Drug traders turn to apps

CRIMINALS are waging a fierce bidding war for “investors” who can help traffic drugs and guns as the coronavirus hampers transport globally, in turn forcing the price of cocaine to more than double.

That’s the findings of a national law enforcement intelligence snapshot that points to a dramatic shift in the way crime groups are operating, with rivalries set aside in favour of “common enterprise”.

A year ago a gram of cocaine was worth $350 but it is now up to $750 for the highest grade, according to an internal report compiled by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Federal Police and state police counterparts. Similar price increases are being reported for street-level MDMA (ecstasy), crystal methamphetamine (ice) and ketamine.

Police have noted that exclusively ethnic-based crime groups are now working together, notably Chinese and Lebanese criminals, in Australia and in their home countries. These alliances have been enabled in part by encrypted devices and apps through which criminals seek like-minded partners to traffic goods.

“In terms of the way importations work, it’s no longer clear cut and yes, you do have organised crime syndicates who do work specifically together to import drugs, but a lot of the times with encrypted devices now there can be communications that go over these devices which may send a message out to a number of organised crime groups, bidding for investors in terms of who would like to be involved in importation,” a senior intelligence law enforcer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.