# Australian Ice Thread



## poledriver

Instead of cluttering up the main forum with so many ice related threads I thought it a decent idea to start a thread for all Aussie crystal meth articles to go into.


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## poledriver

*New powers to sedate extreme ice addicts in hospital emergency departments*



> WITH frequent psychotic episodes taking place in every hospital emergency room across the country, new guidelines have been developed for dealing with ice addicts.
> 
> The Daily Telegraph has reported instances of a woman chewing off her own toes and a man refusing to have his finger reattached after slicing it off as contributing factors to the development of the guidelines.
> 
> Another ice patient reportedly ran on the spot beside his bed for 24 hours until he suffered muscle failure in his legs and collapsed.
> 
> The guidelines, titled Management of Patients with Acute Severe Behavioural Disturbance in Emergency Departments, are set to change the way emergency services deal with ice patients.
> 
> Paramedic and Health Services Union official Steve Fraser said he welcomed the changes after having experienced what it is like to deal with an ice addict in the back of an ambulance.
> 
> “They are rocking back and forth, picking at their skin, and you don’t know if they are going to lash out at you. There are users as young as 10 up here, but it can affect all ages,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
> 
> Under the new guidelines, staff are told to “avoid prolonged eye contact” and to “avoid sudden or threatening gestures”.
> 
> They also provide a standardised list of drugs for sedating ice patients and detail the ability to inject patients who refuse to swallow the sedatives.



http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...ency-departments/story-fneuzlbd-1227545828269


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## poledriver

*Man charged after more than 800 grams of 'Ice' seized - Gladesville*

Sunday, 27 September 2015 12:11:53 PM

A Chinese national has been charged after being found in possession of 824 grams of crystal methylamphetamine (‘Ice’).

Around 10.30pm yesterday (Saturday 26 September 2015), police attended Punt Road, Gladesville, where they approached a man sitting in a parked silver Audi.

While speaking to the man, officers noticed a plastic container, allegedly filled with Ice, sitting on the front passenger seat.

The man – a 29-year-old Chinese national from the Sydney CBD – was arrested and taken to Ryde Police Station.

He was charged with drug supply and refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court today (Sunday 27 September 2015).

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/l...vdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGNDg4ODQuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ==


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## poledriver

*Perth men extradited from Queensland to face court over $8M meth seizure*

Two Perth men have been extradited from Queensland after failing to appear in court on drug trafficking charges.

Queensland Police arrested the pair on Tuesday after investigating reports of suspicious behaviour at a Maryborough business.

The men, aged 39 and 41, flew into Perth last night with detectives from the WA Police Organised Crime Squad.

They had been due to face drug trafficking charges which were laid in April 2014 as a result of an Organised Crime Squad investigation.

That investigation was sparked by the discovery of two kilograms of drugs during a routine traffic stop in January that year.

It culminated in raids on six properties across Perth, with officers seizing methylamphetamine with a street value of $8 million, firearms and $380,000 in cash.

Bench warrants were issued for the pair in June this year after they failed to appear in the WA District Court.

The pair, from Kewdale, are due in Perth Magistrate's Court today.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-26/perth-drug-accused-extradited-from-queensland/6806986


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## poledriver

*Five in custody after $650k in ice and cannabis seized in Brisbane*

Queensland Police are preparing to charge five people after a major drug haul in Brisbane in which ice and cannabis worth $650,000 was allegedly seized.

Police raided four homes and properties at Ferny Grove and Upper Mount Gravatt this morning.

Acting Superintendent Peter Aitken said the dealers had been under surveillance for six months.

"Charges are pending and we will be continuing our investigations; at present, we have seized about a half-kilogram of ice worth about a half-a-million dollars, and also about nine kilograms of cannabis worth about $150,000," he said.

He said police hoped to identify more offenders.

"There's definitely no connection to any organised crime group - this group is operating locally," he said.

"What we do believe is that we've disrupted the local supplier of ice and cannabis.

"There is some slight connection with northern New South Wales where we have worked with NSW detectives on arresting another offender earlier today."

He said the people in custody in Brisbane were known to police.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-...-bus-of-650k-of-ice-cannabis-brisbane/6806114


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## poledriver

*Mastermind behind Taiwanese meth smuggling operation sentenced to six years' jail over $1 million haul*



> A 64-year-old man who attempted to import methamphetamine from Taiwan to Perth while serving time at a prison work camp in Western Australia has been sentenced to at least six years behind bars.
> 
> Ngoo Chan had already served 15 years of a 20-year sentence for his role in importing heroin in Sydney in 2000.
> 
> He had been in prison in Western Australia since March 2006 and was only five months away from being eligible for parole when he was arrested earlier this year.
> 
> He was identified as the ringleader in the operation to import three kilograms of the drug with 95 per cent purity, equalling a street value of almost $1 million.
> 
> He was serving time in the Walpole prison work camp in the state's south-west.
> 
> Chan was organising for the drugs to be sent to various addresses and contacts in the state via a mobile phone he was accessing when he was at work placements outside of the Walpole prison work camp in the state's south-west.
> 
> He was arrested in January along with four other men after police intercepted the delivery of a package to a house in Butler, in Perth's northern suburbs.
> 
> The Perth Supreme Court was told Chan had been communicating with a foreign national overseas about the drugs, but they would speak in code.
> 
> Malaysian national Yoh Wah Khew, who travelled to Perth to receive the package, was also sentenced to at least five years in jail.
> 
> Both men had previously pleaded guilty to the attempted importation.
> 
> Prosecutors said Khew was sent as an associate of the foreign national Chan liaised with and was promised $7,000 after flying to WA to receive the package.
> 
> The court heard Khew did not speak English and was unemployed.
> 
> Chan was involved in organising several different safe houses, cash payments and sim cards for Khew once he arrived in Perth.
> 
> But the plan was foiled as Taiwanese police seized the package before it was posted to an address in Butler in January and removed the drugs hidden inside.
> 
> Australian Federal Police seized the package once it arrived just over a week later and placed a substitute substance inside the package.
> 
> Once the package was delivered to Khew in Ballajura, police arrested him and three other men in the laundry of the house, where they also found the open package.
> 
> Police also found digital scales, a pick hammer and clip seal bags.
> 
> In sentencing Justice Peter Martino said Chan had gone to a lot of effort to import what was a significant amount of drugs.
> 
> "The offences you committed was serious. The drug methamphetamine causes great damage to the lives of people who use the drugs, their families, and to victims of crimes committed by people who use the drug," he said.
> 
> Both Chan and Khew had received reduced sentences for agreeing to give evidence against others accused of being involved in the criminal enterprise.
> 
> The joint operation by authorities in Western Australia and overseas also led to three arrests in Taiwan.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-24/meth-smuggling-mastermind-sentenced/6801514


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## poledriver

*Hong Kong men charged over WA's biggest ever ice haul appear in Perth court*



> Three Hong Kong men have made no application for bail when they appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court via video link charged over the seizure of 320 kilograms of the drug ice.
> 
> Pak Cheong Cheung, Chin Yeung Ng and Yik To Ng were arrested earlier this month after most of the drugs were found hidden inside packages of tea in suitcases at a house in Canning Vale.
> 
> More drugs were found in an apartment and a hotel in the city, and $1.4 million in cash was also seized.
> 
> The drugs were estimated to have a street value of about $320 million and the seizure was the largest ever made of the drug ice in Western Australia.
> 
> The three men appeared in court via video link from Hakea prison.
> 
> Perth lawyer Sean O'Sullivan represented the trio with the help of a solicitor from Hong Kong.
> 
> Mr O'Sullivan told the court the solicitor had been engaged by the men's parents to try to "sort out" legal representation for them.
> 
> The solicitor also acted as an interpreter because Mr O'Sullivan said none of the men spoke English.
> 
> The men were not required to plead to charges of possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
> 
> They were remanded in custody until their next court appearance in December.
> 
> A fourth man, Jian Tat Ng, did not appear in court due to technical problems with the video link to the prison.
> 
> However his lawyer Patti Chong appeared on his behalf and that case was also adjourned to December.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-...-320kg-ice-haul-appear-in-perth-court/6799170


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## poledriver

*NT Govt pulls 'gutter politics' ice advertisements after pressure from Labor, independents*

The Northern Territory Government has decided to pull a string of advertisements that accuse Labor and Independent MLAs of blocking drug legislation, after the taxpayer-funded campaign was slammed as misleading by the Opposition and independents.

A full-page article appeared in the NT News on Friday and Monday with an NT Government crest published on it.

The office of Chief Minister Adam Giles said the combined cost of the ads was $8,203.87.

"The NT Government proposed legislation to give police more power to stop and search ice traffickers on our major highways," the advertisement said.

"This law was was blocked in Parliament," it continued, before listing Labor and independent MLAs who "blocked" the laws.

Independent MLA Gerry Wood slammed it as "deceptive ... gutter politics" that was factually incorrect because Labor and the cross bench last week only voted against an "urgency motion".

This means the legislation, which aims to make it easier for police to search cars for drugs, could not be rushed through and will now follow the usual path and be debated in November.

"Politics is a dirty game, unfortunately this is dirty politics," Mr Wood said.

"We stopped an urgency motion, we didn't stop the bill.

"I believe this ad is definitely misleading."

Both the Member for Nelson and the Opposition have referred the matter to the auditor general, claiming the advertisements breached the Public Information Act.

"That's the right process, I encourage that," Mr Giles said.

"Just last week I referred one of Labor's ads to the auditor general.

"So while that process is going on I've said let's not do any more ads."

Ads 'misleading and a blatant lie'

The advertisements have infuriated the very MLAs the new minority government will need to negotiate with to secure legislation.

Many have already indicated they will at least support some aspects of the bill but would not commit to any decisions until consulting with the NT's legal fraternity.

"We can't go forward like this," Labor's Lauren Moss said.

[The advertising] is a disgraceful waste of taxpayers' money,
Independent Member for Goyder Kezia Purick
"We have a Government clearly over the last week has just completely lost control in Parliament, has lost control in terms of its behaviour."

Independent Member for Goyder Kezia Purick said if the Government continued its recent behaviour she would reconsider her view not to supporting a no-confidence motion.

"[The advertising] is a disgraceful waste of taxpayers' money," Ms Purick said.

"It's misleading and a blatant lie.

"If a Government continues to act the way they have, which has been very unprofessional and not in the interests of Territorians, I may well have to consider my position [on a no confidence motion]."

Previously Ms Purick has said she would not back a no-confidence motion in the Giles-led Government.

The Government did not have any legislation tabled ahead of last week's parliamentary sittings.

The urgency motion surprised a few MLAs, but Mr Giles defended the way the Government handled the issue.

"This is the legislation that police have asked to come forward giving them more powers," he said.

"I don't apologise for trying to bring this legislation in on urgency because I think it's important."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-21/nt-govt-pulls-gutter-politics-ice-advertisements/6792596


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## poledriver

*Pair plead guilty over methamphetamines found buried in remote bushland at Tutye near Ouyen*



> Two men from Sydney have pleaded guilty to trafficking almost a kilogram of methamphetamines found buried in remote bushland in north-west Victoria.
> 
> Stephen Gillard, 39, and Geoffrey Hitchen, 42, from South Penrith, were arrested in February.
> 
> They are accused of stashing nearly $300,000 worth of methamphetamines in scrubland off the Mallee Highway at Tutye, west of Ouyen.
> 
> Court documents reveal two farmers saw the pair acting suspiciously.
> 
> When the accused hid the drugs and left the area, one farmer entered the scrubland and dug up loose soil , uncovering plastic fruit juice bottles containing the drugs.
> 
> Police were waiting for Hitchen and Gillard when they returned the next day frantically searching for the drugs.
> 
> At the Mildura Magistrates Court yesterday, the pair pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.
> 
> They were granted bail on strict conditions and are due to return to court in November.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-...over-buried-drugs-at-tutye-near-ouyen/6785798


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## poledriver

*Media Release: Two men charged with importing 50kg of methamphetamine in packing machine equipment*

Two Taiwanese men are scheduled to appear before the Sydney Central Local Court this morning (Thursday 24 September) charged with importing approximately 50 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in packaging equipment.

