NCJ Number
199683
Date Published
March 2003
Length
157 pages
Annotation
This document provides information on Australian illicit drug activity.
Abstract
The information was obtained by collected data from State and territory police services, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Customs Service, the National Crime Authority, and the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission during 2001-2002. Results show that cannabis consumption has fallen, but the drug is still the most widely used illicit drug in Australia across all socioeconomic groups. Law enforcement seized 9,800.66 kilograms of cannabis, an increase from 2000-2001. The street-level purity of heroin continues to be low and prices remain high as a result of continuing reduced availability. This has coincided with more users taking illicitly obtained pharmaceuticals, cannabis, and other illicit drugs. Arrests for heroin related offenses continue to fall. Outlaw motorcycle gangs continue to feature significantly in the manufacture and distribution of amphetamines. Domestic restrictions on the sale of precursor chemicals continue to drive illicit manufacturers towards higher risk activities such as importation and thefts from pharmaceutical companies and warehouses. The production of “fake ecstasy” continued although little evidence of ecstasy production was found. A record amount of cocaine was seized during this time period. Evidence of increasing cocaine use among intravenous drug users may be due to the reduction in heroin availability. Arrests and seizures of anabolic and androgenic steroids have decreased, however demand for peptide hormones, mimetics, and analogues may be rising. Declining arrests and seizures of LSD and psilocybin mushrooms suggest their use is decreasing. 22 figures, 40 tables