Methamphetamine is the leading substance behind half of all criminal arrests in Australia

Drugs are involved in three-quarters of criminal arrests in Australia – and the number of users being locked up has jumped nearly 100 per cent as prices also rise.

Special Investigation: Drugs are involved in three-quarters of criminal arrests in Australia – and the number of users being locked up has jumped nearly 100 per cent in the past decade.

A special investigation has found methylamphetamine has overwhelmingly become the substance of choice for half of all police detainees, overtaking cannabis and opioids.

Considered “the scourge of Australia”, the drug changes a user’s personality so much they cannot control their behaviour.

And it is pinpointed as a key motivator in the theft, property, fraud and violent crimes plaguing the nation.

The revelations come a day after News Corp exposed everyday Aussies, including teachers and tradies, as the new face of drug addiction.

Methylamphetamine has overwhelmingly become the substance of choice for half of all police detainees. Picture: Martin Sykes

The latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report, however, shows drug consumption of all types is much higher among those in the criminal justice system than the general population, concluding drug and alcohol use are “pervasive and include criminal activity, engagement with the criminal justice system, victimisation and road trauma”.

Illicit drug offences are among the most common crimes nationally even though the number has been dropping slightly in the past few years.

The report, which pulls together a range of drug and crime research papers, was released late last year and showed half of all police detainees with drugs in their system tested positive to methylamphetamine.

Just under half tested positive to cannabis. The rest showed positive results for benzodiazepines (18 per cent) or opioids (18 per cent), while just two per cent tested positive for cocaine.

Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Newcastle, Xanthe Mallett, said the number of detainees with methylamphetamine in their system was troubling.

Associate Professor of Criminology Xanthe Mallett says a lot of violent offences are being carried out by people who are drug affected. Picture: University of Newcastle

“A significant number of people who have been detained are drug-affected,” said Associate Professor Mallett.

“A lot of violent offences are being carried out by people who are drug affected.”

She said that meth drove changes in the personality and behaviours of users to a point where they behaviour is unrecognisable.

“It has a significant chemical effect on the brain. It is the scourge of Australia,” she said.

“People who are affected by meth do things they normally would not.”

The Australian Institute of Criminology’s (AIC) National Homicide Monitoring Program shows the number of murder victims and offenders using drugs has jumped.

The program found more than one in five victims had used illicit drugs, compared to one in 10 offenders.

Australia has become a prime destination country for drugs, with among the highest consumption of methamphetamine in the world, according to recent research from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.

Acting ACIC CEO Matt Rippon said that much of the harm Australians suffer at the hands of organised crime is due to illicit drugs.

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission acting chief executive Matthew Rippon. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

More than 14 tonnes of methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin, worth $10 billion, was consumed.

“The findings show methylamphetamine continues to be the most consumed illicit stimulant by some margin,” according to the report.

But Australia has experienced a 19 per cent drop in the number of offenders proceeded against by police for illicit drug offences in 2021-22, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

ABS head of crime and justice statistics William Milne said there were 50,920 illicit drug offenders in 2021-22, the lowest number recorded in the 14 years since this report began.

“This year’s decrease was largely due to a decline in the number of offenders charged with the possession or use of illicit drugs, which fell by 7079 offenders or 17 per cent,” Mr Milne said.

Originally published as Methamphetamine is the leading substance behind half of all criminal arrests in Australia