The operation, code-named Operation Nightbird, began on Wednesday 9 September, when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers at the Sydney container examination facility examined a consignment from China. 

The shipment consisted of three pallets comprising of 112 metal rollers forming part of a packaging machine. 

During the examination, ABF officers found a suspicious white crystalline substance within one of the metal rollers. Further examination revealed the consignment was estimated to contain approximately 50 kilograms of methamphetamine. 

The matter was subsequently referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for investigation. 

On Tuesday 15 September, the AFP commenced a controlled delivery of the consignment to a residential address in Ashfield. 

After further investigation, AFP officers searched a storage facility and arrested a 34-year-old Sydney man and a 33-year-old Chippendale man. It will be alleged in court these men were key facilitators and organisers for the syndicate. 

An additional 20 kilograms of methamphetamine was seized by the AFP at a Broadway property occupied by one of the men. Investigations are continuing and further charges are likely to be laid as a result. 

70 kilograms of methamphetamine has the potential street value of up to $47 million.

http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/...-methamphetamine-in-packing-machine-equipment


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## poledriver

*Crazy behaviour of ice addicts: Woman chewed off toes, young boy goughed out eyes*

FROM a young boy who gouged out his own eyes and ate them to a man who needed to be restrained by 12 people during a violent fit, ice addicts are a danger to not only themselves but also the community.

As Australia’s federal and state’s government wrestle with how to address our nation’s ice scourge, it is our emergency services that are dealing with the problem on a daily basis.

It has become such an issue in our hospitals that every emergency doctor and nurse are soon to be given new powers to subdue ice addicts. Scroll to bottom for more information on the new guidelines.

But it is not only medical staff affected. Police are confronted with violent addicts on a daily basis and for the family and friends of those strung out life can be a nightmare.

Here are some of the worst stories.

*PLAUGING OUR HOSPITALS*

A young woman at a Sydney hospital chewed off her own toes while under the influence of ice

At the same hospital an ice patient ran on the spot for 24 hours beside his bed. He was only stopped by intermittent periods of sedation and eventually muscle failure in his legs.






Meanwhile medical staff where left helpless when an addict cut off his own finger and then refused to allow them to sew it back on.

“The medical staff offered to put it back,” a medic said. He said: “I’m good thanks.”

“It’s very confronting but it explains the problem”.

*IT WAS LIKE A PYSCHOSIS ALL THE TIME*

Ice addict Jack Nagle went on a 10 day bender and spent $7000. At one stage he thought his life was a TV show where everyone could see what he was doing.

He would black out and only after talking with friends and family would he learn he had been

There were long black-outs where he couldn’t remember what had happened. It was only after rambling, incoherent. On one occasion he believed he was at the airport about to board a flight to Thailand.







> Jack Nagle Mr Nagle spent $7000 during a 10 day ice binge. Source: Supplied



“What happens is you lose your grip on reality. Your ability to reason just gets knocked out of the ballpark ... basically you’ll do anything to get it.”

“It was like a psychosis all the time.”

*A HORROR STORY*

In May Dobell Federal Liberal MP Karen McNamara told an ice summit on the Central Coast about a young boy who was rushed to hospital after he gouged out his own eyes and ate them while high on the horror drug.

The incident occurred at John Hunter Hospital at Newcastle and was relayed to the MP by a frontline emergency services officer.

“We have to get these kinds of stories out to young people — this is not a recreational drug,” she said.

*SUPER HUMAN STRENGTH*

At Toukley on the NSW Central Coast it took 12 people to restrain an out of control addict.

NSW Ambulance Toukley station manager Dave Morris told the Central Coast Express Advocate that the man weighed only 60kg but 12 men, including “strong NSW police officers, security staff and paramedics” were needed to subdue the violent addict.

*A DEATH IN CUSTODY*

Kevin Norris, 38, was on a three-day ice binge when he became violent at a McDonald’s restaurant in Bowral in January 10 this year.

The 38-year-old threatened his partner before storming into the restaurant and jumping the counter.

He was confronted by police who used capsicum spray and then tasered him. He was handcuffed at the restaurant and was conscious when he arrived at the police station. However he later collapsed in his cell and could not be revived by paramedics.

*NEW GUIDELINES FOR EMERGENCY STAFF*

* Avoid prolonged eye contact, do not confront orn stand over patient

* Remove other patients and bystanders

* Only use assessment rooms with at least two doors

* Call security if necessary

* Never assess patients alone

* Never approach a patientholding, or who has access to a potential weapon

* Verball de-escalate from a distance

* Avoid sudden or threatening gestures

* Search the patient for dangerous items

* Try to identify the patient’s unmet needs

* Avoid potentially provocative statements such as “calm down” or if you don’t settle down ... x will happen”

With a vid -

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...utm_source=DailyTelegraph&utm_medium=Facebook


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## poledriver

*Ice scourge: How the drug claimed one desperate mother’s son*

CHRISTINE Evans loved seeing her aspiring actor son show off his talent as a child, but now he is the star of an ice horror show.

Since falling into the drug’s grip 23-year-old Jesse Civello has been involved in a string of bizarre crimes, culminating in him destroying a ceramic basin at a popular Lebanese restaurant in Newtown.

Civello told police last month he smashed it “in anger”.






He was found with 0.4 grams of ice and pleaded guilty to destroying property, possessing ice and giving a false name in Newtown Local Court. He has also admitted walking out of a police station in a forensic tracksuit and stealing from Marrickville 7-Eleven.

Police were questioning Civello over a May 20 robbery at a Lewisham service station in which an attendant was threatened with a 35cm chrome blade. He has also pleaded guilty to plastering a Kogarah pedestrian tunnel with graffiti.

Ms Evans, who raised Jesse and his siblings in Bathurst, finds it hard to reconcile her son’s crimes with the happy boy she knew.

“It’s the ice epidemic making kids go crazy,” she said. “This stuff does not sound like Jesse.

“He was such a beautiful boy and so polite. He was very popular. He used to act growing up. He’d attract people because he is so funny and lively.

“He is a different person now, he says some really bizarre things. It changes the chemistry in their brain.”

Ms Evans reported her son missing earlier this year after the family lost contact with him. He had been living with his father in Sutherland.

She said he had converted to Islam during a period he was drug-free.

“He’s Muslim, he actually turned to the Muslim faith for a while when he was drug free,” she said.

“He was going to a mosque. I think it’s very strict, he would get down on himself because he couldn’t follow the rules on not smoking and drinking.”

Ms Evans said her son had last worked as a body piercer and a stint in jail may do him some good.

“Unfortunately I think it’s the best for him so he can’t get a hold of anymore drugs. I am hoping one day he will get the help he needs. He has got to want to be helped,” she said.

Ms Evans fully supported state government moves to introduce mandatory jail terms for ice manufacturers.

“They are killing a lot of people. They are not only ruining the person that is buying the ice they’re ruining families,” she said.

She also wants the power to force her son into rehabilitation.

“Where a family member can put them into a rehab situation without their consent. That’s the thing I tried to do over and over and they kept saying ‘no you can’t do that’,” she said.

With a vid-

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...ate-mothers-son/story-fni0cx12-1227552869620?


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## poledriver

*Tradie paid teen worker with drugs in lieu of wages*






AN ice-addicted Darwin tradesman got his teenage employee hooked on the drug in lieu of wages and stole almost $220,000 worth of tools to fund his habit and clear debts to his dealer.

Ricky Lee Jones, 27, was sentenced to six years behind bars, with three years non-parole, after admitting 52 charges of stealing, property damage, receiving stolen property unlawful entry, meth possession and supplying ice to a child — which carries a maximum life in prison — in the NT Supreme Court.

Defence lawyer Catherine Voumard said her client’s crimes were disorganised because he stole double-sided tape and pencils along with expensive tools from Northern Territory businesses.
But Justice Judith Kelly said: “He targeted building sites and businesses and had an organised pattern of breaking into containers.
“If, in his hurry to get out, he scooped up tape and pencils, that hardly makes it less organised.”
Jones, whose painting business was strapped due to his six-year ice addiction, committed 40 offences from April to December, 2014.

He was arrested after being busted on top of a shipping container at Radio Rentals, with an angle grinder, a jemmy, a torch and his 17-year-old employee.
He broke into premises, stole gear and cut padlocks for “someone” else to steal the tools, including those belonging to contract tradies who left them in locked boxes on site.
The stolen goods ended up in his possession.

He employed the teenager in June, 2014, and recruited him as a criminal offender, substituting the youth’s pay with drugs because he had no cash. Ms Voumard said the motive was not “sinister”.
But the teen became addicted.

Jones was released on bail after his arrest but 10 days later drilled into vending machines at McDonalds, Coolalinga, and a plant nursery, and the coin machine at a laundromat, to get money.
“You hardly broke stride — you seem to have picked up the pace,” Justice Kelly said.

“I do not accept you are remorseful. I dare say you are sorry about the predicament you are now in.”
Police found about $115,000 worth of stolen goods in Jones’ caravan at Lee Point caravan park and a storage shed.

He has been in custody for nine months.
His sentence was backdated to Christmas Day, 2014.

http://www.news.com.au/national/tra...in-lieu-of-wages/story-fncynjr2-1227555311578


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## Jabberwocky

Wow, methamp is really Oz's version of the US's crack epidemic of the 80's/90's


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## poledriver

*Increasing number of pregnant women seeking help for ice addiction*


*NSFW*: 












> New data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has shown the number of Australians who have used ice has more than doubled to about 1.3 million people.
> 
> The AIHW examined trends in the use and availability of methamphetamines — commonly known as 'ice' — and reported a big jump in the past decade in the production and supply of the drug across Australia.
> 
> Over a four-month period this year, more than 20 expectant mothers sought help from a drug treatment centre in Newcastle.
> 
> Bill Robertson manages the stimulants clinic, a service for people who have "issues with stimulant type drugs, amphetamines, methamphetamine".
> 
> Some clients are self-referred, while others are referred by state agencies like Corrective Services or Family and Community Services.
> 
> About 150 people come to the clinic each year and lately there has been a growing number of pregnant women who have come for help to tackle their addictions to ice.
> 
> "Pregnancy is often a motivator and they want to try to do the best they can being a mother," Mr Robertson said.
> 
> "We had 26 referrals between January and April this year — all methamphetamine."
> 
> Associate professor Adrian Dunlop, chief addiction medicine specialist with NSW Health, said it was unclear whether there was an increasing number of pregnant women using methamphetamines or if it was simply more women reporting their drug use.
> 
> "To try to give you some sort of comparison, we know across the country that alcohol use in pregnancy is a really big concern," Mr Dunlop said .
> 
> "Around about 50 per cent of all women who used to drink before pregnancy stop but still there's about 50 per cent who continue to and a small group who don't cut down ... and the healthcare system is not good at all at identifying those.
> 
> "If we do some population-based estimates, we should be seeing dozens, if not hundreds, of that particular group in these clinics across the state each year and we're not."
> 
> The NSW Government recently announced funds to expand the service.
> 
> Ice users opt for more dangerous crystal form
> 
> The AIHW report found use of the drug ice increased across the board from urban areas, to regional Australia and remote indigenous communities.
> 
> In 2013, 7 per cent of Australians said they had used methamphetamines — more than a third of them had used the drugs within the last three years.
> 
> One of the report's authors, Geoff Neideck, said all indicators showed that supply of methamphetamines had jumped in recent years.
> 
> "That's consistent with the picture that we see internationally," Mr Neideck said.
> 
> "Certainly in all the particular areas in relation to supply — so that's around detections, and that includes detection of clandestine labs, seizures by Customs or police, and arrests — we see they're all up quite significantly over the last five years."
> 
> And more of those who consumed the drug were using crystal meth, which Mr Neideck said was more addictive and dangerous than the powder form.
> 
> "It's highly addictive," he said. "It can lead to severe paranoia and psychosis, and often results in violent behaviour."
> 
> Mr Neideck said there were multiple reasons why the use of ice had increased.
> 
> "We've seen, for example, a downturn in heroin use in Australia — and maybe there's a substitution issue there," he said.
> 
> "Maybe it's to do with just increased availability. I think that there are a number of complex issues that would impact on the overall level of usage."



