Australia’s law enforcement agencies have once again joined forces to crack down on Australia’s illicit drug market – intercepting more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine, or ice, that was destined for Melbourne’s streets.
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton and Minister for Justice Michael Keenan today congratulated our nation’s agencies yet again for the exceptional work they are doing to keep this insidious drug out of our communities.
Following a three month investigation, officers from the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force intercepted the 150 kilograms ice haul which was concealed in timber logs.
This has kept about 150,000 hits of ice worth millions of dollars off our streets and led to two men today being charged with commercial drug importation offences carrying a maximum life sentence.
The Coalition Government has made significant investments in our law enforcement agencies to boost their ability to detect and disrupt the supply of ice, and ensure they are more coordinated and more targeted in their efforts.
We are also boosting our international cooperation efforts, enhancing intelligence sharing, ensuring there are better controls of the precursor chemicals used to make ice and boosting efforts to prevent ice reaching our regional and remote communities.
But we have always said we cannot arrest our way out of this scourge. That’s why we have also invested around $300 million over four years to improve treatment, after care, education, prevention, support and community engagement as part of our response.
The Government remains firmly committed to combatting this evil trade and destroying the organised criminal syndicates that peddle its misery.