AFP warns Australia of how illicit drugs put lives at risk as Italian mafia, bikies, triads profit

Bikies, gangs, cartels, triads and the Italian mafia are trafficking more drugs to Australia at an alarming rate, putting lives at risk. SEE THE BIGGEST 46 DRUG BUSTS THIS YEAR.

Australia’s insatiable appetite for drugs is putting our entire way of life at risk, the Australian Federal Police has warned.

The extraordinary statement comes as the AFP sets out to rewrite the nation’s relationship with drugs, highlighting the true consequences of what many people wrongly see as harmless, personal drug use.

Launching a campaign called Have a Conscience, the AFP detailed the environmental, social, economic and health risks associated with the use of illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine (ice).

And they warned that organised criminals responsible for trafficking drugs into and around the country were the only beneficiaries of Australia’s spiralling drug problem.

“Apart from the forgotten victims and lesser-known impacts of illicit drug trafficking, the AFP is today warning that transnational serious organised criminals (TSOC), will change the way Australians live if demand for illicit drugs is not drastically reduced,’’ the AFP said.

The AFP’s Eastern Commander of Investigations Kirsty Schofield. Picture: Richard Dobson

“TSOC, including outlaw motorcycle gangs, cartels, triads and Italian organised crime are trafficking drugs to Australia at an alarming rate because Australia is one of the most profitable countries in the world to sell illicit drugs.

“Some of these syndicates order executions in Australia to protect their illicit drug trafficking business but also kill innocent Australians who are caught in their wars.

“Violence in Australian suburbs, perpetrated by outlaw motorcycle gangs and other syndicates, are often linked to illicit drug trafficking.

“Profitable illicit drug use facilitates corruption, undermines Australia’s economy and social security system.

“Illicit drug use makes our roads and suburbs more dangerous and puts at risk the lives of first responders and frontline workers. Nurses, paramedics, teachers and state police colleagues are faced daily with the dangers of individuals high on illicit drugs.’’

The AFP High Volume Drug Crime Team, together with Victoria Police Joint Taskforce Icarus members arrested and charged a 32-year-old Melbourne man, in connection to the seizure of 34 kilograms of illicit drugs from an alleged 'safe house' at Docklands in January 2021.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) High Volume Drug Crime Team, together with Victoria Police Joint Taskforce Icarus members arrested and charged a 32-year-old Melbourne man, in connection to the seizure of 34 kilograms of illicit drugs from an alleged ‘safe house’ at Docklands in January 2021.

TThe drugs were alleged found in a suitcase.

Almost 540kg of liquid methamphetamine, worth an estimated $80.7 million allegedly serized bythe AFP from shipping containers from Mexico in March 2021 in Melbourne.

The statement shows how the use of illicit drugs has seeped into every aspect of Australian life, driving up crime rates, accidents, and corrupting officials at our borders.

Senior police from several smaller jurisdictions in Australia including the ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania, also joined the AFP’s campaign.

AFP Eastern Commander of Investigations Kirsty Schofield said drug harm minimisation was a priority for the AFP.

“Australia is a great country and the way we live should be jealously guarded,’’ Commander Schofield said.

“If demand for illicit drugs is not curtailed in Australia, we risk losing what makes Australia one of the safest countries in the world.

“We do not want to have the corruption issues faced by some other parts of the world.

“The AFP is launching this campaign to remind Australians that their actions, whether it is casual drug or repeated drug use, have significant and devastating consequences.’’

Operation Ironside, the police sting using the AN0M encrypted app, gave police an unprecedented insight into the scale of drug trafficking in Australia, with 25 million supposedly secret messages exchanged on the devices before police and the FBI took the app – which they were secretly monitoring – offline.

More than 38 tonnes of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals were seized by the AFP and its Commonwealth and state partners last financial year. The AFP seized more than 630kg of heroin in 2020 compared to 71kg in 2019. In 2020, 5.2 tonnes of methamphetamine was also seized.