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-...ant-women-seek-help-for-ice-addiction/6821880


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## poledriver

*Mr Ice arrested in Sydney's Kings Cross*

AN alleged Kings Cross drug dealer known to local users as "Mr Ice" has been arrested and charged.

POLICE on Wednesday arrested a 52-year-old man in the entertainment district following a strike force investigation into the supply of methylamphetamine.

It's alleged the man is the main supplier of ice in the area and supplied the drug on at least 146 occasions over a 21-day period.
The man has been charged with ongoing supply of a prohibited drug and dealing with proceeds of crime and has been refused bail to appear before Central Local Court on Thursday.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...neys-kings-cross/story-fni0xqi3-1227561281331


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## poledriver

*A national report on Australian drug use has found crystal meth use up by six per cent*

A NATIONAL report into Australia’s drug culture has revealed crystal methamphetamine use among drugs users is worse - yet we are not in the midst of an epidemic.

Despite research indicating the availability and strength of the drug, also known as ice, had increased over the years, as well as media reports the illicit substance is ravaging some rural communities, experts say the data doesn’t suggest it is as rampant as its perceived.
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre has compiled two annual reports into Aussie drug use which are set to be released today at its National Drug Trends Conference in Sydney.

One of the key findings from the reports is that crystal meth use among intravenous drug users increased by six per cent this year. And of those, two thirds said they regularly used ice, indicating the drug had become embedded within that community.
The reports also found that crystal meth use among those who used psychostimulant drugs such as ecstasy was much lower, with many reporting they had also cut back their use of other forms of methamphetamine such as speed.
And while use of the drug was different among the different cohorts, both reports found that ice had become very easy to get hold of in Australia, and that its purity is high.

They also found that hospital presentations for amphetamine related problems have almost doubled since 2001 from 145 per million people to 272 per million people in 2013.
Treatment for amphetamine related problems have doubled from 10,027 in 2009 to

22,265 in 2013 and that methamphetamine related deaths have increased from 3.4 per million persons in 2001 to 8.1 per million persons in 2011.

Amanda Roxburgh, from the NDARC, told a media briefing ahead of today’s conference that while there was clearly an “upward trend” in the use of ice in Aussie communities, the country as a whole was not in the midst of an epidemic.

“We have done a little bit of work around methamphetamine, looking at all the data sources. Clearly there is an upward trend in the indicator data, the hospitalisation (rates), some of the deaths, and seizures. No doubt we have seen a major upswing in the number of crystal methamphetamine seizures coming into the country,” she said. “But when we look closer at the data, the issues are still happening to those people who are already engaged in the illicit drug market, and are already experiencing problematic drug use.
“I guess the part that we don’t know much about is regional and rural areas where we have heard reports of problematic crystal methamphetamine use, with more people presenting to treatment. I think it would be really interesting to find out what is happening at those local levels.

“But as a whole, at a broader level, all the epidemiology data doesn’t suggest we are in the midst of an epidemic.

“But we clearly are concerned, because the hospital separations are up and more people are presenting for treatment.”
In the first report concerning intravenous drug users, two thirds (67 per cent) said they used crystal methamphetamine in the last six months, an average of once a week, up from 61 per cent in 2014.
In comparison in 2010 only 39 per cent of users reported using the drug.

This group, the reports says, are a “high-risk population who are often unemployed, have spent time in prison, and have complex mental health and substance use problems across a range of drugs, including heroin”.
The report also says that number of intravenous drug users who took crystal methamphetamine has exceeded its previous peak of 56 per cent in 2006, the last time there was a major issue with the drug in Australia.

Whereas with ecstasy users, who were described as being likely to be employed, younger, university educated and unlikely to have a prison history, there was a 10 per cent decline in those who took ice down from 47 per cent in 2014 to 38 per cent this year.
Of those, only 19 per cent said they had used ice in the last six months which was a similar response in 2014 (20 per cent).
Use of speed powder, the most popular form of methamphetamine in this group, dropped from 36 per cent in 2014 to 25 per cent of participants this year.

Dr Courtney Breen from the NDARC also explained that while heroin still remained the drug of choice among intravenous drug users, the availability of ice made it attractive to them.
“This data shows that among people who inject drugs they are still choosing the drug they injected in the past, so heroin is still the drug of choice among this group,” she said. “They will use other drugs that are available. It appears the availability of crystal meth has increased, so they will use that drug.”

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...-by-six-per-cent/story-fneuzlbd-1227568189863


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## poledriver




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## slimvictor

Wow, poledriver.  I can't believe how many stories there are just about Aussie Ice.  I have heard that it is huge there, but I am starting to think that it is bigger than I suspected.


----------



## poledriver

*Police seize 10kg of drug ice worth $10m in Canberra, man arrested*













> The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has seized 10 kilograms of the drug ice, intended for a suburb in Canberra, and arrested a Nigerian national in a joint operation with Australian Border Force.
> 
> AFP officers said Australian Border Force in Sydney discovered the methamphetamine concealed in statues, which had been imported into Australia from China earlier this month.
> 
> The drugs, expected to have a street value of $10 million, were intended for the north Canberra suburb of Kaleen.
> 
> ACT police took control of the operation and continued with a controlled delivery of the drugs to Canberra.
> 
> One of three statues which contained 10kg of ice
> PHOTO: Police said the drugs were contained within fish statues, which were about 80cm long by 20cm wide. (Supplied: ACT Policing)
> Police said after the package was delivery to a residential address in Kaleen, the three statues were collected by the Nigerian national and driven to a second address in Kaleen, before being opened.
> 
> Yesterday, officers arrested Nigerian national at the Jolimont Centre in Canberra, when he tried to board a bus to Sydney.
> 
> Police said the man had on him the packages that had been removed from the statues.
> 
> The 32-year-old man had arrived in Australia in July this year on a student visa.
> 
> A search warrant was executed on one of the houses in Kaleen where police said similar packaging and statues were located.
> 
> The AFP also seized a car from the property.
> 
> The 32-year-old man is due to appear before the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday, where he will be charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border controlled drug.
> 
> Deputy Chief Police Officer Andrea Quinn credited the seizure to collaboration between law enforcement agencies.
> 
> "We continue to work closely with our partners to prevent this destructive drug reaching our streets," Commander Quinn said.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-18/police-seize-10kg-of-drug-ice-in-canberra/6863786


----------



## poledriver

*Mackay men face Gympie court accused of having $160K worth of 'ice'*

Two men, allegedly found with $160,000 worth of drugs in Gympie this week, have been denied bail.

Police intercepted a vehicle in Mary Street on Wednesday and allegedly seized a loaded rifle, cash, ammunition and more than seven kilograms of the drug 'ice'.

Two men aged 25 and 35, both from Mackay, were charged with four offences, including unlawful possession of a weapon and possessing dangerous drugs.

They appeared in the Gympie Magistrates Court yesterday and were remanded in custody to appear again in December.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-16/mackay-men-face-court-over-gympie-ice/6859878


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> *Police seize 10kg of drug ice worth $10m in Canberra, man arrested*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-18/police-seize-10kg-of-drug-ice-in-canberra/6863786



Here are some photo's of the offender and drugs:


----------



## poledriver

*16-year-old sentence to 18 months after 35-day crime spree*

A 16-year-old boy who went on a 35-day ice-fueled crime spree across Ballarat has been jailed.

A magistrate has condemned the actions of the teen who left an elderly woman fighting for her life in hospital after stealing a $90,000 luxury vehicle and leading police on a high speed chase before crashing it into the women’s car.

"It's fair to say your offending during this June to July period has shocked the community," the magistrate said.

"Your behaviour has had serious impacts on the community, from a simple act of stealing a workman's tools ... to the devastating consequences on a 92-year-old victim."

Taking into consideration the boy's age, remorse shown during court proceedings, his alleged drug-use during the offending and his prospects of rehabilitation, the magistrate sentenced the teen to 18 months in a youth justice detention centre.

"The offending is so serious … no sentence other than in a youth justice centre was appropriate."

The 16-year-old pleaded guilty to more than 50 charges including theft and multiple driving offences.

The court heard the teenager was involved in 10 car thefts across Ballarat over a period of 35 days while on a two gram-a-day ice habit.

In another incident, the court heard the accused and a co-accused, on June 24, watched a 92-year-old woman get out of her car to take her dog for a walk before following her into a Redan park.

The court heard the accused allegedly grabbed the woman in a “bear hug” before taking off with her keys. 

On July 8, the boy was involved in a high speed chase with police and shortly after the pursuit was terminated, collided with another car trapping a 71-year-old man, woman and 12-year-old child. 

The teenager’s defence lawyer said the first thing his client wanted to do was apologise to the victims, the police and his mother who he “feels he has let down”.

During sentencing in a children's court on Monday, the magistrate said she wondered whether young people understood the seriousness of this type of offending.

"Your driving not only placed those people on the road in danger of death, but also the police officers," she said.

The boy, who The Courier will not name due to legal reasons, was also fined $100 driving under the influence of drugs. He has already served 119 days in custody.

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/3448223/ice-rampage-ends-in-jail-for-16-year-old/


----------



## poledriver




----------



## poledriver

*'He's not my son anymore, there's nothing there': anguish amid ice crisis*

Amid the violence, self-harm, threats, arrests, and hospital stays, Chloe* knew she'd lost her son, 16, to the drug "ice" when he accused her of poisoning his favourite dinner, and scraped it into the bin.

"He's a beautiful boy, but he's not my son any more, there's nothing there," the mother of four said through her tears.

"I don't think he is going to make it to the end of the year."

The number of Australians who've used ice has almost doubled to 1.3 million people, and the number of new users is rapidly increasing, the latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveals.

And despite the massive increase in ice-related arrests and seizures, users say it's easy to get. They are using more, and more often. One in four users report using ice at least once a week, twice as many as in 2010.

It is also increasing in strength, and though heroin users in the 1990s were killing themselves by accidental overdose, the "ice" age is producing violent, psychotic users, who put the entire community at risk, health experts say.

The state government cites a seven-fold increase over the past six years in emergency department presentations where ice was a factor.

Meanwhile, Newcastle police have confirmed that the number of young people using the drug is on the rise, the Newcastle Herald reports.

In nine short months, Chloe's teenaged son, Martin*, landed himself in hospital three times with serious, self-inflicted injuries. After numerous arrests, the frightening episodes of self-harm and violent threats on his family, he wound up in jail.

He has jumped out of cars, stolen his sister's holiday money, crashed another sibling's brand new car, sold his clothes for cash, dealt drugs, and worse.

During a 10-day stay in September at Nexus, an in-patient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service at Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital, the full picture emerged.

"At Nexus they found he had scabies, head lice, lost 15 kilograms and had been raped," Chloe said.

She feels there was a lack of services available for her son, who first sought help for mental health issues. He quickly spiralled out of control, became addicted to ice, and wound up being scheduled in a mental health facility against his will.

On his release, however, there were still too few services to support him, leaving him high and dry, she said.

"We love him, and he's loved and looked after, and I did all the right things, and did he get mixed up with the wrong crowd? I think it all started with mental health issues, but the services were not set up for someone like him."

Once out of hospital, he was given access to just two hours of counselling a week with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, and it wasn't enough. Other parents agree – there is not enough out there for kids between acute hospital admissions, and general counselling, and the situation is worse if drugs are involved.

"He came to me in November wanting help, to talk, and the system failed him.

"I work in the health system myself and I never realised how ill-equipped people are, and inexperienced. Even at Nexus they said they are not equipped for ice addicts, that they are mental health.

"They say it's a blocked road, there's nothing out there, so I don't know where you go from there. I don't know how to help him properly.

"What do I do if I have to sit across from another mother because [he] has stabbed [her son] to death? What do I say to her?

"It's taking its toll on everyone. The past nine months have nearly killed me, and the rest of my family."

Chloe wound up with a padlock on her bedroom door and and an Apprehended Violence Order against her son.

"Police are telling me it's an epidemic, and that Newcastle doesn't realise how hard it is going to hit in the next 12 months."

After once again coming into contact with police, Martin was taken back to hospital, but not for long.

"[The doctor] rang on [October 19] to say he was hysterical, and dangerous, behaving in bizarre and unpredictable ways, and they were going to have him transferred to the involuntary lockdown rehab unit, and I was relieved.

