Pubdate: Tue, 17 Apr 2001
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 The Age Company Ltd
Contact:  http://www.theage.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5
Author: Mark Forbes

POLICE PHONE TAPS BOOM IN VICTORIA

Phone taps by police have nearly tripled in the past three years. The 
biggest proportional increase was in Victoria, driven largely by attempts 
to crack down on drug traffickers.

An inquiry into the Telecommunications (Interception) Act has found that 
warrants to place phone taps - issued to state and national police forces, 
the National Crime Authority and anti-corruption commissions - increased 
from 675 in 1997-98 to 1689 in 1999-2000.

Victoria Police received 82 warrants for phone interception in 1997-98, 
rising to 253 last year.

Authorities must obtain a warrant to tap the phones of alleged criminals 
from a judge. Most warrants were issued to aid the investigation of drugs 
offences, with murder the next most common crime targeted. Last year there 
was also an increase in the use of taps to investigate organised crime.

According to the inquiry report, produced for Federal Parliament, part of 
the rise in phone taps was due to "an increasing number of instances in 
which targets, particularly those engaged in drug-related crime, exploit 
advances in the telecommunications industry by employing multiple services".

Increased funding for anti-drug initiatives also contributed to the number 
of warrants, along with a recognition of the effectiveness of phone taps 
and new technology to better monitor calls.

Narcotics trafficking and other drug offences accounted for more than 1000 
of the warrants issued, followed by 282 for murder and 82 for bribery or 
corruption.

In Victoria, 110 warrants were issued in relation to murder investigations, 
and 106 in pursuing drug traffickers.
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