Public Facebook group promoting sale, distribution of cannabis in Adelaide now removed

A public Facebook group helping hundreds of people to buy and sell drugs in Adelaide is no more – and police say members should expect a visit.

A social media group designed to aid the sale of illegal drugs in South Australia has been removed from Facebook.
Weed People, Adelaide was a public group with more 900 members where people who were seeking marijuana interacted, and was active on the social media platform until Tuesday.

The group was no longer on Facebook on Wednesday morning, two days after The Advertiser brought it to the attention of SA Police.

“SAPOL are aware of the Weed People Adelaide social media pages and police continue to monitor the content of such pages and will take action when required,” a statement from police on Wednesday said.

“We have taken appropriate steps and are in contact with the social media platforms to ensure removal from the medium.

“People using these pages need to understand that dealing in drugs is unlawful and that they should expect a visit from police.” 

On the group’s discussion page, those looking for drugs would post which suburb they were in, and ask for various substances which was predominantly weed.

Those with drugs available for sale would communicate that with the group.

Weed People, Adelaide was formed in September 2020 and had two rules, that no-one could run promotions or spam, and members respect people’s privacy.

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Other drugs are also discussed on the page. Picture: Facebook

People in the group had inquired about purchasing weed from multiple suburbs across Adelaide including Port Adelaide, Prospect, Enfield, Novar Gardens, and even in regional areas including Mt Gambier and Clare.

In one recent post, a man wrote, “Anyone near Port Adelaide looking for any green message me.”

Another posted on April 20: “Hey all new to group, I’m a dealer in the Northern suburbs”.

In other posts, people sought more sinister drugs, including someone asking, “can anyone help with LSD”, otherwise known as acid.

Another post on April 2 saw a man asking whether anyone would be interested in purchasing Xanax, a drug used to treat anxiety and panic attacks.

On Wednesday last week, a woman asked, “Hey gang, anyone know how I can get a hold of lorazepam?”, which is another relaxant drug used to treat anxiety.

Multiple posts referred to a “que” of marijuana, meaning a quarter of an ounce, or an “oz” meaning an ounce.

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Those selling marijuana commonly referred to the type of plant they were selling, which included Gorilla Glue – named due to it making you feel like you are “glued to the couch”.

Another plant named Critical Mass is known for commanding a sedative feeling was also frequently referred to on the page.

It is illegal to sell or give away drugs in SA, and it is illegal to grow or harvest cannabis for personal or medical use without a license.

A person found growing one plant would face a expiation fine. Where a person is found guilty of cultivating between two to five plants, the maximum penalty is $2000 or two years imprisonment, or both.

When the number of plants is more than five but under 10, the maximum penalty is two years imprisonment and/or a fine of $2000.

If police found someone in possession of 10 or more plants they would be charged with drug trafficking offences.

Trafficking, large scale cultivation or sale of cannabis attracts a maximum penalty of between $50,000 and $1m, or imprisonment of 15 years to life.

Medicinal cannabis can be accessed on prescription from an authorised medical practitioner and dispensed by a pharmacist.