"Then on [October 20] a second doctor rang to say he appeared visually normal and able to construct sentences and could be released."

She had planned for him to attend a rehabilitation unit in Brisbane on October 23, two days after he turned 17, but he didn't make it, winding up in jail instead.

"This can't be swept under the carpet."

A Hunter New England Health spokeswoman said they could not comment on Martin's case without his written permission.

Mental health and drug and alcohol services worked closely together, the spokeswoman said, to offer assessment, referral, counselling and withdrawal support.

Their services include the Stimulant Treatment Program, a dedicated clinic for methamphetamine users; the Lakeview Detoxification Service at Belmont, a residential detox facility; and the Mental Health and Substance Use inpatient unit at the Calvary Mater Newcastle.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hes-not-m...ice-crisis-20151101-gkobb2.html#ixzz3qOcb3Vxq


----------



## poledriver

*Woman faces Victorian court accused of ice-fuelled crime spree*

A 20-year-old woman has faced a Victorian court accused of a weeks-long ice-fuelled crime spree that include stealing test-drive vehicles and attempting to ram a police car.

Taylor Stevenson allegedly tried to ram officers when they tried to stop her driving a stolen Range Rover on September 7 in Newtown, in Geelong's west.

The Geelong woman allegedly stole the $120,000 Range Rover Sport and a Ford Territory by pretending to take them on test drives.

The Ford Territory salesman even took a photo of her leaving the yard.

"I thought it would suit her and lucky I did, because she decided to go for a longer drive than normal," Smart Cars on Maxwell's Mark Mickelssen said.

On the same day, Ms Stevenson allegedly stole a hair straightener and shampoo from My Hair My Beauty salon.

"I was speechless, I don’t know who could do that," salon spokeswoman Daisy Glazner said.

Days later, Ms Stevenson received hair treatments worth $581 at another salon before allegedly bolting without paying.

She then broke into a Barwon Heads beach house on September 2, where she lived for days and stole televisions, police allege.

Ms Stevenson faces 12-theft related charges, 27 charges of deception using stolen credit cards, reckless conduct and making threats to kill.

Court documents also revealed Ms Stevenson had been using the drug ice.

She will reappear in court on December 1.

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...f-ice-fuelled-crime-spree#Zk7VPL0a5OKLtYUI.99


----------



## TheRapperGoneBad

^^^^ # fucked lol

Stolen cars an non stop due to bein spun to the max \/


----------



## Burnt Offerings

I love how meth-fueled crime binges always involve car theft at some point.


----------



## poledriver

*Ice 'an indiscriminate killer': Police commissioner Andrew Scipione*






The NSW Police Commissioner has launched a scathing attack on the "evil" substance methamphetamine, also known as ice, agreeing on Channel 7's Sunday Night program that it is a bigger issue than terrorism for Australia.

In an interview with broadcaster Derryn Hinch, Andrew Scipione said ice was "rampant" in country and metropolitan NSW, a substance that doesn't respect cities or postcodes.

"It is an indiscriminate killer," Mr Scipione said.






"Go and speak to any local cop in any town and ask them what the violence level's like when you engage someone who's high on ice, and they'll tell you it's off the Richter scale."

When Hinch asked if ice was a bigger issue than terrorism in Australia, the Police Commissioner answered in the affirmative.

"I think it's more likely to take lives and rob Australians of their lives, yeah," he said.

"It's all-pervasive. It's as evil as a substance can get."

The point was underscored with the case of Casey Veal, whose 10-month-old son Zayden was bashed to death in 2012 by a stranger who was high on ice and broke in to their house looking for money.

"When he was charged, that was probably one of the hardest days. The only reason they could give me was ice," Veal said.

"I'm like 'that's not a reason'. Because you're an addict isn't a reason. Because you want drugs isn't a reason to kill someone, especially a child."

The issue of drug use is dealt with every day at Sydney's Parramatta Local Court, where court 2.1 is designated as one of three drug courts in the state.

Founded in 1999, the drug court has helped reduce rates of re-offending, according to its presiding judge Roger Dive, who oversees the "report backs" of drug users.

The court's processes were filmed by the program, including its practice of giving offenders a round of applause if they have reached a milestone such as a certain period of sobriety.

"It's that affirmation," Dive said. "Sometimes they've never had a round of applause in their life before."

By his estimation, 50 per cent of people who face his court don't go back to jail.

"Now that's quite an extraordinary result," he said. "By stopping several break and enters a day, that's good for the community."

But he said, in his view, the drug court wasn't the answer to all society's drug issues.

"We need to be educating and assisting our children not to start any addictive substances."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ice-an-in...w-scipione-20151108-gktupw.html#ixzz3qvVmogLp


----------



## poledriver

*Derryn Hinch explores ice epidemic for Sunday Night*

AS DERRYN Hinch watched an ice addict light up a pipe in a dark Melbourne park, he couldn’t help but think “this is crazy”.

“It was awful, it’s not like you are having a drink in the pub, you are sitting in a park alone with a pipe and melting these crystals, and God knows what’s in it. This is crazy,” he said.

The Melbourne broadcaster had arranged to meet up with the drug addict as part of a special report on the ice epidemic that will air this weekend on Sunday Night.

Interestingly, Hinch’s interest in the destructive impacts of methamphetamine was sparked by a conversation he had with a convicted drug dealer while he was in jail for publishing details about Jill Meagher’s killer.

Hinch told news.com.au that he remembers the fellow prisoner telling him about “f***ing up” Geelong on the weekend, by dropping a huge amount of ice in the area.

“I was appalled by this,” he said, and it fed an interest in the drug, which some have described as an “indiscriminate killer”.

Hinch said he spent a year, off and on, travelling around Australia, interviewing addicts, families and those in the legal system to try and find answers to the growing problem.

“One father told me he had to go to Cash Converters and get his wife’s wedding ring back because his son had pawned it — but it wasn’t just any father, it was the Police Minister of the Northern Territory, Peter Chandler” he said.

In an emotional interview, Mr Chandler told Hinch that ice had “the capacity to destroy a generation”.

“When you’ve got your own son that sells your wife’s wedding ring,” he said.

“We had done everything that we could.”

Young mum Casey Veal told of how her beautiful baby boy was bashed to death by a home intruder who was on ice.

“The only reason they could give me was ‘ice’ ... that’s not a reason,” she said.

Hinch said ice was also at the centre of a new underbelly in Melbourne.

“There is a turf war going on and it’s all about ice at the moment,” Hinch said.

There has been at least 11 shootings in and around Melbourne this year, six of these happened last month and police suspect they stem from a power vacuum left in the drugs trade after the jailing of major gangland figures.

Even more concerning is the devastating impacts the drug can have on those in the community.

“This drug does fry your brain,” Hinch said. He has seen addicts lying in the foetal position while in jail, staring vacantly into space.

Prison guards have complained to him about becoming “insane asylum attendants” while hospitals have hired security staff to deal with the increasing number of “grey” alerts involving violent patients.

“The jails are full and the crimes being committed are atrocious,” Hinch said.

“I think in country towns in NSW and Victoria, it’s worse than a five-year drought, the damage it’s doing to the structure of the town.”

Unfortunately the lure of the drug is so strong that many struggle to give it up. One interview that Hinch had been hoping to do with a drug addict who was in rehab for six months, had to be cancelled after he started using again shortly after being released.

The court system is also struggling with many addicts caught in a cycle of getting busted for stealing, going to jail for a short amount of time and then robbing again once they got out.

“Courts are trying to keep them out of jail and get them into rehab,” Hinch said, adding that he thought it was the drug dealers who should be facing tougher sentences.


But the legal system and communities are fighting back, and changing lives.

Hinch attended a church hall meeting in the town of Drouin, 90km east of Melbourne, where about 100 people turned up to discuss the problem of ice. 

He spoke to family members who had started their own rehab centres, highlighting a critical shortage in services.

Around the country, Hinch was told there was a five month wait for rehab.

“The lack of rehab is a major problem,” he said.

When asked whether he felt optimistic about Australia’s ability to address the ice epidemic, Hinch said he wasn’t until he observed the work of the Drug Court of NSW in the western Sydney suburb of Parramatta.

Hinch and his video crew were given access to the court where addicts are given an opportunity to attend rehab instead of being thrown straight into jail.

“The court is a success story,” Hinch said. Since opening in 1999, another Drug Court has opened in Toronto in the Hunter Region and in Sydney CBD.

More than 4300 drug courts are also operating in the United States.

Addicts are released back into the community and put on strict drug testing but they are sent back to jail if they don’t stay clean.

“It seems to be working,” he said.

He said it was amazing to watch reports being read out in court about an addict’s progress.

“People applaud in the courtroom, they all seem to support each other, it’s quite extraordinary,” he said.

But ultimately he said people did have to be responsible for their own behaviour.

“If you take drugs you’re a bloody idiot, that’s the bottom line.”

With a vid -

http://www.news.com.au/entertainmen...for-sunday-night/story-e6frfmyi-1227600624019


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## poledriver

*Shocking report shows user smoking deadly 'ice' drug crystal meth on camera*



> It causes convulsions, heart and kidney failure, paranoia, psychosis and can kill but this drug addict thinks "Ice" makes him "invincible"



A TV crew has sparked a debate after filming a drug user inhaling a pipe filled with the killer drug crystal meth.

The drug, which is known by the nickname "ice" in Australia, is made from a combination of chemicals including break fluid, toilet cleaner and battery acid but has become one of the most addictive narcotics of a generation.

Australian viewers watched as a man, who went by the name "Clive," took out his pipe and began smoking the drug in the city of Melbourne.

The casual user was interviewed by Channel 7's Sunday Night show, and admitted the drug is readily available on the street and can be purchased in less than 15 minutes.

After inhaling and releasing the smoke, he said "it actually feels really good," slurring his speech he added it made him feel "ready to party" and "invincible" and and it made him feel as if he was "6ft 8."

But in a cautionary note, the user added: "Its not something that should be out there for next generations to come... It is a dirty drug."

Crystal Meth has become the scourge of society in both Australia and the United States and is fast becoming popular in the UK.

Cont -

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/shocking-report-shows-user-smoking-6796705


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## poledriver

*Wellington, the town in NSW where crystal meth costs less than beer*

Once or twice a week in the New South Wales town of Wellington, a burst of firecrackers goes off late at night to deliver a message that the residents have long since learnt to recognise: a local drug dealer has taken delivery of a fresh supply of crystal methamphetamine.

The fireworks are just one of many unwelcome recent developments in this town of 4500 people, which has been so overrun by crystal meth, or "ice", that it has become known as "Little Antarctica".






Police inspector Scott Tanner, who works in Wellington, said children as young as 10 have been experimenting with the drug, a highly addictive euphoria-inducing stimulant made notorious by the TV series Breaking Bad.

Having observed close-up the "insane strength" of those high on ice, he says it has left people "scared of their kids and grandkids".
"It is so cheap, so easy to get hold of," he said. "It is as little as $20 a hit - cheaper than a carton of beer. We got called to a domestic situation last week. A large individual had been on an ice binge. It took five policemen to hold him down. He managed to bend the handcuffs. In 23 years of policing I have never seen that."

While Wellington's problems are extreme, they are visible in towns across Australia, which has among the highest rates of methamphetamine use in the world. About seven per cent of the population has used the drug, with more than two per cent having used it in the past year, compared with about 0.5 per cent in the United States and one per cent in Britain.

Authorities say the drug is largely manufactured in "meth labs" or imported from South East Asia and distributed by crime syndicates and outlaw biker gangs. Its low cost and increasing purity have left Australia in the grip of a devastating epidemic.
A federal "ice task force", set up in April, is due to present a plan next month for tackling the use and supply of the drug.
Some of the worst-hit communities have already begun to fight back.

The residents and police of Wellington have started a programme called "Dob in a Dealer", encouraging locals to give anonymous tip-offs to authorities. In just three months, the information has poured in and the programme has led to arrests of local dealers and a reduction in the availability of the drug.

