Fighting drug crime
Drugs and the ACT community
The manufacture, sale and distribution of illegal drugs provide a significant profit source for organised crime. This happens on an international scale and generates billion dollar black market profits. While the AFP contributes to the fight against international crime in this connection, the ACT Policing section of AFP continues the fight within the ACT.
Intelligence suggests that when illegal drugs have been successfully brought into Australia, criminal distribution networks from the bigger cities bring illegal drugs into the ACT. To make their profits, they need to make continued sales and increase their customer base. They rely on local drug dealers to provide this service. They, in turn, prey on vulnerable people, (often troubled young people), who, in turn, commonly turn to crime to meet the user cost of the addiction that comes from regular use of these drugs.
The net effect is an increase in crime. Robbery, burglary, fraud, theft and crimes of violence are the most common drug associated crimes committed.
Illegal drugs are also manufactured locally. The products of these manufactures also feed into the drug sale and distribution process. And from this, directly contribute to an increase in serious crime.
The net cost to the community is not only through dealing with the burden of drug-related crime, but also the additional cost on the health system.
Drug team operations
ACT Policing's drug team operations in 2004-2005 were again successful, conducting often lengthy investigations into organised drug offenders. The Territory Investigations Group's crime targeting teams undertook a large number of investigations resulting in successful prosecutions and substantial drug seizures during 2004-2005.
The following operations highlight the teams' successes:
Operation STOLID
Detectives from the Crime Targeting Team continued their investigations into suppliers of cannabis in the ACT and carefully planned the execution of 34 warrants and seized 1030 kilograms of cannabis plant matter (potential street value of $1.22 million) and 30 kilograms of dried cannabis (potential street value of $750 000). During the operation charges were laid against 20 offenders and criminal assets (total estimated value $643 700) and three illegal firearms were seized.
Operation FACER
The resolution of this operation in March 2005 was five warrants executed, three persons arrested, four persons summonsed to appear before court and 3.3 kilograms of cannabis head seized (potential street value of $60 000). Police also seized a large amount of cash, restrained under Proceeds of Crime legislation.
Operation BARDY
Approximately 2.5 kilograms of opium and a further 37 grams of opium were seized by members of ACT Policing following a fortnight long operation.
Drug seizures in the ACT
The following table illustrates the number of drug seizures in the ACT by category in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005.
| Drug type | Number of Seizures 2003-2004 |
Weight of Seizures 2003-2004 |
Number of Seizures 2004-2005 |
Weight of Seizures 2004-2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amphetamine | 163 | 568.24 gms | 189 | 282.76 gm |
| Cannabis | 655 | 838468.8 gms | 572 | 565754.63 gm |
| Cocaine | 9 | 4.55gms | 9 | 589.01 gm |
| Heroin | 96 | 268.02 gms | 51 | 84.40 gm |
| LSD | Nil | N/a | 2 | Not weighed |
| MDMA | 49 | 78.28 gms | 48 | 124.13 gm |
| Steroids* | 14 | 393.52 gms | 26 | 177.59 gm |
(Source: ACT Policing Drug Registry)
Notes:
- Recorded weights and drug types may differ from those previously recorded.
- ACT Policing Drug Registry figures differ from those prepared for the Australian Federal Police as a whole. The ACT Drug Registry may count each individual drug package seized, whereas the national figures combine like drugs together. For example, if two packages of heroin are seized at the one incident, the ACT Drug Registry may count two drugs seized, while the national AFP figures would count only one.
- Drug weights and drug types are not included until confirmed by analysis.
*Not all steroids seized are weighed due to their suspension in liquid form.