Expert praises big drug bust benefits
This was an incredible by accomplishment our police
Sarah Charlton
IF Friday’s seizure of about $4.5m of ice in Hobart had not happened it could have led to increased supply on Tasmanian streets at a significantly decreased price, says a drug recovery advocate.
Holyoake chief executive Sarah Charlton said the seizure of one of the largest quantities of ice yet in Tasmania had left her “gobsmacked” and if it had not been detected it could have created more opportunities to try the addictive drug and consume larger quantities as the market would have been “flooded”.
The Mercury reported that on Friday 3kg of ice – estimated to contain 30,000 individual
deals and with a potential street value of $4.5m – was seized and two men from Hobart’s northern suburbs were arrested in a joint operation between Tasmania Police, Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force.
“If it was a major break in supply and these guys were regular suppliers to the community it will have a profound affect on the amount [of ice] available,” Ms Charlton said.
“This was an incredible accomplishment by police.”
She said that people would use whichever drug options were available to them and chronic drug addicts especially used methamphetamines, so with lessened supply
that would mean lessened chances to use this addictive substance.
Holyoake, a counselling and support service for those affected by drug use and addictions, knows first-hand the impacts that ice availability can have on families and how important it is to disrupt the supply chain.
Thirty per cent of drugusing clients at Holyoake use ice and it is the most commonly used illicit drug that the service encounters.
“It’s very hard to withdraw from ... and it tears families apart,” Ms Charlton said.
“Some parents come to us physically assaulted by children high on ice or having been threatened by them
with violence to obtain money for ice.”
Tasmania Police Detective Acting Inspector Mathew Adams said attempts to bring illicit substances into the state were a regular occurrence, typically coming from interstate but often originating from international borders.
Insp Adams said they were usually transported through the Spirit of Tasmania, airline services and Australia Post.
Close working relationships with these agencies along with the AFP and Border Force allowed many of these attempts to be thwarted, he said.
In addition to lessened quantities of ice on Tasmanian streets, there would likely be other flow-on effects of the drug seizure.
“The potential flow-on effect is increased prices in illicit substances in Tasmania,” Insp Adams said.
“From a police perspective, what we hope for is this encourages people to seek assistance.
“We know that drugs do have a significant impact on our communities, including on crime and public order offences committed within the community.
“Our aim was not only to seize illicit drugs, it was also to disrupt the activities of criminals. We want to make life uncomfortable for those who seek to make a profit from the distribution of drugs.”