Revealed: Top LGA’s for every drug trafficked across Victoria

Regional hubs and Melbourne suburbs’ drug trafficking rates are soaring, with meth, cocaine, and cannabis dominating the trade. See which areas top the list.

The number of meth trafficking offences recorded in Bendigo has more than quadrupled year on year, new crime statistics have revealed.

Bendigo has cemented its position as the state’s meth capital, leading Victoria with 139 trafficking offences recorded in the year to September 2024.

In July last year, the regional city overtook traditional hot spots like Melbourne and Shepparton for the dubious title, fresh data from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria shows.

Methamphetamine is the most trafficked drug in Victoria.

Among those nabbed for tracking meth last year was a Bendigo man who pleaded guilty to trafficking after police found methamphetamine in his bedroom.

In Victoria’s northwest, detectives seized $500m worth of chemicals used to manufacture meth from an isolated farm in the Wimmera region last November — making it one of the state’s largest raids on precursor materials.

Drug trafficking offences have soared in Victoria.

As part of a 20-month investigation into a Breaking Bad-style drug syndicate, police uncovered 50 drums of precursor chemicals weighing 10 tonnes and dismantled clandestine labs in the suburban areas of Coburg North, Pascoe Vale, and Monegeetta.

The operation also led to the confiscation of 6kg of MDMA, allegedly found hidden in a sleeping bag carried by a man and woman preparing to board the Spirit of Tasmania ferry in Geelong last year.

Statewide — in the year ending September 2024 — more than 32,000 drug offences were recorded.

Police have dismantled clandestine labs in Wimmera, Coburg North, Pascoe Vale, and Monegeetta. Picture: iStock.

In a statement to the Herald Sun, Jacinta Allan said the government had given Victoria Police the resources needed to “tirelessly track, disrupt and prosecute those who think they can cash in on illegal drugs and vulnerable Victorians”.

“We know illicit drug use is a concern in our local community — that’s why we’re helping keep meth off our streets and addressing drug harm in Bendigo and across Victoria,” the Premier, whose own electorate is Bendigo, said.

Ms Allan said the government had supported 26 residential rehabilitation beds and five residential withdrawal beds in Bendigo.

While Melbourne’s CBD saw the highest number of drug traffickers caught by police, it was regional Buloke Shire in the northwest that had the highest rate of drug trafficking offences compared to the population, with more than 216.3 offences per 100,000 population.

Other regional areas dominated the list, with Glenelg in the Southern Grampians (184.6), Benalla (171.2), and Greater Shepparton (157.0) recording high drug trafficking offence rates.

See whether your LGA falls is one of the hot spots.

METHAMPHETAMINES

Methamphetamines remained the most trafficked drug in Victoria, with 1360 offences recorded in the year to September 2024.

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Greater Bendigo led the state with 139 offences, followed by Melbourne’s CBD, Greater Dandenong, Casey, and Geelong, which rounded out the top five LGAs for meth trafficking.

CANNABIS

Cannabis ranked second, with 631 trafficking offences recorded. The City of Casey emerged as the leading hot spot for cannabis dealers, with 59 offences — 48 per cent more than Melbourne’s CBD, which saw 36 cases.

Other LGAs in the top five included Hume (34), Whittlesea (28), and Knox (24).

GHB

GHB, the third most trafficked drug, accounted for 565 offences statewide.

Melbourne’s CBD recorded the highest number of offences (37), while Geelong and Whittlesea tied for second place with 24 each.

Latrobe (23), Hume (21), and Darebin and Greater Shepparton (18 each) also featured prominently.

COCAINE

Cocaine — the most expensive illicit drug in Australia — was the fourth most trafficked, with Melbourne’s CBD leading with 63 offences.

Hume and Port Phillip followed with 25 cases each, ahead of Casey (20), Moonee Valley (14), and a mix of LGAs including Melton, Yarra, and Monash.

Greater Shepparton was the only regional area in the top 10 for trafficking the white powder.

PRESCRIPTION

Trafficking of prescription medications accounted for just 3 per cent of offences, with 123 cases recorded.

Dealers of prescription medications were most prevalent in Melbourne, followed by Brimbank, Hume, Port Phillip, Casey, Darebin, Bendigo, Mornington Peninsula, Yarra, and Moonee Valley.

OTHER DRUGS

Heroin trafficking, comprising 4.5 per cent of offences, was concentrated in Yarra, home to Victoria’s controversial injecting room.

Party drug ecstasy was most prevalent in Melbourne’s CBD, where dealers were nabbed at more than double the rate of second-ranked Port Phillip.

There were 53 amphetamine trafficking offences, while 310 cases involved unidentified substances.

An additional 182 offences were linked to other drugs.