Pubdate: Wed, 07 Mar 2001
Source: Australian, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 News Limited {YEAR}
Contact:  Box 339 GPO Adelaide, SA 5001
Fax: (08) 8206-3688
Website: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/
Author: Martin Chulov , Rebecca Digrolamo

NEW SURGE IN DRUGS, POLICE SAY

THE importation and use of heroin, cannabis and cocaine increased sharply 
last year, but police believe a surge in the availability of amphetamines 
poses an even bigger threat to the public.All illegal drugs continued to be 
readily available in Australia in the 12 months to July -- with prices 
remaining stable -- despite record seizures by police and border agencies.

The Australian Illicit Drug Report, made public yesterday by the Australian 
Bureau of Criminal Intelligence, revealed that amphetamines including 
speed, ecstasy and ice are now the second most-used illicit drugs after 
cannabis.

Police believe traditional south-east Asian heroin producers have 
diversified into the manufacture of amphetamines. The report said some 
members of Sydney's Filipino community are suspected of involvement with 
the growing distribution of ice, or crystal methamphetamine.

Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Mick Keelty said the 
syndicates behind heroin and amphetamines were the biggest criminal threat 
to Australia.

Seizures of ecstasy, locally and around the world, reached unprecedented 
levels in 1999-2000. Australian Customs detected a record 144.1kg (up 42kg 
from 1998-99). Customs also seized 8.81kg of speed (up 5.34kg). The report 
also highlighted a 60 per cent rise in clandestine laboratories since 
1997-98, with many producing low-grade drugs to meet surging demand.

Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Neil Comrie, who chairs the bureau's 
board, said the figures were of "great concern".

Most amphetamine laboratories are located in south-east Queensland, and 
police know of the existence of at least 150 facilities across the country.

The amount and poor quality of ecstasy has alarmed police. Laboratory tests 
have found traces of agricultural chemicals, veterinary drugs, heroin, LSD 
and caffeine in confiscated tablets.

The bureau's national strategic assessments manager, Mark Geddes, said 
illicit drug manufacturers had sometimes substituted anaesthetics stolen 
from veterinary supply warehouses for more expensive and scarce ecstasy 
ingredients.

Most of the ecstasy that reaches Australian streets and nightclubs is 
produced in The Netherlands and south-east Asia, with purity levels ranging 
from 0.4 per cent to 93.3 per cent.

Police and customs also seized 717.5kg of cocaine and 269kg of heroin in 
1999-2000.

A recent shortage of heroin in Australia is forecast to be short-term, with 
supplies expected to be on the streets soon from a bumper crop of opium in 
south-east Asia.

Police are focusing on Afghanistan for opiate drugs, with the report saying 
a boom there will have "many ramifications for Australian law enforcement 
agencies in the coming years".

Both the federal police and the National Crime Authority have said only 10 
per cent of the drugs imported into Australia are detected.
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