Dealers halve price of deadly ice

THE price of the drug ice has halved in southeast Queensland in the past year, as authorities battle to stop a flood of the deadly drug entering the state. And what some people are using to buy ice is just as worrying.

Generic photo of the drug ice. Picture: iStock

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THE price of the drug ice has halved in southeast Queensland in the past year, as authorities battle to stop a flood of the deadly drug entering the state.

A point (0.1g) of ice, or crystal methamphetamine, was $50-$150 in Queensland in 2014-15, according to Australian Crime Commission data, but the price has dropped due to availability and demand.

Guns have also become the second most significant currency used to buy ice.

Crime and Corruption Commission executive director of crime Kathleen Florian said while the price of a point of ice had halved in southeast Queensland, the drug was more expensive in the regions.

“The price in southeast Queensland is now comparable to the Sydney and Melbourne markets,” Ms Florian said.

“There is an important crime prevention message there that people who have unlicensed firearms are particularly attractive targets because it’s considered that it’s unlikely they will be complaining to the police about the theft of those weapons.

“Our message is to make sure your firearms are licensed.”

The CCC says ice was the greatest drug threat in 2016 and the fastest growing illicit drug market, with high levels of organised crime involvement.

While outlaw motorcycle groups have played a major role, interstate organised crime groups have increasingly targeted regional Queensland because of higher profit margins.

Three major operations targeting high-threat ice-trafficking groups found large quantities of drugs were coming into Queensland from NSW.

In the last four years purity of the drug has increased as syndicates bring in the majority of drugs from Southeast Asia, shipping them to southern states.

The CCC has assisted the Queensland Police Service with 13 trafficking investigations, focusing on regions and identifying supply chains.

Hearings have been held in Cairns, Townsville, Bowen, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Collinsville, Charters Towers and Toowoomba.

Ice cooks are also being forced into CCC coercive hearings, in an attempt to pressure them about how they learnt their skills, how they source precursors and how long they have been involved in drug production.

The central police region, spanning from Bowen to the Sunshine Coast, has the second-most number of trafficking convictions after southeast Queensland.

The CCC proceeds of crime unit has frozen $20.7 million since 2013 in relation to 80 matters where people have been charged with trafficking methamphetamine and other drugs.

The CCC has forfeited $3 million in 23 matters since 2013.

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