‘Security changes’ triggered drug flood at Melbourne detention centre

An immigration detention centre descended into lawless, drug fuelled chaos after private guards went MIA, whistleblowers say.

Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation. Picture: Nadir Kinani

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A wave of hard drugs including heroin and methamphetamine swept through the Melbourne Immigration Detention Centre as the complex was engulfed by chaos amid a change in private security contractors, whistleblowers have reported.

The Australian can reveal that for periods during the six-month handover from Serco to Secure Journeys earlier this year, the Broadmeadows centre suffered a dramatic escalation in violence and lawless behaviour.

Complaints were made that as security at the Broadmeadows centre transitioned from Serco — which lost the detention centre security contract late last year — the number of security staff and services provided by the outgoing contractor reduced significantly.

Whistleblowers claim one of the significant breakdowns during this period was a failure to regularly conduct security screening of detainees for drugs and weapons as they re-entered the centre after attending external appointments.

Whistleblowers reported that as a result there was a spike in drugs including heroin, methamphetamine and ketamine being smuggled into the 160-bed centre. The Australian believes that the Department of Home Affairs was alerted to security concerns during this period.

Whistleblowers have identified one of the key issues driving the chaos such as separating violent detainees reduced during the handover and police were not called in to investigate criminal activities.

At one point, a fence damaged during an escape attempt, was left unrepaired for some time while private health care services refused to enter the centre out of fear for the safety of their staff. The Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, The Australian revealed the National Anti-Corruption Commission was probing private security guards who exchanged bro-hugs with a violent detainee dubbed the “muscle” at the Broadmeadow’s centre.

Responding to this revelation, the department said it had “zero tolerance for serious misconduct, corrupt conduct or criminal conduct”.

“The Department, Australian Border Force and its contracted service providers, occupy a position of trust, and our service to the Australian community is guided by the values of integrity, professionalism, respect and accountability,” a department spokesperson said.

“The Department, ABF and service providers work tirelessly to maintain safe and secure immigration detention facilities for detainees, staff and visitors.”

The NACC has informed the Department of Home Affairs it is reviewing complaints that Serco security guards went easy on the detainee who established himself as the standover king.

Whistleblowers have said the guards would rarely even screen the detainee, believed to hail from the Pacific Islands, for drugs or weapons when he returned to the centre from outside appointments.

Heroin, methamphetamine and ketamine were regularly smuggled into the secure complex, detainees have reported.

It’s believed that central to the case is CCTV footage and witness statements from detainees and Australian Border Force staff that detail the friendly relationship between some guards and the man widely known within the detention centre as the “muscle”.

It’s been claimed the detainee operated as an enforcer for a notorious former bikie and that ­despite his criminal connections he received favourable treatment from Serco guards who regularly used his nickname, exchanged bro-hugs, patted his back and shook his hand.

The NACC did not respond to a series of detailed questions on Tuesday about the scope and ­status of the probe, but described the allegations as “serious”.

“Corruption at the border is one of our strategic corruption priorities, which are areas of ­special focus for the National Anti-Corruption Commission,” a spokesperson said. “The allegations you describe are serious.”

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