Residents say the changes are noticeable: the firecrackers, which used to explode almost every night, now only go off once or twice a week.
"It was time for us to take our fate into our own hands," said Alison Conn, who runs a local community organisation.
"Dobbing in Australia is something we don't take to very kindly. But this has been impacting our families and our sisters and brothers. The dealers have quietened down. They know people are watching them."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/australia-where-crystal-meth-costs-less-than-beer-20151115-gkzt3y.html


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## methyldreams

great idea mate, i will read later when i get home, maybe this may stop me from only posting in the methamphetamine thread...


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## poledriver

No worries, post any thoughts you have or any articles you come across if you wont to. 

I'd never heard of dealers letting off fireworks to let other locals know about a new batch of ice arriving before? I wonder how true that is. 

I dont even know where Wellington is and I live in the same state haha. I might look it up now.

Looked it up - it's inland (from Newcastle), sort of near dubbo,


----------



## poledriver

*37yo man, 27yo woman charged after police seize 'ice' package from Kununurra post office*

Kununurra police in north-west Western Australia, have seized thousands of dollars worth of drugs from the local post office.

Seven grams of methamphetamine was found in a package local detectives intercepted last week.

They have since executed a search warrant on a local house and charged a 37-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman with attempting to sell or supply a prohibited drug.

The pair is due to go before the Kununurra Magistrates Court next week.

Detective Sergeant Tania MacKenzie said it appeared the drugs had been mailed from Perth and investigations were continuing.

"Seven grams is a significant quantity and a quantity that is dealt with by the district court," she said.

"It can be cut down many, many times and on-sold, so the street value we believe is about $7,000.

"The Australia Post network is a common way for people to be transporting drugs but we do keep an eye on that and a lot of packages are scanned to identify a suspicious package."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-12/police-seize-'ice'-pacage-from-kununurra-post-office/6935858


----------



## poledriver

*Dob in a Dealer program leads to arrests over drug ice in Wellington, dubbed 'Little Antarctica'*

Aboriginal and community leaders in the central NSW town of Wellington say yesterday's arrest of two suspected ice dealers is proof the Dob in a Dealer program is working.

Wellington, a town so crippled by the drug ice that it has been dubbed "Little Antarctica" or "the South Pole", launched the program two months ago.

Police arrested one woman on drug charges yesterday, and another was summonsed to face court.

"We've executed two search warrants in Wellington as a direct result of the information received in the Dob in a Dealer program," Inspector Scott Tanner said.

Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.
   00:00           
 00:00        
AUDIO: Listen to David Mark's report (AM)
"Within entering the first room of each premises, we've located cash and ice within plain view."

Dob in a Dealer is simply a campaign encouraging people to call the police and to report what they know about drug dealing and other crimes.

Two arrests might seem small in a town the size of 5,000 people, but Inspector Tanner said the arrests would have a noticeable impact.

"Small towns talk," he said.

"If we can be seen... to be doing our job, it's going to put the other people in town on notice that their community has had enough and they're going to dob them in."

Inspector Tanner worked with local Aboriginal groups and the community centre to get the program up and running.

"The community actually approached us and said, 'we want to help', and they came up with the idea of 'let's go back to the old form of dobbing in a dealer and let's start actively, as a community, targeting these people that are tearing us apart'," he said.

Town revitalised as dealers become less visible

While the program is having a demonstrable effect on drug dealing in the town, community leaders said it has also revitalised and empowered the community.

Zeke Shaw, the Aboriginal community liaison officer with the NSW Police at Wellington, said the streets of the town were noticeably quieter.

"Any other given Tuesday before we implemented the program you'd see a wealth of activity," he said.

Inflated sense of ice problem


New research shows Australians have an inflated sense of the country's ice problem, as experts warn "normalising" the drug could make people "more likely to try it".
"Someone on the corner and shouting out and then... another person, and next minute you'd have this really irate dialogue happening.

"There's not so many movements now, there's not so many cars up in that street, or no-one's knocking on those doors in the wee hours of the morning.

"So people are actually giving us that feedback."

Alison Conn, the manager of the Wellington Information and Neighbourhood Services, said there were now 45 active cases with the police as a direct result of the Dob in a Dealer campaign.

"There's already been four people prosecuted on drug supply and one person on firearms already as a result of this campaign," she said.

Aboriginal elder Janet Henman said the town was fighting back against the drug dealers.

"We knew who they are and you never used to be able to say something, but people are sick of it and they are coming out and dobbing in a dealer," she said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-11/dob-in-a-dealer-leads-to-ice-arrests-in-wellington/6932000


----------



## poledriver

*'Duped' Melbourne drug mules Joerg Ulitzka, Suong Thu Luu released after landmark Hong Kong ruling*



> A pensioner and a mother from Melbourne, both caught with millions of dollars' worth of drugs bound for Australia, have had their charges dropped in a landmark ruling in Hong Kong after claiming they were the victims of sophisticated online scams
> 
> Joerg Ulitzka, 80, Suong Thu Luu, 44, and four others from the US, Ireland and the Netherlands were released by Hong Kong's High Court on Friday after prosecutors offered no evidence.
> 
> The six had spent up to 19 months behind bars, after each being caught with quantities of the drug ice between 1.6 and 4 kilograms as they boarded flights at Hong Kong Airport bound for Australia and New Zealand.
> 
> In releasing them, High Court judge Kevin Zervos criticised lengthy delays in the prosecution and called on law enforcement agencies to go after the "major miscreants behind the drug trade", who he described as "the evil ones".
> 
> He said dealing with drug trafficking "does not simply rest on the drug mules", who "may be victims too".
> 
> "Never have the words been truer than now, that justice delayed is justice denied," Judge Zervos said.
> 
> "The decision to terminate these cases ... has taken far too long."
> 
> 7.30 revealed earlier this year the group was part of a wave of peopled lured onto dangerous drug running missions to Australia by west African crime syndicates who exploit the vulnerable with elaborate scams.
> 
> Do you know more about this story? Email 7.30syd@your.abc.net.au
> Mr Ulitzka spent more than a year in jail facing a life sentence after being caught with 2.18 kilograms of ice found in a bag he was given shortly before his flight to Australia.
> 
> "I didn't know if I was going to cry or laugh but it was a feeling like a big weight fell off your shoulders, and you finally made it," he told 7.30 after the decision.
> 
> "I lost my whole dignity.
> 
> "I have lost my son, who never contacted me again."
> 
> American Celia Eberhard, 67, lost 25 kilograms in jail.
> 
> "I was in jail for 18 months — a long 18 months," she said.
> 
> "I've lost a home, I've lost a husband, I've lost relationships with my children and that means more than any amount of money in the world.
> 
> "So I'm going to have to start again, basically."
> 
> The group's solicitor, Christopher Morley, said: "The callousness with which the syndicates are operating is staggering.
> 
> "They appeal to get rich quick people who want to make a quick buck or want to find love.
> 
> "The modus operandi seems to be that they are targeted initially through emails.
> 
> "Then they are gradually groomed, tricked into carrying the drugs at the last minute.
> 
> "What I think is staggering about these cases is the cruelty, the jeopardy that these people are put into, in some cases death."



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-...eased-after-landmark-hong-kong-ruling/6925666


----------



## methyldreams

your worse then the bloody news and newspapers!!! meth is productive and fun!!!!


----------



## poledriver

methyldreams said:


> your worse then the bloody news and newspapers!!! meth is productive and fun!!!!



Huh? These are just articles from the news and news papers. I didn't write them. lol.


----------



## methyldreams

Thank god for that, I thought you must be a very motivated individual to write so much for so many different news groups, That you must have the motivation of a SS.... to spread all your filth and story's of the very worst cases of meth addiction some unfortunate individuals of everyone's community fall so badly into this hell that I thought " " was portraying by writting so many articles.

Have you ever tried meth?


----------



## poledriver

*Ice forum to address drug use in Newcastle*






The Newcastle Community Drug Action Team says the Hunter region is leading the way when it comes to dealing with the scourge of the drug ice.

The team has organised a free community forum tonight at Newcastle City Hall to discuss crystal methamphetamine.

Organiser Tony Brown said the event will discuss the best treatment options, and where people can go for help.

He said he hopes people leave the forum with a sense of hope about the future.

"Newcastle has some fantastic alcohol and drug services, between Hunter New England Health and the Mater Hospital mental health areas," he said.

"We are really leading the country in terms of assisting people, and their carers and families, suffering from ice and other forms of alcohol and drug-related harms.

"Secondly, we want to provide the community with sensible, helpful pathways."

Mr Brown said it is crucial people know what help is out there.

"There's a number of critical areas we're addressing," he said.

"First of all we want to replace the fear with the facts.

"Secondly, discuss the overall impact of the use of ice in Newcastle.

"Thirdly, identify the key support areas, and particularly how we can help families and communities who are dealing with this, and other alcohol and drug-related problems."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-24/ice-forum-to-address-drug-use-in-newcastle/6967614


----------



## poledriver

*Ice 'not the same' as marijuana, worries for teenage sons, says NT Treasurer Dave Tollner*

Northern Territory's Treasurer says the spread of the drug ice into the community has him worried for the safety of his teenage sons and defended the taxpayer-funded newspaper advertisements which promote its "ice drug law".

Dave Tollner, in an opinion piece written for News Corp's NT News, also questioned whether it was "time for an election" after a tumultuous week in which the CLP Government failed it its attempt to remove Speaker Kezia Purick.

I myself have two teenage boys and like many parents I often worry about the parties my boys visit and the likelihood of them getting into things that they shouldn't
NT Treasurer Dave Tollner
A number of members of Parliament had sought further debate before passing the legislation which was being promoted in full-page NT News advertisements as giving "police more power to stop and search ice traffickers on our major highways".

Ms Purick, a former Country Liberals (CLP) colleague of Mr Tollner, had been openly critical of the ads, describing them as "a disgraceful waste of taxpayers' money... misleading and a blatant lie".

Mr Tollner wrote in the guest column that "taking ice isn't the same as taking marijuana".

"It doesn't give a feeling of euphoria and make you mellow — ice sends people crazy and addiction is almost immediate," he said.

Mr Tollner referred to his CLP colleague Peter Chandler, who went public with his son's battle with ice addiction, and said he feared for his own family.

"I myself have two teenage boys and like many parents I often worry about the parties my boys visit and the likelihood of them getting into things that they shouldn't," Mr Tollner said.

The newspaper campaign, which Mr Tollner said "let Territorians know the names of those members who delayed those laws", was later referred to the auditor general, amid claims they breached the Public Information Act and were "gutter politics".

The CLP, with the help of independent Larisa Lee, overturned the referral to the committee, sparking accusations from Ms Purick of a deal being done behind the scenes, which in turn led the Government to paint her as partisan.

Tollner asks whether the time for an election has come

Mr Tollner said he felt it was "worthwhile explaining what actually occurred" on the day the Government's plans to pass its so-called "ice legislation" were scuttled, culminating in the move against Ms Purick which ultimately failed.

"Instead the Speaker, against our protests, chose to set aside the business of that day so she could move a motion that would see us dragged to the privileges committee for publishing those 'nasty' advertisements," he said.

Mr Tollner said the "whole team was united in the view that Kezia had to go", despite the fact one of those who initially voted to unseat Ms Purick changed their vote in a secret ballot, allowing her to retake the role.

"But we did put a shot across Kezia's bow. Maybe she'll think twice before pulling the same stunt again," he said.

In Peter Styles, Willem Westra van Holthe and John Elferink, the CLP had "three ex-police officers whose former colleagues regularly inform them of the damage ice is doing to our community", Mr Tollner said.

"They're told of how ice makes people insane and how it gives them seemingly super-human strength and how it often takes several coppers to subdue them."

Mr Tollner said he thought the CLP was elected in 2012 to "fix Labor's financial mess, grow the economy and get tough on crime".

"Evidently now we're being told that these things don't matter... what matters is that we take a softer approach to criminals, forget Labor's debt and suck up to the independents," he said.

"Maybe it is time for an election".

The next NT election is scheduled for August 2016.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-...s-fears-about-ice-scourge-amid-debate/6962164


----------



## poledriver

*Study find skyrocketing rates of 'ice' use in Coffs-Clarence LAC*

New research into the use of the drug ice in the Coffs-Clarence Local Area Command (LAC) shows it is three times higher than the national average.

