kingpin007
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2007
- Messages
- 1,888
Drug dogs bite into ecstasy use
15 Jun 09
A 400 per cent surge in the amount of ecstasy seized by police in the past six months has dried-up the supply and forced up the price per pill to $30 on the street.
Police say legislation passed last October, which allows them to use drug dogs to “screen” people at pubs, clubs and on public transport, has increased the number of busts and made street level dealers fearful of carrying ecstasy.
Drug Investigations Branch Operations Inspector John Decandia told the Southern Times Messenger the amount of ecstasy seized so far this year was 400 per cent higher than in the final six months of 2008.
Without providing specific numbers, he said the figures were slightly skewed by a seizure of 4000 tablets with a street level value of $100,000 at Brahma Lodge in May.
Insp Decandia believed the number of people caught in possession had spiked as a result of the drug dog checks.
Drug Dog Operations Unit officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Paul Kolesnikowicz said since the laws came into force his unit had arrested 327 people in possession of drugs across SA and had seized 577 ecstasy tablets.
Snt-Sgt Kolesnikowicz said 182 people had been charged with drug offences.
On January 12, two people were caught by the dog unit in possession of drugs on the Noarlunga train.
“I would not say there is a decline in the amount of ecstasy,” Snr-Sgt Kolesnikowicz said.
“By making it harder to get the drugs out there through our operations, the dealers are becoming more afraid of holding on to the stuff and pushing it out there.
“That may be having an effect on the overall availability of ecstasy.”
South Coast Police acting officer-in-charge Dennis Lock said the legislation would help stamp out the use of illicit drugs, including ecstasy, because drug dogs were “very accurate”.
“We’ve attended the Noarlunga Shopping Centre twice with the drug dogs, used them on railway lines, bus routes, shopping centres and in drug operations,” he said. “They’ve had a number of positive hits.”
He said police would look to increase the use of the dogs throughout the south because crime rates “wouldn’t be anywhere near as bad” without drug use.
“Any illicit drug use is a worry.
“Not only does it impact on the health of the people involved but there’s a secondary impact on crime.
“Illicit drug use contributes greatly to serious criminal trespass and vehicle theft.”
An ecstasy user, who spoke last week to the Southern Times Messenger on condition of anonymity, said the price of ecstasy had risen from about $20-25 per tablet to $30.
Drug and Alcohol Services SA director Robert Ali said his unit currently was conducting a study on recreational drug use.
“Recent research in SA indicates that ecstasy is still the second-most commonly used recreational drug behind cannabis,” he said.
http://southern-times-messenger.whereilive.com.au/news/story/drug-dogs-bite-into-ecstasy-use/