‘Everyone’s dealing it’: How Snapchat is being used to sell cocaine in Adelaide
Cocaine dealers are surging into the state to profit from affluent South Australians turning to the dangerous party drug amid a flood of deals being made on social media apps.
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Cocaine dealers are surging into the state to profit from affluent South Australians turning to the dangerous party drug amid a flood of deals being made daily on popular social media apps.
Senior police vowed to “relentlessly” crackdown on merciless illicit drug traffickers after detectives charged an Adelaide man over an almost $2m coke bust in the Murraylands.
Authorities said the “significant” seizure at Tailem Bend, 100km southeast of Adelaide, on Thursday night stopped at least 5000 deals flooding state streets.
The details emerged as underworld sources claimed “a lot more” cocaine dealers were selling the illegal white powder in SA or setting up shop in the state.
“People want to make money,” said one well-placed identity.
Experts say cocaine is known as the drug of choice for affluent people and professionals with large amounts of disposable income.
Users, who usually don’t suffer cost of living pressures, are exploiting social media, such as Snapchat, to increasingly buy drugs with ease to their door without much risk of being caught, they said.
SA Network of Drug and Alcohol Services executive director, Michael White, said cocaine’s popularity was increasing as supplies were boosted after the pandemic.
Traditionally dealers chose more wealthy clients in Sydney or Melbourne but were targeting a “more valuable” SA market with its growing affluence.
“We’re talking about professional people with a good income and a disposable component that they can expend on cocaine,” he said.
The street value of cocaine, which is most commonly dealt in powdered form in Australia, is usually measured as a “cap” or in grams.
According to Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission data, the price for one gram of cocaine is between $300 and $600, while 1kg is between $150,000 and $330,000.
One cocaine user, who declined to be named, said he bought cocaine from a dealer in Adelaide who exclusively sold the drug over Snapchat, which “everyone’s already got”.
He said drugs, especially cocaine, was being sold “daily” over Snapchat as the popularity of the drug increased.
He said dealers were increasingly using Snapchat because of the app’s popularity, it does not save sent photographs and technology that allows messages to instantly disappear.
“It’s the safest way to do it,” he said. “It provides a bit of cover.
“Everyone knows someone who sells coke. These days everyone’s dealing it, everyone’s selling it.”
Rabi Abu Abareh, 32, of Mawson Lakes, faced Adelaide Magistrates Court late on Friday, accused of smuggling 5kg of cocaine in five vacuum packed blocks hidden in a dog food bag.
He has yet to plead to charges including trafficking a large commercial quantity of cocaine.
He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a $1m fine or both.
Police stopped Mr Abareh on the Dukes Highway, just after 6pm on Thursday during a “traffic stop”.
During a search of his Victorian hire car, police allegedly found “five plastic bricks containing five kilograms of cocaine” inside a dog food bag, the court heard.
Police said the haul had an estimated street value of more than $1.7m.
Serious and Organised Crime Branch detectives raided his $700,000 northern suburbs home of more than two years, where they found items “which will be alleged afford additional evidence of the man’s involvement in commercial drug trafficking”.
Police prosecutors told the court they were opposed to bail as they sought another four months to conduct further investigations.
“He has no criminal history in either South Australia or Victoria, but given the seriousness of the offending, we are opposed to any form of bail,” they said.
“Further investigations are yet to be conducted because he has only just travelled from Melbourne to Adelaide.”
They said they were concerned he was a “flight risk” because he “has no ties” to the state.
But Harry Patsouris, defending, said his client owned his property.
Auxiliary Magistrate Alfie Grasso remanded Mr Abareh – who was supported in court in custody until next week after ordering a home detention report.
Serious and Organised Crime Branch officer-in-charge, Detective Superintendent Billy Thompson, said police inquiries were ongoing.
“Police will relentlessly pursue those people who traffic illicit drugs in our community,” he said.
“The harms associated with these substances are well known.”
He encouraged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. They can stay anonymous.
Police Minister Joe Szakacs added: “South Australian law enforcement continues to work closely with federal agencies including Australian Border Force to disrupt the illegal importation of drugs from overseas, which is their most common source.”
Originally published as ‘Everyone’s dealing it’: How Snapchat is being used to sell cocaine in Adelaide
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