Police seize opportunity to curb drug-related harm amid coronavirus restrictions

With strict coronavirus restrictions on air and sea travel into Tasmania, detectives are focusing greater attention on mail as the last remaining “corridor” for drug traffickers.

CORONAVIRUS restrictions are hitting illegal drug supplies in Tasmania and police are seizing the situation as a one-off chance to curb drug-related harm.

With strict restrictions on air and sea travel into Tasmania, detectives are focusing greater attention on mail as the last remaining “corridor” for drug traffickers.

“It’s probably one of the best opportunities we’ve had in this space to change the level of harm on communities from drug use,” Detective Inspector Kate Chambers said.

Over the past six weeks police have seized parcels of cannabis, methylamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, diazepam, ketamine, steroids and a significant quantity of MDMA.

A young Hobart man will face court on trafficking charges later this month after being arrested in late March during a police operation focused on the mail service.

Insp Chambers said there was evidence the closed borders and reduced supply had led to increased prices for drugs, particularly methylamphetamine, in some parts of the state.

Detective Inspector Kate Chambers. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

She urged individuals battling a drug problem to take advantage of the coronavirus disruption to their lives to break the cycle of harm.

“We know that drugs are about supply and demand and, like anything, without supply, the market falls over. Without demand, the market falls over,” Insp Chambers said.

“At the moment we have this unique opportunity to restrict supply and both specialist investigators and uniform police are doing everything we can to reduce supply.

“Equally, individuals have an opportunity to make choices and take away demand. Quite often life is patterned and when that pattern is changed, it really provides an opportunity for people to make change.”

Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council of Tasmania chief Alison Lai said coronavirus “presented an opportunity for Tasmanians to consider their drug use”, but stigma remained a major deterrent to people seeking help.

“Decriminalising possession of illicit drugs for personal use will enable Tasmania Police to focus their efforts on their work to find and charge the suppliers and traffickers and allow those impacted by these substances to be able to step forward and access the support they might need,” Ms Lai said.

“While for some, COVID-19 may present an opportunity to consider making a change to their drug-use, for others it can pose a risk where they may substitute their existing drug of choice with another.

“For some it may result in them taking more of the substance than they normally would, increasing the risk of harm or an overdose, particularly if they are also drinking.”

Ms Lai welcomed the State Government’s commitment to increase access to naloxone, a drug that can rapidly reverse opioid overdoses.

Insp Chambers said the impact of drug use was felt far beyond the individual.

“It’s not just about the individual, it’s about their families, it’s about their friends, it’s about their colleagues, it’s about their future opportunities to travel and work and contribute to society,” she said.

Meanwhile, Tasmania Police has reported a 10 per cent drop in crime over the past month.

“As you could expect with more people being home and not in public, the rate of home burglaries, public place assaults and incidents, and property offences has dropped,” Tasmania Police said in a statement.

Business burglaries remain steady compared with last year’s figures.