Organised crime gangs mail out drugs

QUEENSLAND’S organised crime gangs are sending drugs by post at an alarming rate, with more than 100 packages intercepted a month.

And more drug-carrying sea passengers are trying to cross Queensland borders as commercial vessel visitor numbers reached 85,000 in 2016-17, up from 54,000 two years ago.

Australian Border Force regional commander of Queens- land Terry Price said organised crime groups were sending up to 2kg in mail parcels, sent to vacant or properties for sale, while users ordered smaller amounts.

There were 1016 drug detections in Queensland between January and August – 728 in the post, 160 by air passengers, 119 by air and nine by sea cargo.

“Mail is a choice because quite often they can attempt to hide their identity as well,” Mr Price said. “Because of the internet trade and dark web, it’s generally small quantities but large numbers.

“The ability and use of the web to order in drugs and in smaller quantities to avoid detection, and also the economic loss to lose a small amount, has grown in popularity.

“It’s across the board, from people ordering it from home – a small amount – to syndicates ordering it to multiple addresses in a systemic way.”

Mr Price said Australian authorities were working with counterparts in Hong Kong and China to stem the flow of drugs in to Queensland.

“We’re pretty sophisticated now in our targeting approach,” he said.

There were 934 drug detections at Australian airports between January and August this year and 119 were in Brisbane.