Scourge of drugs sweep across Logan City, with police statistics confirming narcotics offences are rising

THE scourge of drugs continues to sweep across Logan City, with damning police statistics confirming narcotics offences are rising.

Scourge of drugs rise since 2010

THE scourge of drugs continues to sweep across Logan City, with damning police statistics confirming narcotics offences are rising.

In the past five years drug offences in Logan have climbed from 27,581 in 2010 to 36,677 offences last year.

Kingston, Logan Central, Woodridge, Slacks Creek and Beenleigh recorded the most drug offences, according to police statistics.

Confirmation of the alarming rise in drug crimes comes at a time when the community is reeling from the grisly discovery of two people in a toolbox in a Kingston dam last week.

The deaths of Cory Breton and Iuliana Triscaru were allegedly over unpaid drug money. Seven people from across the city have been charged with murder.

June Hintz of the Beenleigh-based organisation, Mothers Against Drugs, said the majority of the city’s crimes were drug-related.

She claimed the problem was getting worse because of changes to Centrelink.

“Because of crackdowns on Centrelink (payments), people are getting more ­depressed, getting drugs and the whole cycle starts,” she said. “Lawyers and hock shops are booming in Logan because of drug-related crime.”

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Maori Wardens Logan founder Rawiri Toko echoed her views. Mr Toko said there was a new group of people in Logan committing assaults and robbing others to pay for their drug habit.

“Drug use is quite widespread. There are a lot of sniffers coming out - you go to Woodridge Train Station and there is not just one sniffer, there is a group of people sniffing,” he said.

Ms Hintz claimed 90 per cent of property crime was committed by people wanting cash for drugs.

“A lot of people who I know who do crime are ­reluctant about it, but they see break and enters and taking things as their only option,” she said.

“The most accessible drugs are probably crack (speed) and ice – it’s just everywhere. “Just walking down the street in Beenleigh and Woodridge, I’ve noticed a number of people on crack, even middle-aged people.”

Professor Ross Coomber from the Griffith University Criminology Institute said research had shown that using drugs exacerbated crime. “How much the crime goes up depends on what access the individual has … (to resources) such as money,” Prof Coomber said.

Chief Superintendent Marty Mickelson said there needed to be a “whole community response” to successfully tackle drugs.

“If you don’t have the demand for drugs then that would lower the crime rates — it’s about supply and demand,” Chief Supt Mickelson said.

“Of course we have law enforcement but that’s often the last course of action.

“We would prefer it didn’t get to that stage — it’s about a whole breadth of things.

“Health, education, children in sport and making kids aware of the consequences are all part of the solution.”

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Mr Toko agreed.

“Absolutely, I think there needs to be more awareness in schools about what drugs can do to you,” Mr Toko said. “There are programs in schools but one area I think is a great idea is using sporting role models in schools.

“Nothing against the police but kids seem to listen more if Alex Leapai or Cameron Smith tell them about the dangers.”

Rosies – Friends on the Street (Logan and Beenleigh) co-ordinator Margaret Harvey, said while the number of drug users in the city continued to grow, she was concerned at the young age of those getting hooked.

“One big problem is the young ones sniffing glue,” Mrs Harvey said. “And when they start on glue, they go to harder drugs.”

“I have gradually seen more and more people on drugs – all age groups.”