❓ The Minister for Police provides an update on WA Police's drug interdiction efforts during COVID-19, highlighting the impact of border closures on drug supply and detailing a successful online drug sales operation.
AnsweredQoN 364Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — DRUG INTERDICTION
364. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the significant work of the Western Australia
Police Force during COVID-19 to not only protect Western Australians but also respond to major crashes, homicides and
events such as that which occurred recently at the South Hedland shopping centre. Can the minister update the house on
the work that the Western Australia Police Force has undertaken during COVID-19 to proactively target those who
peddle drugs and misery in our community?
364. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the significant work of the Western Australia
Police Force during COVID-19 to not only protect Western Australians but also respond to major crashes, homicides and
events such as that which occurred recently at the South Hedland shopping centre. Can the minister update the house on
the work that the Western Australia Police Force has undertaken during COVID-19 to proactively target those who
peddle drugs and misery in our community?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Girrawheen for her excellent question
and her very strong support for our hardworking police officers. One of the
things that the state border and intrastate borders have brought about is a reduction
in the drug supply into Western Australia. This has meant that the people who
use Western Australian roads to bring drugs into our state and peddle them in
regional communities have been stopped in their tracks. It has meant that the
supply of methamphetamine and other drugs in Western Australia has been
significantly curtailed. For those who understand the rules of demand and
supply, I am told that the cost of methamphetamine has increased from less than
$3 000 per kilogram to in excess of $6 000 per kilogram.
A lot of evidence suggests
that drug supply into Western Australia, particularly to regional and
vulnerable communities , has
dramatically decreased. But that has not necessarily stopped people trying, and
people have tried other methods . Indeed, one of those is going via the
internet and getting the drug posted to them. People have thought that they can
hide in the shadows of the dark web. My message to them is that they cannot.
They will never know whom they are actually attempting to sell to. Some people
are buying quantities for themselves. Other people are buying it to sell on to
other people. This is not a program that started during COVID-19; it started
pre-COVID. We have had an operation of our drug and firearms squad that has
continued from October 2019 through to May 2020 and it has executed some 47
search warrants of private homes. Quite a few parents have been really
surprised to see police come and raid their home and go into their child's
bedroom to collect the relevant evidence. During this time, some 47 warrants
have been executed, and 60 people have been charged with over 213 offences,
including 43 offences relating to the sale of illicit drugs. This has been a very
successful drug and firearms operation that has targeted those online drug
sales. I would like to commend Detective Superintendent Tony Longhorn of the
serious and organised crime division and his team. They have seized 1.48
kilograms of MDMA, 162 grams of methamphetamine, 5.89 kilograms of cannabis, 38
grams of cocaine, 356 LSD tabs, eight grams of ketamine, 10 dexamphetamine tablets, and 8.6 grams of
psilocybin, which is known as mushrooms. Several mid-level, high- harm
drug dealers have been identified during those operations and I commend the police
for that excellent work. Side by side with their work with the COVID-19
epidemic, key issues such as drug enforcement have been a clear priority for WA police. However people try to get drugs into our
community, they will respond appropriately.
and her very strong support for our hardworking police officers. One of the
things that the state border and intrastate borders have brought about is a reduction
in the drug supply into Western Australia. This has meant that the people who
use Western Australian roads to bring drugs into our state and peddle them in
regional communities have been stopped in their tracks. It has meant that the
supply of methamphetamine and other drugs in Western Australia has been
significantly curtailed. For those who understand the rules of demand and
supply, I am told that the cost of methamphetamine has increased from less than
$3 000 per kilogram to in excess of $6 000 per kilogram.
A lot of evidence suggests
that drug supply into Western Australia, particularly to regional and
vulnerable communities , has
dramatically decreased. But that has not necessarily stopped people trying, and
people have tried other methods . Indeed, one of those is going via the
internet and getting the drug posted to them. People have thought that they can
hide in the shadows of the dark web. My message to them is that they cannot.
They will never know whom they are actually attempting to sell to. Some people
are buying quantities for themselves. Other people are buying it to sell on to
other people. This is not a program that started during COVID-19; it started
pre-COVID. We have had an operation of our drug and firearms squad that has
continued from October 2019 through to May 2020 and it has executed some 47
search warrants of private homes. Quite a few parents have been really
surprised to see police come and raid their home and go into their child's
bedroom to collect the relevant evidence. During this time, some 47 warrants
have been executed, and 60 people have been charged with over 213 offences,
including 43 offences relating to the sale of illicit drugs. This has been a very
successful drug and firearms operation that has targeted those online drug
sales. I would like to commend Detective Superintendent Tony Longhorn of the
serious and organised crime division and his team. They have seized 1.48
kilograms of MDMA, 162 grams of methamphetamine, 5.89 kilograms of cannabis, 38
grams of cocaine, 356 LSD tabs, eight grams of ketamine, 10 dexamphetamine tablets, and 8.6 grams of
psilocybin, which is known as mushrooms. Several mid-level, high- harm
drug dealers have been identified during those operations and I commend the police
for that excellent work. Side by side with their work with the COVID-19
epidemic, key issues such as drug enforcement have been a clear priority for WA police. However people try to get drugs into our
community, they will respond appropriately.
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