A record 105,862 illicit drug seizures were made by Australian authorities in 2014-15, while wastewater analysis and arrests show the use of crystal methamphetamine has exploded.
Key points:
- Drug seizures up 13.7 per cent from 2013-14 to 105,862
- Drug arrests up 19.5 per cent at 133,926
- Ice seizures increased nearly 500 per cent by weight in SA
The Government has released its Illicit Drug Data Report (IDDR) 2014-15, which found there had been a record 133,926 national arrests during the same period, a 19.5 per cent increase on the previous financial year.
Arrests for cannabis were by far the most numerous at 56.1 per cent but in second place was amphetamine-type stimulates (ATS) at 26.5 per cent, particularly ice.
ATS seizures made up 53.6 per cent of a total 23.5 tonnes seized.
It constituted 72.8 per cent of the weight of drugs seized in New South Wales.
The proportion of seizures involving ATS was highest in South Australia at 51.9 per cent, increasing 67 per cent from 452 in 2013-14, to 755 in 2014-15.
The weight of seizures increased an astonishing 478 per cent in SA, from 25,074 grams in 2013-14, to 144,919 grams in 2014-15. It was the biggest percentage increase in the country.
In every other state and territory, cannabis was the most seized drug by numbers.
It was also the biggest by weight, accounting for more than 50 per cent in South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Canberra, and accounted for the greatest proportion of actual drug arrests across the country.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan said illicit drug figures equated to 290 seizures and 367 arrests per day.
"60 per cent of them we know are involved in the ice distribution market."
He said the Australian market remained very lucrative for people who "like to pedal in the misery of illegal drugs".
"We pay a premium in Australia, more than almost any other comparable market across the globe," he said.
The IDDR for the first time incorporated data extracted from wastewater analysis, which showed ice use in the community had increased significantly since 2009-2010.
"The mode of detection can help police to do their jobs," Mr Keenan said.
"It can help lead them to illegal clandestine laboratories. It will help us identify which drugs are being supplied and which drugs are increasing or decreasing usage."
Mr Keenan said the ice taskforce recommended more wastewater testing be undertaken and announced $3.6 million would go towards doing so.
South Australia leads in cannabis arrests
In South Australia, 85.4 per cent of drug arrests involved cannabis, the highest proportion of any state or territory.
In Victoria, the proportion of ATS arrests were higher than any other state at 37.3 per cent, while it also had the highest proportion of heroin and other opioids at 4.8 per cent.
New South Wales recorded the highest proportion of cocaine arrests at 3.8 per cent, while in Western Australia, 23.7 per cent of drug arrests were related to "other and unknown" drugs.
Overall drug arrests in the past decade had increased 70.5 per cent from 78,533 in 2005-1006.
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission chief executive officer Chris Dawson said the statistics showed an overall increase in the illicit drug market.
"Organised crime and transnational crime groups continue to be the main players that are marketing and pedalling drugs in the Australian community," he said.
"The key embarkation points from countries who are routing drugs continues to be very strongly prominent through South-East Asia, through China, Hong Kong, some West African nations and indeed some European countries as well," he said.
Despite the ongoing rise, Mr Keenan said the Government had no plans to "wave the white flag" and the decriminalisation of certain drugs was not being considered.
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