It's easier for a cannabis user to jump directly across to crystal methamphetamine because it's easily smoked
Detective Inspector Darren Jameson, Coffs-Clarence LAC
Police today released the interim results of a crystal methamphetamine study that started in June this year.

It found the rate of ice use in the Command is 7.22 per cent compared with the national average of 2.1 per cent.

The Command runs from Iluka and Yamba north of Grafton, to Coffs Harbour, Bellingen and inland to Dorrigo, Nymboida and Copmanhurst.

Crime manager Darren Jameson said almost 86 per cent of respondents said their 'gateway' drug to 'ice', was cannabis.

"41 per cent of our respondents indicate that they use an 'ice' pipe," he said.

"It mirrors a national trend of increasing administration methods by meth pipe as compared to injection.

"Many users still have that psychological barrier in using needles and injecting crystal methamphetamine.

_"It's easier for a cannabis user to jump directly across to crystal methamphetamine because it's easily smoked."_

Data for the study has been voluntarily provided by people in custody.

Detective Inspector Jameson said 43 per cent of the respondents were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

"40 per cent of the respondents who identified as using crystal 'meth' were also under the age of 18," he said.

"This shows that young people are at risk of taking this drug up.

"The study has shown that 86 per cent of all respondents established that their pathway to crystal methamphetamine started with cannabis use.

_"This show significantly that cannabis is a 'gateway' drug._

"I can tell you locally we've got children as young as 12 to 13 years of age who are driven by cannabis addiction who regularly commit property offences to feed that habit.

61- per cent said they use more than one drug, and almost all said their recent drug use was not the first time they had taken 'ice'.

The study will continue until February 29, 2016.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-...rates-of-27ice27-use-in-coffs-clarenc/6957904


----------



## poledriver

*Violent offenders in NT should face compulsory tests for drug ice, report finds*

Anyone arrested for violent offences in the Northern Territory should be tested to see if they have taken the drug ice, a new report into the drug's impact on the NT has recommended.

The Breaking the Ice report was released on Thursday by a NT parliamentary committee made up of government, Labor and independent MLAs.

Key Points:

Breaking the Ice report looking at drug use in NT released
Recommends compulsory ice tests for violent offenders
Seeks needle services and syringe vending machines
Finds women increasingly using drug ice
The 163-page report also recommended the Government start testing waste water to determine the scope and spread of ice and pinpoint ice hotspots, and proposed boosting a police blitz encouraging Territorians to "dob in" drug dealers.

After-hours needle services and syringe vending machines should be set up in Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine and Alice Springs, to ensure sterile injecting equipment is available at all hours, it said.

Young girls are being sexually groomed and asked to perform sexual acts to be paid for in ice
Breaking the Ice report
The report comes after the Misuse of Drugs Bill was this week passed by Parliament, which gave police more powers to search cars for methamphetamines without reasonable suspicion.

In March this year the Government established a committee to investigate the scale of the ice problem in the NT, the effectiveness of government responses to the abuse of the drug, the social impacts of ice and how the drug is brought into the Territory.

The committee made 13 recommendations, which also included more funding for detoxification and rehabilitation services and to ensure those services were available in NT prisons.

Police training of how to handle the drug should also be boosted, the report said.

It called for mandatory drug testing of individuals arrested for violent offences and said that a working group should be established to develop a NT drug strategy similar to Australia's National Drug Strategy.

There should be online real-time monitoring of the sale of drugs containing pseudoephedrine (used to make ice), as well as an evaluation of drug diversionary programs, it said.

Young boys paid in ice to commit crimes

The committee heard reports highlighting the scourge of ice on young people.

"Young boys are being groomed to commit crimes and be paid for in 'ice', and young girls are being sexually groomed and asked to perform sexual acts to be paid for in ice," the report said.

Both NT Police and the Corrections Department told the committee that had been an increase in both the amount and severity of violent offences committed by ice users.

Police also gave evidence that there's frequently violence surrounding drug deals.

The idea to test anyone arrested for a violent offence had the support of the Australia Hotels Association and the Corrections Department.

More women using drug ice

The report said it was evident that while ice was present in regional centres in the NT, there was no clear evidence its use was widespread in remote communities.

In the report chief executive of the Banyan House drug and alcohol treatment centre, Chris Franck, said that there had been a shift in the demographics of people seeking help for the drug.

"In the past we probably would have had 90 per cent males with 10 per cent females," Mr Franck said.

"At this point of time we are about 60 per cent to 40 per cent," he said.

The report said the way people were using the drug had changed, and more people were now injecting the substance, rather than smoking it.

It also noted a number of barriers to treatment including waiting times for rehabilitation.

NT lacking strategy to tackle ice

Ice committee chairman Nathan Barrett said it appeared that ice usage was most prevalent in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs.

"What we did notice was lacking in the NT was a set strategy, an overarching strategy on drugs," Mr Barrett said.

He said one of the problems the committee faced was that much of the evidence about ice usage in the NT was anecdotal.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-...ld-face-compulsory-tests-for-drug-ice/6956400


----------



## methyldreams

poledriver said:


> *Ice forum to address drug use in Newcastle*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/QUOTEYUM... MAKING MY MOUTH WATRE


----------



## poledriver

> Seven men have been arrested and Organised Crime Squad detectives have seized more than 100kg of ‘ice’, some of which was secreted within flat-pack furniture.
> State Crime Command’s Organised Crime Squad established Strike Force Maize in October this year to investigate the large commercial supply of methylamphetamine (‘ice’) and associated money laundering offences.
> 
> Late on Tuesday (1 December 2015), Strike Force Maize detectives executed six search warrants at properties in Fairfield, Parramatta, Burwood and Wentworthville.
> They were assisted by the Public Order and Riot Squad, the Gangs Squad’s Strike Force Raptor and the Drug Squad’s Chemical Operations Team.
> 
> An estimated 129kg of methylamphetamine in various stages of manufacture was seized, including more than 80kg that was still in the process of being extracted from pieces of flat-pack furniture. Police also seized more than $70,000 cash.
> Seven men aged from 23 to 69 who are Malaysian and Hong Kong nationals were arrested and charged with various offences, including manufacture prohibited drug, supply prohibited drug, participate in criminal group.
> They were all refused bail to appear at courts in Burwood, Parramatta, Fairfield and St George today.
> 
> An additional search warrant is currently underway at St Marys.
> Investigations into the crime network and the origin of the drugs are continuing.
> Commander of the Organised Crime Squad, Detective Superintendent Scott Cook, said the importation and trafficking of ‘ice’ had a devastating effect on many communities in Australia.
> “We will continue to work with our partners to catch those responsible for pedalling this miserable poison to our children,” Det Supt Cook said.
> 
> “The NSW Police Force Organised Crime Squad will continue to focus its attention of the operations of transnational organised crime networks responsible for the importation and distribution of ‘ice’ and other illicit commodities impacting NSW.
> “I would like to congratulate the members of the Organised Crime Squad for their hard work and dedication which has led to the downfall of this criminal network in NSW.
> “This is a significant result for the community but there is still more to do; this network is highly sophisticated, compartmentalised and operating internationally.”




*NSFW*:


----------



## DRUGZNOTHUGZ

Ice gets so much attention in the media these days... cunts stealing Range Rovers and ripping apart handcuffs like the Hulk n shit. All I wanted to do was talk shit and jack off for hours on it... don't think they'd wanna handcuff me when I'm sharded. But yeah... the shit fucks up lives.


----------



## poledriver

The newest episode of drugs inc is just out and it's called -



> drugs inc s07e16 aussie ice wars



For anyone interested.


----------



## poledriver

*Federal government $600m ice plan hopes prevention is the best medicine*






The Turnbull government is set to invest an extra $241 million in the drug treatment sector as part of a national plan to tackle the ice epidemic by shifting the focus from policing to prevention.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is set to unveil the government's National Ice Taskforce report today, with a $600 million four-year strategy focusing on improved treatment, aftercare, prevention, education, support and community engagement.

Of that $600 million, almost half is new funding, plus a further $15 million for advertising.

The new focus on prevention moves away from the unsuccessful method of using hard-line law and order to reduce supply.

In April last year, then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced former Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay would head a new taskforce which would unite state and territory authorities.

The response is a $241 million funding increase for the alcohol and drug treatment sector. The funding will be managed by 31 Primary Health Networks set up last year by the Abbott government.

Earlier this year the taskforce toured communities most affected by ice, with Mr Abbott's plan featuring a "dob-in-a-dealer hotline" at a cost of around $1 million a year.


Continued at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...tion-is-the-best-medicine#PsmpB4heFGITP1Kl.99


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> *NSFW*:



Damn those are some nice crystals.


----------



## poledriver

...
*NSFW*:


----------



## poledriver

*Gordon Cramp was high on ice when he stabbed former waste plant colleague to death for not making a phone call*








> WHAT transforms an otherwise ‘hardworking’ man into a frenzied killer capable of stabbing a former colleague so ferociously he severed his spinal cord?



The son of convicted murderer Gordon Cramp revealed to The Daily Telegraph it was an addiction to ice that turned his father into a killer.

“My dad’s not a violent person, never has been,” Gordon Cramp Jnr said.

Gordon Cramp’s attack on Lance Hargreaves was so vicious the stab wound severed his spinal cord. Picture: NSW Police
“He was a very respectful man, worked every day. He did have his times where he slipped up, as any man would.”

Ice-induced violence has become a major problem facing Australians over the past decade. Some of the most horrific murders and assaults have been linked to the drug and there is a common theme of uncontrolled rage combining with superhuman strength. On Sunday Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a $300 million plan to address the scourge with focus on prevention in combating the problem.

After the graphic details of Cramp’s violent attack were played out in a courtroom earlier this year, Supreme Court Justice Michael Adams sentenced the 40-year-old to 40 years in prison, calling him a “dangerous individual” who required a sentence that recognised “the need for the protection of the community”.

*A VIOLENT UNPROVOKED ATTACK*

In the early hours of February 21, 2013, Lance Hargreaves was brutally murdered at the Solveco waste recycling plant he worked at in the outer Sydney suburb of St Marys.

That morning Cramp had injected ice and smoked marijuana at a friend’s house.

He had been fired from the plant just three months earlier but convinced a friend to drive him there to score more drugs from a former colleague.

Carrying only a bag that contained two knives — one described in court as an ‘army-style’ knife and the other a ‘US military-style’ blade — Cramp entered the plant and spoke to a number of former workmates before heading into the lunchroom where he encountered Hargreaves

The 62-year-old was on a break having worked the night shift when Cramp demanded he call the worker he was attempting to buy drugs from.

Cramp became increasingly frustrated at the older man’s refusal. Over the next few minutes, Cramp stalked him through the plant, climbing on to a truck and cutting the wires to a CCTV camera. In total, four cameras were disabled.

The pair was seen arguing by witnesses before they disappeared behind a stack of crates where Cramp removed a knife from his bag and stabbed Mr Hargreaves in the neck.

The attack was so savage it completely severed Mr Hargreaves’ spinal cord.

Cramp went on the run after the brutal killing, with his mother Carol even making an impassioned please for her son to turn himself in. On March 2, nearly two weeks after the attack, Cramp walked in Windsor Police Station and was arrested.

During his murder trial, Justice Adams found Cramp didn’t go to the waste recycling plant with the intention of killing Mr Hargreaves, but when he removed the knife from his bag inside, it was with the intention to kill.

*TURNED TO DRUGS AT A YOUNG AGE*

Cramp grew up in Western Sydney, the eldest of two children.

He had a close bond with his father until his death when Cramp was just 15-years-old.

This had a profound impact on the teenager who turned to illicit drugs to cope with his grief.

That same year he left school and worked a number of different jobs to make ends meat.

Then in 1990 he started taking amphetamines and became addicted.


Cramp turned to drugs after the death of his father. This set him on a path of violence.

*‘ICE CHANGED MY DAD’*

Cramp’s son said his father had been a “respectable” and “hardworking” man before he started using ice after a bad breakup.

He said his father, who he referred to as his “best friend”, didn’t have a violent past although he did have multiple convictions for assault dating back at least 11 years before Mr Hargreaves’ death.

Mr Cramp Jnr was 20 and in jail himself when his dad was arrested for murder.

He said he knew exactly what ice did to a person as he had struggled with addiction in the past.

