Crystal methamphetamine ‘ice’ has a firm grip on Victoria and should be smashed at local police levels

COMMENT: The war against ice — now an epidemic — must be waged on the streets and from regional levels, says retired detective Charlie Bezzina.

A state parliamentary inquiry drug report to be released today will more than likely state the bleeding obvious - that ice has a deadly grip on the state of Victoria.

And in my opinion it’s getting worse.

Despite very recent successful joint Victoria Police, Australian Crime Commission and Australian Federal Police investigations — that led to major crystal methamphetamine seizures — the ice scourge continues to flourish in our community.

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I am of the view that, for a long time now, Victorian Police has taken its eye off the ball when it comes to drug investigations.

In every Victorian region there are investigative units that should focus on busting drug traffickers and users.

On top of that exists the crime squad’s Drug Taskforce, with its responsibility to tackle major drug trafficking.

I cannot recall when the current Drug Taskforce last had a major bust, which begs the question: Is it being adequately resourced to do its job?

Thankfully, as an investigator in the Drug Squad back in the mid 1980s, we never experienced the ice plague we now see today.

During my three years working with the Drug Squad, as a team leader and undercover operative,

I became very frustrated as the war against drugs became a numbers game.

As we were buying our way up the drug tree to get to the importers, resources would be taken away from us.

Figuratively speaking, we were cutting off toes and fingers rather than the heads of drug syndicates.

In those days, heroin, speed and marijuana were our target drugs.

But back to my original point: why I say Victoria Police has taken its eye off the ball in relation to the war against ice.

It’s my belief that the regional investigative units that used to crack down on traffickers and users have more recently been tasked to investigate volume crime such as burglaries, assaults and thefts.

Volume crime took a precedence because it’s what drives the overall crime statistics.

Victoria’s ice epidemic has, meanwhile, grown into a raging fire.

Like many other law enforcement issues, this is not just a police problem.

And it’s not just a Victorian issue.

Ice is a destructive psychotic drug and it’s widespread use is a major national issue that’s slowly crippling this country.

The battle for control must start on the streets at regional police levels.

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