Heroin dealers fuelling North Richmond drug crisis benefit from soft sentences
POLICE say they will continue to arrest dealers near the Andrews Government’s proposed safe injecting centre as analysis shows drug kingpins fuelling the heroin crisis are receiving soft sentences.
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DRUG kingpins fuelling the crisis that has led to the Andrews Government’s safe injecting room gamble are receiving soft sentences for trafficking heroin.
Analysis by the Herald Sun has revealed that while commercial-scale dealers can be imprisoned for up to 25 years, judges are regularly imposing sentences for a small fraction of this period.
Commercial-scale heroin dealers are those who traffic between 250g and 750g of pure heroin, or 500g to 1kg of a heroin mixture.
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About 2500 hits, or caps, can be produced from 250g of heroin.
The latest data reveals the average sentence for commercial trafficking in Victoria is just three years and five months — less than a sixth of the maximum penalty.
Victims of Crime Commissioner Greg Davies said traffickers of heroin in Victoria must get the toughest possible penalties.
“We’re talking about some of the worst criminals … because the result of their criminal activity is the destruction of dozens and hundreds of lives. Anyone who imports drugs in any amount should face the toughest sanctions.”
In a recent case, a trafficker of 2.415kg of heroin got three years.
The Court of Appeal increased that to 10 years after upholding a Director of Public Prosecutions challenge.
Premier Daniel Andrews said on Tuesday he had “changed his view” on an injecting room in North Richmond after dozens of overdose deaths in nearby streets.
“This is about saving lives. There can be no rehabilitation if you are dead,” he said.
The Premier’s backflip was backed by police, who have vowed to continue to charge drug dealers in the area despite low-level users being permitted to take the drug in the planned injecting room.
As revealed by the Herald Sun on Tuesday, the government will also introduce tougher laws for drug dealing, reducing the quantity of drugs defined as “commercial trafficking”.
It is hoped this will lead to stronger penalties for peddlers, because more of them could be charged with the more serious trafficking offences.
Dealers now sell heroin openly in North Richmond, and research shows Victoria’s heroin is the nation’s cheapest.
Survey figures from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre show a cap — a hit of about 0.1g — has a median price of $40, while 1g has a street value of $250.
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Two suspected heroin overdoses occurred in the precinct where Mr Andrews spoke to media on Tuesday.
Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said: “There has to be a deterrent to drug traffickers, a warning that the profits they make are not worth the time they’ll be made to serve if they are caught.”
The two-year trial of an injecting centre will begin mid next year, if the laws pass parliament. It will operate at least 12 hours a day, every day.
Only adults can use it, and substances will be tested to ensure users are not injecting ice or methamphetamines.
Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett will head an expert panel overseeing the scheme.
Opposition mental health spokeswoman Emma Kealy, said the policy was a “panicked response” to poor polling in the Northcote by-election.
But Reason MP Fiona Patten said that it “saves lives, it saves taxpayer dollars, it frees up our emergency services, it reduces crime”.
LOCALS DIVIDED OVER INJECTION ROOM AS LOCATION RAISES FEARS
ADDICTS were openly injecting illegal drugs in North Richmond, requiring lifesaving intervention from emergency crews, as the local community came to terms with its new injecting room on Tuesday.
The horror of the drug crisis was in plain sight as Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the facility at a press conference, with emergency crews in overdrive in the background.
A local resident first raised the alarm after believing a drug user had collapsed and died.
“She was dead cold, I saw all the media and called for help,” she said. “This isn’t an odd occasion, this is our reality as locals. This is how serious it is, and how real it is.”
Another man collapsed from a suspected drug overdose hours later as parents pushing prams walked by.
Paramedics and the MFB were called to the corner of Lennox and Butler streets and were told a man “had a hit” then choked on some food.
One father, holding his toddler, walked by and muttered, “looks like another overdose” as paramedics work to save the man’s life.
Paramedics told the Herald Sun it was the third call-out to an overdose in the area that day.
Lennox Coffee and Kitchen owner Tom Sutterby said he was “hopeful” the trial would be successful.
“It’s great to see and hear action is being taken for those who need the ultimate help,” he said.
“I think if addicts are in a controlled and supervised environment, it could potentially help in rehabilitation and get them off the streets.”
Countless needles have been spotted outside public toilet blocks, gutters, gardens, alleyways and parks, and recently in a children’s playground near the proposed injecting room, as well as stuck in car tyres.
A Lennox St resident said he often has to call the council to “clean up their mess”.
The facility will be located next to Richmond West Primary school, a decision that has the support of principal Paul Ledwidge.
But other locals disagree.
“I’m all for a safe injecting space but not here, not next to a school,” local Lola Vallent said. “Why don’t they have it in the heart of Victoria St, not in a residential area where there are families and kids?”
Richmond grandfather Frank said he’s deeply concerned about the location of the facility. “As a grandparent, I worry knowing drug-affected people will be allowed so close to the school,” he said.
“These are troubled people who fight and injure themselves and other people. Why would you let people like that near a primary school?”
Local dad Joshua said while he supports safe injecting rooms, operating one so close to a school could be dangerous.
But Richmond mum Julia Mason said she had no problem with them, despite plans to open one near her nine-year-old daughter’s school.
“I think the injecting rooms are a great idea,’’ she said.
Local hairdresser Mai Le said the facility will bring more addicts to the area.
“They are aggressive and it can be really scary. We have lost business because customers are too scared to come in.”
Ms Le said she had witnessed heroin addicts “shoot up” as children walked by.
Nat Schorer, manager of Little Big Sugar Salt cafe on Victoria St said her staff had been forced to call paramedics at least once a week to addicts overdosing close to the cafe.
“Last year, we were calling for an ambulance very regularly,” she said. “It means a lot to us, and to our community because there is finally help for people who need it.”
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