“I know the drug too — I slipped up a little bit — and it’s not a nice drug,” he said.

“The person you are, in all your morals and the way you think, you’re the complete opposite.

“It’s a mind addiction. You need it to get up, you need it to feel good.”

He said his time behind bars was a blessing as it helped him kick the habit and get his life on track.

“Going to jail was the best thing to happen to me, to get off that drug,” he said.

“I’ve turned my life around and I’ve got a daughter on the way now. I’m on a good path.”

Mr Cramp Jnr is in regular contact with his dad.

He said his father denies he killed Mr Hargreaves and said he was shocked when the jury came back with a guilty verdict for murder, instead of manslaughter.

“Let’s say he allegedly went there to do something wrong — but not what happened — that is not a murder, that is a heated thing gone wrong. Manslaughter,” Mr Cramp Jnr said.

*A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE*

While Justice Adams found that Cramp was in charge of his actions — denying the accused’s assertion he was ‘not thinking clearly’ because of the drugs — he may have been high on the same drug in a ‘troubling’ serious assault more than a decade earlier.

It’s believed Cramp may also have been high on the drug when carrying out another “troubling” serious assault more than a decade earlier.

In 2002, Cramp, who had recently split from his de facto, was driving when he spotted a relative of his former partner who had been offering the woman emotional support during their split.

Turning his car around he chased down the man and stabbed him in the back a number of times while yelling “I’m going to kill you”.

The victim suffered serious injuries and Cramp was sentenced to seven years’ jail for the attack.

He was also found guilty of a number of other assaults and was on bail when he killed Mr Hargreaves.

Cramp has appealed his conviction and sentence but a date for the case to be heard in the Court of Criminal Appeal has yet to be set.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...ng-a-phone-call/story-fnmx0wm1-1227632437859?


----------



## SmokingAces

I only found out recently the Chinese meth in Aus and the UK is very likely similar quality. It's the same gang of Chinese behind it mainly in both of them. Just got a gram today, the real McCoy, fuck I love Meth


----------



## poledriver

*Like smoking, we can stamp out ice addiction*






IT is a little known fact that Australia has one of the lowest smoking rates in the world, but one of the highest rates of illicit drug use.

Worse, among men in their 20s, one in 30 took the destructive drug ice last year — and the numbers continue to grow.

I believe drug-taking is a cultural issue more than anything else. It is now almost socially unacceptable to smoke, but taking illicit drugs has become an ordinary part of the social lives of many young people.

The sheer number using drugs confirms this, as does the National Ice Taskforce Report, which states there is evidence ice use has become “normalised” among young people because of “greater exposure and an emerging social acceptance of the drug”.

This is a disturbing conclusion for parents worried about their teenage or adult children.

Even more disturbing, all our efforts to cut the supply of the drug have made no impact on its price or availability.

Users say it is easier to get than ever, taking an average of only 20 minutes to do so in Melbourne.

Being a synthetic drug, it is easy to manufacture. One disrupted source is easily replaced.

Ice can be defeated only by reducing the demand for it.

We have to make it socially unacceptable to take the drug and help addicts get off it.

This understanding is at the heart of the federal government’s new ice plan announced yesterday.

The plan invests almost $300 million into prevention campaigns and more treatment services.

Of course, it includes continued efforts to disrupt the supply of the drug, including tens of millions more in cracking down on the criminal organisations that underpin the ice market.

But we will never defeat ice on the supply side alone.

As a society, we have successfully changed cultural attitudes in other areas — and we can do it with drug use, too.

In the early 1990s, for example, a quarter of the population smoked daily. That has halved through anti-smoking campaigns.

There has been no equivocation with the message — “smoking kills” and “every cigarette causes you damage” — and it has been backed up with strict rules around advertising, packaging and where one can smoke.

Today, it is no longer “cool” among young people to smoke, and usage continues to decline.

The same has occurred with drink-driving, where it is now socially unacceptable to drive when intoxicated.

There are now more deaths on Victorian roads because of ice than alcohol — and similar success has been had with seatbelts, speeding and safe sex. Concerted campaigns with clear messages have changed attitudes.

Sweden shows it can also be done with drugs — it is known as a socially liberal country but it takes a very strong drug stance.

The result? A drug usage rate a third of the European average.

We have already had some effective national advertising campaigns against ice, and there will be more to come.

But communities are also vital in getting the message out, so we will be providing support to more than 1200 local sporting clubs to deliver prevention messages at the grassroots level.

Tackling the social acceptability of drug-taking counters what many “experts”, who want more “understanding” of drug use, say.

They tell us people take drugs because they are depressed, disadvantaged or vulnerable.

These reasons may explain why some take drugs, but most usage is because of social factors.

The National Drug Strategy household survey of 24,000 people showed two-thirds of people took up drugs for the first time because of peer group pressure or simply to experiment, while only 7 per cent took them to feel better.

Even among existing users, fewer than a third say they continue to take ice to lift their mood or because of addiction.

This all suggests continued prevention campaigns can be effective.

Of course, those addicted to the drug, or feeling down and starting to experiment, need help.

But we constantly hear people can’t get access to treatment services when they need them.

The ice plan allocates almost $250 million, delivered at the local level, to help change this.

There are other elements to the plan, including greater online resources to support families and carers of those using ice, and better research to inform future policy.

More than 200,000 people use ice. For some, it may have minimal long-term impact but for many, it will wreak havoc on themselves, their families and communities.

Some will tragically die as a result, while others will get off it but never be the same again.

The executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime stated in 2007 that “societies have the drug problem that they deserve”.

Australia deserves better than being seen as the biggest ice users. Our ice plan will hopefully be the start of that change.

ALAN TUDGE IS THE FEDERAL MEMBER FOR ASTON AND ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/op...n/news-story/8995b7b3820b4877a8727c7417f21618


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> Sweden shows it can also be done with drugs — it is known as a socially liberal country but it takes a very strong drug stance.
> 
> The result? A drug usage rate a third of the European average.


----------



## poledriver

Good point. I think our government is being advised by monkeys. What a surprise that faces of meth style campaigns and 'dob in a dealer' havent worked?!


----------



## SmokingAces

If the Aussie govt are anything like the UK and US government I would guess they're not interested in sensible policies because the truth is they don't want the war on drugs to end, it's all based on racism and keeping drug agents employed.


----------



## poledriver

*NSW police seize ‘many kilograms’ of ice after raiding unit in Gladesville, on Sydney’s north shore*






NSW police have seized a large quantity of the drug ice from a unit on Sydney’s north west.

Officers were executing a search warrant at the unit in Meriton Street, Gladesville, when they uncovered “many kilograms” of methylamphetamine – also known as ice.

Earlier police arrested a man 31-year-old man in Artarmon before heading to the Gladesville flat. Police have established a crime scene at the property and both the police Chemical Operations Team and Fire and Rescue NSW HAZMAT officers are checking the unit.






number of items used in the alleged manufacture of the drugs have also been seized and will undergo forensic examinations.

Officers from Ryde Local Area Command have been investigating the supply of ice around the inner west and north shore areas since November.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...le-on-sydneys-north-shore#5iBgT1HlhTRJ2izb.99


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> *NSFW*:



Glad to see that they're keeping the methamphetamine nice and dry!


----------



## poledriver

*Morwell police understand the full effects of ice*



> IT’S a small town in Gippsland but Morwell could be one of the most dangerous places to be a police officer.
> About 80 per cent of people they face are aggressive, violent and unpredictable — all because they are drugged up on ice.
> So who are the remaining 20 per cent the police are dealing with?
> 
> They are people with mental health issues or who are involved in family violence disputes — both problems still often driven by ice, according to the Police Association’s Wayne Gatt.
> The ice pandemic is nothing new and the drug’s destructive clutches are well known.
> Police have fought to combat it but the problem is especially rife in regional Victoria.
> 
> The Victorian Crime Statistics Agency found a 21 per cent hike in crime in the La Trobe area, which includes Morwell, since 2011.
> It was the highest jump in Victoria’s eastern region.
> There were 3031 crimes in Morwell alone between July 2010 and June 2011.
> 
> That number has shockingly risen to 4571 as of June this year — an increase of about 30 per cent.
> There were 328 drug use and possession offences in 2012/13 but that number jumped to 484 in the 2013/14 period — a 47.6 per cent increase.
> 
> Sergeant Gatt said the association surveyed police officers across the whole state earlier this year and 94 per cent said dealing with people who were doped up on ice was more prevalent in their work than it was three years ago.
> Alarmingly, 83 per cent said it made their job more difficult and impacted on their work significantly and 91 per cent said violence towards police had increased in the past three years.
> 
> Just over 70 per cent were assaulted at least once in the past three years by somebody on ice.
> “We were obviously shocked to hear how difficult work for our members has become but we are also concerned that the already tough job members have to do is made tougher, often by a lack of frontline resources available to help local police deal with growing issues like ice, domestic violence and mental health,” Sgt Gatt said.
> 
> The Federal Government recently announced a $300 million strategy to tackle the ice addiction and while Sgt Gatt welcomed the funding, he said there was still no short-term solution.
> “What are needed are more resources for police on the front line to deal with calls for assistance in the community,” he said.
> 
> Sgt Gatt said Morwell police were losing the equivalent of 20 shifts because of a lack of resources in the Victorian town.
> Officers were required to provide security at Morwell court, preventing them from working the beat.
> 
> “It’s an enormous amount when you consider where these police officers should be — out responding to calls for assistance from the community,” Sgt Gatt said.
> “They are effectively performing the role of a security guard and their skills and training could be put to far greater use.
> “They need to be out there dealing with the sheer volume of calls they receive and the follow-ups that come from each of those.”
> 
> Sgt Gatt said police were also forced to spend up to two hours at a time at the hospital, responding to mental health issues.
> “Police members could be better utitlised,” he said.
> “The more police on the street, the safer the community is.”
> 
> Youth Support and Advocacy Service director Peter Wearne is not surprised by the shocking number of people consumed by ice in Morwell.
> “It’s been the same for about two years. About a third of young people presenting for treatment in the state have ice as their major drug of concern,” he said.
> “Half of young people we see are using ice on top of other drugs.”
> 
> Mr Wearne said ice was obvious in regional areas like Morwell because the impact was much greater.
> “The biggest issue they have is managing their interpersonal behaviour and social interactions,” he said.
> “It’s like they’ve acquired some mental illness but that’s typical when you abuse the drug.
> 
> “You might not see it in people who use it once a fortnight but it disorientates people who use it regularly and they become aggressive and angry, which becomes really noticeable in a small country town.”
> For 40 years Mr Wearne has worked with people battling drug issues but he said it had never been as prevalent as it is now.
> Through his work, he has discovered ice addicts often have a traumatic childhood in common — people who have suffered from abuse or neglect.
> 
> “There’s always a reason somebody gets into trouble with the drug — it’s not just the drug — the drug is the least important part of the equation, it’s about a person and their history and experiences,” he said.
> Mr Wearne said a lot of his clients became afraid after they became hooked on ice.
> 
> Not of the drug itself, but of what life would be like without it.
> “If it makes you believe you are better for it, you’ll keep doing it,” he said.
> 
> “If somebody feels terrible when they aren’t on the drug, they fear they will feel like that all the time when they don’t take the drug.
> “Basically they can’t imagine life without it.
> “Ice is like rocket fuel.”
> 
> Mr Wearne said people felt in control when they started using ice but they quickly found themselves in a dark hole unable to dominate the drug.
> The drug worker had seen people have psychotic episodes and said people heard voices, were insecure and suffered severe anxiety.
> 
> “All those feelings of safety and security are compromised,” he said.
> Mr Wearne said there was a danger in so many people needing help when there weren’t the resources available.
> “We’ve never been busier as a treatment service and every year we get busier,” he said.
> 
> “If the government is serious about providing more money for resources then that’s the most important thing because the earlier people can get help the better the outcomes will be.
> “We’ve got up to 60 people waiting to get into withdrawal beds and we are booked up two to three months ahead.
> 
> “People who want treatment and can’t get in risk losing their motivation to change, you need to strike while the iron is hot.”



http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...e/news-story/589d8190b2de790544e4311e990b38cf


----------



## poledriver

*‘Have a f***ing look at that’ Kelvin Willmott yelled as he stabbed victim more than 100 times*



> ‘GENTLE giant’ Shane Curphey was planning to marry the love of his life when he was viciously murdered in a frenzied knife attack in front of dozens of people in broad daylight.








