Australian police carry out nationwide mass drug raid – DW – 27.08.2024

Australian police said on Tuesday they had completed a nationwide operation to combat illegal drug trafficking and organised crime, arresting more than 1,600 people.

Police officers from neighboring New Zealand were also involved in the operation from August 19 to 23.

In a joint statement, the police forces and authorities involved said that the spread of illegal drugs in society “leads to traffic accidents, domestic violence, murders, shootings and other violent crimes.”

“Illegal drug use also contributes significantly to community harms, such as drug-induced driving, drug-related assaults, drug-related domestic violence and increased risk-taking,” the statement said.

What did the police say?

According to police reports, they made 1,611 arrests for drug-related offenses and filed 2,962 drug-related charges as part of the nationwide operation called “Operation Vitreus.”

They said nearly 1,400 kg (more than 3,000 pounds) of illegal drugs and more than 2,500 cannabis plants with a total street value of around 93 million Australian dollars (57 million euros, 63 million US dollars) were seized.

A total of 71 weapons and cash worth over 2.2 million Australian dollars were seized, the statement said.

“Last week alone, over $93 million worth of illegal drugs were seized across the country. While this is an incredible result, it also highlights the seemingly insatiable demand for illegal substances in Australia,” said Dave Cowan, a police spokesman in the eastern state of Victoria.

“We are at a turning point in the fight against illegal drugs and ultimately we need to change attitudes towards illegal drug use in our society,” he said.

Wide range of medicines

The drugs seized included heroin, methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and ketamine.

According to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), cannabis and methylamphetamine are the most commonly used drugs in Australia.

However, Katie Willis of the ACIC said the use of nitazen, a type of synthetic opioid, had also increased.

“Nitazene poses a greater threat to the Australian population than fentanyl,” Willis said. “We have seen an increase in overdoses, some of which have been fatal, adulteration of other drugs and links to serious and organised crime.”

This article is based on reporting by the news agency dpa.