MOCS delve into trends, crooks and impacts of cocaine increase in Townsville

Cocaine was once a drug reserved for the rich. But today, police are seeing more ‘snow’ than ever before on the drug scene and behind cubicle doors of nightclubs, in what they say is a ripple effect from the cocaine habit in the state’s capital city.

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COCAINE was once a drug reserved for the rich.

Ten years ago, it was hardly ever seen on the streets, associated with only those who could afford the euphoric high of the expensive drug.

But today, police are seeing more ‘snow’ than ever before on the drug scene and behind cubicle doors of nightclubs, in what they say is a ripple effect from the cocaine habit in the state’s capital city.

As the drugs sinks its claws into the state, the Townsville Bulletin has delved into the trends, the impacts and the crooks behind the North’s growing cocaine addiction.

Townsville’s Major Organised Crime Squad (MOCS) Detective Senior Sergeant Adam Golding said cocaine was popping up around the city more than ever.

“When I started in 2004, it wasn’t around. You rarely saw cocaine,” Sen-Sgt Golding said.

“There has been notable increase in cocaine around Townsville in the last couple of years.”

The MOCS team are responsible for the city’s most notable drug seizures, including busting more than 85g of cocaine at a Townsville post office in August last year.

Other significant jobs include the seizure of 10kg of drugs washing up on a Hinchinbrook beach in February, and 500kg of coke found in a crashed plane destined for Mareeba in July last year.

Packages of cocaine found at Hinchinbrook Island. PICTURE: Queensland Police Services

Sen-Sgt Golding put the regional spike down to trends in the capital cities, in wake of shocking reports that Brisbane’s cocaine use was well above the capital city average across the nation.

A light aircraft crashed just outside Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea while allegedly trying to transport 500kg of cocaine to Mareeba. RGB VERSION

Sunshine state residents splashed $230 million and ingested 920kg of cocaine in 12 months with the bulk of the drug consumed at our tourist hot spots, according to the Australian Criminal Investment Commission.

Shane Neilson from the ACIC said Queensland’s appetite for the drug had grown since 2016-17 when just over 300kg of cocaine was consumed to 920kg in 2019-20.

He said median purity levels in Queensland were “tangibly beneath other states and territories” at 41 per cent, compared to South Australia where it was 79 per cent.

“So there are people out there that are buying cocaine which has almost no cocaine in it,” Mr Neilson said.

“In some ways it’s a Russian roulette.”

A bag of cocaine was among $200,000 worth of drugs intercepted at a Townsville post office last year.

Major Organised Crime Squad Detective Senior Sergeant Adam Golding.

However, according to the ACIC report, regional Queensland consumption of cocaine was higher than average, and had been above the median since 2017.

“Drug trends across the country are dictated by the capital cities, and then that flows into the regions,” Sen-Sgt Golding said.

The latest trends in North Queensland were cocaine and LSD, which has surged in popularity, but still did not outweigh the methamphetamine scourge gripping the city.

“Crystal meth is definitely the drug of choice,” Sen-Sgt Golding said.

Cocaine prices have fluctuated in North Queensland due to Covid-19, but can range up to $1000 per gram.

Cocaine found in a car driven by a 32-year-old man from Townsville to Cairns in January. Picture: Supplied

Unlike ice, Townsville police were not seeing huge seizures of bulk cocaine on their radar.

“People are definitely supplying it up here, there is a nexus with the users and the suppliers, but just catching large quantities is what we aren’t seeing.

“We haven’t seen the same big numbers as the capitals where it comes in at the borders and ports.”

Sen-Sgt Golding said Townsville’s port was not a problem for cocaine drug imports, but they had their eye on other systems that was a drug seizing “gold mine”.

He said some cocaine users didn’t think of themselves as addicts, despite research suggesting long-term users craved their next line just to avoid the withdrawal symptoms.

“People who use drugs think they are just recreational drug users, and those who use meth are junkies, but there is no definition of a recreational drug user.”

Originally published as MOCS delve into trends, crooks and impacts of cocaine increase in Townsville