ports in Australia," Mr Lawler said.
"Criminal infiltration in the maritime sector was shown to be involved with the importation of illicit commodities, including illicit drugs in Australia.
"We have also identified the presence of organised criminal networks and outlaw motorcycle gangs in the maritime sector."
The report showed 24,162 people were arrested in Queensland for drug use and supply in 2007-2008.
The second highest number was in NSW, which recorded 15,933 arrests.
Arrests are down across Queensland but the ACC said arrests across the nation had been broadly the same for the past three years.
Cannabis continues to be the drug of choice in Queensland, but the state still has the highest rates for clandestine drug laboratories, which generally produce amphetamine such as speed.
"The potential hazards relating to the illicit manufacture of drugs, such as the use of highly toxic, flammable and explosive substances, pose considerable risks to the community," the report said.
"The number of amphetamine-type stimulants arrests are currently the highest on record and seizures remain high."
Cocaine use and detection was on the rise, Mr Lawler said.
"Contrary to popular understanding of the cocaine market, several studies have shown that cocaine is used more frequently amongst those of lower socio-economic status who usually inject cocaine," he said.
Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton hit out at the Rudd Government for stripping almost $25 million over four years from the National Illicit Drug Strategy in May's Budget, and taking money from the ACC.
A spokeswoman for Health Minister Nicola Roxon said $816 million over five years would be directed at key frontline services and education campaigns.
Australian Medical Association vice-president Steve Hambleton said money would always be needed for drug awareness.
And the Queensland Police Service stressed its commitment to tackling dangerous drugs.
A Canadian national was sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 22 years in the Supreme Court in Brisbane this month for importing $35 million of cocaine – the state's largest detected importation and the fifth largest in Australian history.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,27574,25623069-3102,00.html
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