Two Sydney men faced court for allegedly importing 63 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside shipping pallets from Malaysia, with an estimated street value of $18.9 million. A 36-year-old Bexley man and a 27-year-old Merrylands man were arrested in April 2021. Picture: AFP

About 200kg of cocaine allegedly located on board a vessel off the NSW coast in March 2021.

Cocaine filled vessel seized off the NSW coast, which had 200kg of cocaine allegedly located on board. The AFP established Operation Poitiers with NSW Police, Australian Border Force, NSW Crime Commission and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission in March 2021. 

The same cocaine filled vessel seized off the NSW coast.

Just this week, a 38-year-old man from Embleton in Western Australia was charged over what police allege was a foiled plot to smuggle $4 million of methamphetamine into Australia hidden behind a painting.

The Australian Federal Police launched an inquiry after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police found three vacuum sealed bags containing what they alleged was 4.1kg of methamphetamine stuck in the frame of a painting which was being sent to Australia.

Police swapped the packages and the painting was then dispatched from Canada and delivered to an address in Embleton, in Perth’s northeastern suburbs, on Thursday.

A police search of the home is alleged to have found the substituted packages in a pillow case buried in a garden bed.

The man has appeared in court and been remanded in custody to reappear on November 19.

A 38-year-old Western Australian man has been charged over a foiled plot to allegedly import more than 4kg of methamphetamine hidden behind a painting sent from Canada. Picture: AFP

Police allegedly discovered three vacuum sealed bags containing a white crystalline substance, which tested positive for methamphetamine found stuck in the frame of a painting. Picture: AFP

The Have a Conscience campaign aims to educate people about the direct line that can be drawn from their purchase of drugs, back to the criminals who produce, import and distribute it.

“The growing of coca leaf, which is used to manufacture cocaine, has been linked to Amazon deforestation. Chemicals and pesticides are used to protect the crops – there is no organically or sustainably-farmed cocaine,’’ Commander Schofield said.

“We want to Australians to think about their health but also want them to have a conscience when it comes to illicit drug use.’’

Commander Schofield said human trafficking in Europe and South America could be linked with other forms of organised crime, such as drug trafficking.

Six men have been charged after $1.5m worth of cannabis and cash seized from an alleged Rebels bikie gang safehouse in South Australia as part of the AN0M sting. Picture: AFP

Six men were charged after $1.5m worth of cannabis and cash was seized from an alleged SA Rebels bikie gang safe house. Picture: AFP

“It’s a shocking notion to comprehend, but taking illicit drugs in Australia is potentially bankrolling syndicates that are also responsible for sexual servitude and human trafficking,’’ she said.

“We want drug users to ask themselves, ‘Is my partying putting other women and children across the globe through horrendous circumstances?”

She said methamphetamine and heroin had devastating consequences on the Australian community, including on the children of addicted parents.

She said heroin was an addictive drug that could cause overdoses and death. On average one person dies for every 2kg of heroin consumed in Australia.

A joint Queensland Police, AFP and Australian Border Force investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Robina man, charged in connection with attempting to import a kilogram of heroin into Queensland in April 2021.

A joint Queensland Police, AFP and Australian Border Force investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Robina man, charged in connection with attempting to import a kilogram of heroin into Queensland in April 2021.

A 20-year-old Queensland man was arrested and charged after police allegedly seized almost 1kg of heroin, $42,650 in cash, and quantities of MDMA and cocaine.

Acting ACT Policing Chief Police Officer Assistant Commissioner Peter Crozier said there had been 21 fatal collisions on Canberra’s roads in the past three years – and seven of them involved at least one drug driver.

Northern Territory Police Drug and Organised Crime Division Detective Superintendent Lee Morgan said illicit drugs continued to be a major contributor to anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, property crime and violence related offences.

Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner (Operations) Jonathan Higgins said police in Tasmania had seen the real damage the drugs caused to people and their families.