Australia’s new drug enforcers revealed as crime gangs target young men

Violence is spilling over on the streets of a major Australian city as crime gangs recruit new members and cocaine seizures surge.

Organised crime gangs are increasingly targeting young men to act as drug enforcers while also meting out violent reprisals to rivals.

Levels of violence on local streets and in European port cities used as transit points to Australia have prompted authorities to introduce new measures to try and stop the trade and the violence.

According to international law enforcement, drug traffickers and crime gangs are eliminating rivals and enemies using terrorist tactics such as kidnappings, shootings and murders.

Three men were allegedly linked to a crime syndicate that attempted to smuggle more than 800kg of cocaine into Australia hidden on a bulk cargo carrier. Source ABF

The Belgian government has increased measures to fight drug trafficking and violence at Belgium’s biggest port at Antwerp, where a young girl was killed in a drug-related revenge shooting earlier this year.

Violence has spilt over on Sydney’s streets, with Australian Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram this week saying “any violence on the streets is of concern”.

“But in Europe it is on a whole different level.”

Director General Customs of the Netherlands Nanette van Schelven – who in Sydney to discuss international co-operation to fight drug trafficking- said there are dozens of violent incidents a week around the ports.

She said a lot of young guys just out of school and with low incomes and falling into the clutches of organised crime groups and doing their bidding.

Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne has said recently the violence has now reached “the phase of narco-terrorism, where the underworld is now increasingly turning to the ‘upper world,’ threatening people and infiltrating. “

Young men are being recruited by crime syndicates in Australia and elsewhere. Picture: WA police

The Mexican drug cartels have been renowned for using narco-terrorism tactics including against police. A recent study Cartel-Related Violence in Mexico as Narco-Terrorism or Criminal Insurgency has documented the rise of horrific violence in society and against the state and between crime gangs fighting for dominance.

Sydney too has been increasing rocked by a string of violent shootings and kidnappings believed to be mostly drug related.

In one case a 21-year-old woman had the tips of her fingers and toes amputated and was left blindfolded and tied to a tree in one of six horrific Sydney kidnappings.

It was been reported that three of the abductions, including the 21-year-old woman, are believed to be as a result of a crime syndicate trying to recover 65kg of cocaine.

A 34-year-old man had acid thrown in his face, two little fingers and a toe removed before he was released.

Originally published as Australia’s new drug enforcers revealed as crime gangs target young men