The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) has released its latest report on the use of illicit drugs in Australia, finding a record 30.6 tonnes were seized in Australia in 2017-18.
The Commission’s 16th edition of the Illicit Drug Data Report shows that methylamphetamine remained one of the most consumed and seized illicit drugs in Australia.
Chief Executive of ACIC, Michael Phelan said serious and organised criminals were at the centre of Australia’s illicit drug market, motivated by greed, power and profit.
“The estimated street value of the weight of amphetamines, MDMA, cocaine and heroin seized nationally in 2017-18 is nearly $5 billion, underlining the size of the black economy that relates to illicit drugs alone,” Mr Phelan said.
“We know serious and organised crime groups continue to generate significant profits from the sale of illicit substances, with the price paid for illicit drugs in Australia among the highest in the world.”
He said other records reported in 2017-18 included 5,096 national cocaine seizures, 4,325 national cocaine arrests, 22 clandestine laboratories detected nationally producing GHB/GBL, 17,383 cannabis detections and 4,912 kilograms of ATS (excluding MDMA) precursors detected at the Australian border.
“Illicit drug use cannot be addressed by law enforcement alone, a multi-faceted approach is needed,” Mr Phelan said.
“The risk and harm posed by illicit drugs to the Australian community is ever growing, which underscores the need for law enforcement and health agencies to work collaboratively to combat both the supply and demand for illicit drugs in Australia.”
The ACIC’s 182-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
