Calls to move Australian Federal Police drug labs as one cop is hospitalised

Forensic officers at Sydney’s contaminated AFP building have been moved out of the “room of death” because they were being caught in a snowstorm of cocaine and methamphetamine, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal.

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Forensic officers at Sydney’s contaminated AFP building have been moved out of the “room of death” because they were being caught in a snowstorm of cocaine and methamphetamine.

The forensics room — used to test the tonnes of illicit drugs that come through the Goulburn St building every year — has become the centre of a stoush between officers and the AFP management.

One officer had to be hospitalised because the exposure to drugs was so bad.

The AFP Association has called on the government to move the forensics lab to another building and asked why it has taken so long to fix problem.

One forensic officer was hospitalised after being exposed to drugs at AFL headquarters. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

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One cop said “the room of death” had officers fearing adverse drug reactions.

“When you would turn the airconditioning on, there would be powder falling from the ceiling,” one officer, who has remained anonymous for fear of losing their job, said.

“They would say to the bosses: ‘I ain’t going into the room of death.’

“The AFP has known about this for the past two years at least.”

Last week The Sunday Telegraph revealed the building has traces of methamphetamine and cocaine throughout the whole airconditioning system of the 11-storey building.

The drug discovery has sparked an independent investigation.

The forensics room has been described as “the room of death”. Picture: AAP Image/David Moir

There have been 17 workplace health and safety incidents in the AFP forensic labs since 2012, according to the AFP.

During one incident, an officer had to be hospitalised because they were “feeling unwell while participating in a forensic examination”.

Eight other drug exposures required on-site first aid with no follow-up medical treatment.

The AFP has since moved officers from affected areas.

“Once the trace concentrations became apparent, AFP members working in proximity to affected areas were moved to other work spaces as a precautionary measure, while further testing was conducted to determine the extent of the issue,” an AFP spokesman said.

“Trace concentrations for illicit substances were found in samples taken throughout the building.

“The levels of trace concentrations in all locations has been found to be negligible.”

Since 2013 there has only been one Sydney AFP officer out of 1319 who has tested positive for illicit drugs.

Australian Federal Police Association president Angela Smith said the AFP needs to consider moving their Sydney forensics facilities to a new building to ensure the safety of officers. Picture: Ray Strange

That forensic officer argued that they ingested methamphetamine via their job and not recreational use.

Although cleared by the AFP’s professional standards unit, that officer was still fired.

Australian Federal Police Association president Angela Smith said: “Why has it taken so long for the AFP to get onto this?”

“Members have also been asking why the AFP has been spending money upgrading a building that is obviously not fit for purpose,” she said.

“Member are saying that the AFP should relocate the forensics lab somewhere else so we don’t have these sorts of issues.”

Ms Smith said the AFPA remains concerned about the health and safety of workers in the building.

Originally published as Calls to move Australian Federal Police drug labs as one cop is hospitalised