Focus on Tasmania’s ports for Crime Stoppers Week in the state

While some are manufactured in Tasmania, most illicit drugs like meth are smuggled into Tasmania via air, sea and mail. What the public can do to help the crackdown on drug trafficking.

Police sniffer dog Omara with her handler Ross Alexander. Picture: Simon McGuire.

With meth consumption on the rise in Tasmania, police and port authorities are aiming to stop illicit drugs coming into the state as part of Crime Stoppers Week.

Since July this year, the Tasmania Police Western District Drugs and Firearms unit has seized Drugs and Firearms Unit has seized more than 1kg methamphetamine, 23 firearms and $172,000 in proceeds of crime.

“One kilo of methamphetamine equates to about $800,000 to $1m in street value, so that’s a significant amount of drugs that have been seized here in the Western District since July,” Tasmania Police Commander Doug Oosterloo said.

“We’re not naive enough to think that that’s the problem done.

“They’re really good results, but it’s really important that we encourage people to report what they see, hear and know – and be a part of the solution.”

Commander Oosterloo said its work in the state’s air and sea terminals was important.

“Our intelligence, information and observations in criminal activity in Tasmania suggest that most drugs brought into the state aren’t manufactured here.

“We are aware of some manufacturing operations, but most drugs are imported in Tasmania through those terminals – air, sea and mail.

“We know that serious and organised crime target those passageways into Tasmania and look for opportunities and vulnerabilities to try and bring drugs and firearms into the state.”

Recent statistics by the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program showed that meth consumption has increased in Tasmania by 36 per cent in 12 months.

Representatives from Tasmanian Police, TasPorts and Crime Stoppers. Picture: Simon McGuire.

Commander Oosterloo was unsure why the rise had occurred.

“We’re not seeing a drop in the amount of drugs out in the street that we’re seizing. There can be a number of factors that would influence that,” he said.

“Usually, what we see is the availability of the drug.

“If the serious and organised criminals are able to bring more drugs, then there are more drugs available.”

Commander Oosterloo said Tasmania Police’s drug operations were focused on distributors, traffickers and “those people that are causing the most harm”.

“These people are making money off the misfortune of others; that’s exactly what they’re doing.

“When they’re bringing drugs in, they’re making those available to people, and you’ll see increased drug use and crime.”

Crime Stoppers Tasmania Chair David Daniels said it was imperative to reduce drug trafficking in the state.

“Tasmanian families and communities are certainly paying a high price for the illicit drug dealings,” Mr Daniels said.

“But we’re saying to all, we have the power to stop it in the community.”

Mr Daniels encouraged the public to report any knowledge of drug trafficking to the police or Crime Stoppers Tasmania.

“People also play a vital role in disrupting the illicit drug trade through what they see and what they hear.

“We’re not asking people to become directly involved because their safety is a priority; we are just asking for awareness.”

Originally published as Focus on Tasmania’s ports for Crime Stoppers Week in the state