The father of two, who was easily recognisable with his hulking 193cm frame and long ponytail, was stabbed so many times by acquaintance Kelvin Robert Willmott, then 35, at the Waterfront Tourist Park, on the Central Coast, that he was almost decapitated.

Willmott, who was sentenced to 28 years jail after pleading guilty to Mr Curphey’s murder, had taken ice hours before the attack on October 10, 2010, which the court heard would have amplified a number of mental illnesses he suffered.

Kelvin Willmott arrives at King Street Supreme Court for sentencing after he was found guilty of the stabbing to death of Shane Curphey.
Best friend Matthew Marlin told The Daily Telegraph he had warned Mr Curphey something bad would happen if he continued to visit the caravan park, where he was eventually killed, due to regular violent incidents there.

He said he was heartbroken when his mate was murdered.

“I told him I didn’t feel good about him going down (to the caravan park), you’re likely to get stabbed and one day it did happen. It hit me like a truck,” Mr Marlin said.

“Shane was a real gentle giant who would protect me against bullying drunks and always had a heart of gold.”

Shane Curphey with his sister Tammy.

*VIOLENT MURDER BEGAN WITH DRINKING*

October 13, 2010 started without much drama for Mr Curphey, meeting friends Daniel Curds and Jodie Murray for drinks at the sports club before heading back to Curds’ cabin to continue drinking in the afternoon.

It was there that he encountered Willmott.

After Willmott joked that he had drugged Curds’ beer, Mr Curphey began to argue with him and eventually forced him to leave the cabin.

Willmott, who had returned to the cabin he shared with his mother, grew increasingly paranoid that Mr Curphey was out to get him and armed himself with two steak knives before heading out to confront him.

He bumped into Mr Curphey and Ms Murray shortly after 5.30pm.

With many of the park’s residents including children walking around, the pair began to argue loudly.

Willmott was pushed to the ground by Mr Curphey and produced the knife before jumping on the man and beginning the frenzied attack.

He continued to stab Mr Curphey in the head and neck and was dancing and laughing around the victim, according to one witness who had called triple-0.

As his mother stood watching, witnesses said Willmott slashed at Mr Curphey’s throat in what looked like an attempt to decapitate him.

The court heard that he looked at his mother and asked “How’s this?” and said “Have a f***ing look at that!”

The arrival of police at the scene did nothing to slow the offender down and it wasn’t until they drew their guns and ordered him to the ground that he eventually stopped.

When Willmott was placed in the back of the police vehicle he appeared to be confused about the large amount of blood he had on his clothes and what had just taken place.

“Whose blood is this? Why am I in handcuffs? Whose blood? Why do I have claret on me, why am I under arrest?” the court heard he asked the officers.

Mr Curphey had been stabbed more than a hundred times in the brutal attack.

Jenni Curphey outside court after her son’s killer was sentenced to 35 years jail.

*HISTORY OF VIOLENCE*

Willmott was born in Camperdown and was effectively raised as an only child as his three half brothers and sisters were considerably older.

At 13 he moved to Queensland and two years later left school, going on to acquire TAFE qualifications in horticulture, landscaping and hospitality.

Alcohol had been a major problem in his life and in his teens he began mixing it with drugs.

During the murder trial, the court heard his mother described him as “very unpredictable and violent when he drank alcohol.”

Willmott wracked up a lengthy criminal record in Queensland, with convictions for wilful destruction of property, possessing a knife in a public place and common assault.

He was also convicted of assault occasioning bodily harmn and grievous bodily harm for which he was sentenced to prison terms of 18 months and four years.

Shane Curphey in his younger days.

*‘ICE IS WHY SHANE’S DEAD’*

Five years after Mr Curphey’s death, Mr Marlin was adamant that if it weren’t for ice, his best mate would still be alive.

“The drug ice is why he’s dead,” he said.

“If the bloke wasn’t off his head on it, Shane would still be with us today.”

While a NSW Police spokesman told The Daily Telegraph the murder wasn’t investigated at the time as an ice-related crime, it was suggested in court that the drug played a role in the Willmott’s behaviour.

During sentencing, psychiatrist Dr Olav Nielssen, who examined the accused, said that the dangerous mix of alcohol and ice fuelled Willmott’s aggression.

“It seems he has a pattern of becoming aggressive while intoxicated, which would have been increased by the effect of a moderate dose of methamphetamine taken several hours before the offence,” Dr Nielssen said.

Willmott appealed his non-parole period of 21 years, but the court found it was adequate punishment for the crime.

He will be eligible for release in October 2031.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-than-100-times/story-fnmx0wm1-1227632457105?


----------



## poledriver

*Sean King, Gordon Cramp, Colin Farrow, Kelvin Willmott: Australia’s most violent ice killers*

ICE has been a common factor in some of the country’s most violent murders.
It is such a scourge that Malcolm Turnbull this week announced $300m strategy to tackle the problem, as revealed by Samanatha Maiden in the Sunday Telegraph.
The need to do something is illustrated by these four horrific ice murders committed in recent times in NSW.

KELVIN WILMOTT

Shane Curphey was a gentle giant and father of two young daughters who was planning to marry the love of his life when he started drinking with friends at a caravan park on the NSW Central Park on October 10, 2010.

There he met Kelvin Willmott, a violent alcoholic who had taken ice earlier that morning.
Curphey reacted angrily when Willmott joked that he had drugged one of the party’s drinks and ordered him to leave.

Willmott returned to the caravan he shared with his mother and grabbed two large serrated steak knives from the kitchen.
Curphey then Willmott confronted each other in front of dozens of people

Willmott was pushed to the ground by Mr Curphey and produced the knife before jumping on the man and beginning the frenzied attack.

He continued to stab Mr Curphey in the head and neck and was dancing and laughing around the victim, according to one witness who had called triple-0.
As his mother stood watching, Willmott slashed at Mr Curphey’s throat in what looked like an attempt to decapitate him. He stopped only to talk to his mother before continuing to stab and slash at Curphey’s lifeless body.
In total Willmott stabbed Curphey more than 100 times. He was sentenced to 28 years in jail.

SEAN KING

Sean King and girlfriend Jazmin-Jean Ajbschitz were in a volatile relationship when she decided to end it via text message.

Enraged, King took ice and then drove to Jazmin’s apartment in the Sydney CBD in July 2011.
Earlier her mother, aware of King’s violent outbursts, had warned to stay in her apartment where she would be safe.
When King buzzed her apartment, Jazmin came downstairs and the two argued through the security door.

Eventually Jazmin relented and let King in. This moment, the last time she was seen alive, was captured on the complex’s CCTV.
Twenty six minutes later the security cameras captured King leaving the building — his hood pulled over his head and pulling his sleeves over his hands.

When Jazmin’s body was discovered, police found a scene of a frenzied and sustained assault.
Blood was splashed over the walls and on the carpet in multiple rooms and furniture had been upturned. King had repeatedly and viciously stomped and kicked her to death.
King was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 20 years non-parole.

GORDON CRAMP

Gordon Cramp, fired from his job at a Western Sydney waste plant weeks earlier, returned to score drugs off a former colleague.

High on ice he encountered 62-year-old Lance Hargreaves in the kitchen room who had just finished a night shift on February 21, 2013.
Cramp, who had packed two American army knives, demanded the older man call the worker he wished to buy drugs off. When Hargreaves refused, Cramp stalked him through the work site, cutting the cables to four security cameras.
The pair was seen arguing by witnesses before they disappeared behind a stack of crates where Cramp removed a knife from his bag and stabbed Mr Hargreaves in the neck.

The attack was so savage it completely severed Mr Hargreaves’ spinal cord.

The wound, measuring 12cm long, cut through the space between the second and third vertebrae.
Cramp went on the run for two weeks before eventually turning himself in. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

COLIN FARROW

Ice addict Colin Maxwell Farrow stabbed his drug dealer Linda Stevens to death and then dumper her bound and gagged body in the boot of her car in Wollongong in April 2013.
Police located the car after receiving reports of a man driving erratically.

They found her naked body wrapped in bedding and bound and gagged with rope and duct tape.
Farrow claimed the only memory he had of killing was looking in a mirror and seeing himself soaked in blood.
During his trial the court heard he stabbed Stevens three times — once with substantial force to her chest, then twice to each side of the neck.

http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw.../news-story/eb5cff8a29dd3809522256b19969f4e7?


----------



## poledriver

*Supplement chain founder caught in bush drug lab sting*

The founder of supplements chain Mass Nutrition has been charged following a raid on a sophisticated methamphetamine lab in the Gold Coast hinterland.

Luke McNally is not only a bodybuilder, but also a member of the Lone Wolves and a drug cook, police believe.

Police allegedly uncovered a 3D-printed handgun, mobile phone jammer and drug paraphernalia in their raid on the Mudgeeraba property early today.

Outside, a meth lab had allegedly been dismantled and stashed across 10 different hiding spots in bushland.

“We found a safe cemented into the ground up in the bushland behind the house and we found hollowed out tree logs, we’ve got PVC pipes covered in bark hidden amongst the bushland,” Detective Inspector Brendan Smith said.

Mr McNally, 31, was a champion bodybuilder who went on to establish Mass Nutrition in 2006, which now spans 40 stores and has been valued at $40 million.

Police allegedly raided some Mass Nutrition outlets last year, and seizing steroids.

Mr McNally was dumped as the CEO in September.

His previous business dealings will likely be investigated by detectives.

“We’ll look at whether there are any links there, whether that company has been used to distribute drugs, that will be an ongoing investigation,” Det. Insp. Smith said.

Three other people at home during the raids were questioned by police but released without charge.

Police say the size of the lab means it is likely multiple people were involved in its operation.

Mr McNally has been charged with seven drugs and weapons offences and will appear in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...mudgeeraba-bikie-drug-lab#qwd8uIzp73LcFJwR.99


----------



## Burnt Offerings

One thing I've found to be generally true is that individuals who "snap" when they take drugs (whether it's PCP or meth or whatever) are people who are violent and/or unstable generally-speaking (although drugs can make that worse). The idea that someone could just be a perfectly mentally stable, peaceable & reasonable person, take meth and then BAM! starts going around severing spinal cords is a little hard to believe, based on my own experiences.


----------



## DRUGZNOTHUGZ

Burnt Offerings said:


> One thing I've found to be generally true is that individuals who "snap" when they take drugs (whether it's PCP or meth or whatever) are people who are violent and/or unstable generally-speaking (although drugs can make that worse). The idea that someone could just be a perfectly mentally stable, peaceable & reasonable person, take meth and then BAM! starts going around severing spinal cords is a little hard to believe, based on my own experiences.


It said he'd copped a sentence of 7 years for stabbing someone involved with his ex 10 years before this happened, while high on shard. He honestly should have been pissing in a cup weekly as part of his parole terms. Violent offenders should not be smoking meth.


----------



## manboychef

I most certainly believe that certain drugs bring out the basal desires and un-diagnosed mental health problems in those that take them. There has to be a reason why some can take a drug and be certainly fine, but give the same drug and dose to another and they go absolutely batshit.


----------



## casual1

poledriver said:


> While Justice Adams found that Cramp was in charge of his actions — denying the accused’s assertion he was ‘not thinking clearly’ because of the drugs — he may have been high on the same drug in a ‘troubling’ serious assault more than a decade earlier.



"in charge of his actions"  - Pretty much goes against everything the politicians and media have ever said about the effects of ice and other drugs although I tend to agree with the judge in this case.  The desire to do something and the decision to actually carry it out are two different processes.


----------



## poledriver

*Alleged bikie Luke McNally accused of distributing ice through sports supplement business Mass Nutrition*

An alleged bikie is being investigated over whether he distributed the drug ice through the sports supplement business he founded, Queensland Police have said.

Police searched Luke McNally's Mudgeeraba acreage on Thursday, allegedly finding a loaded 3D printed handgun, a drug laboratory, a small quantity of methylamphetamine and steroids.

The 31-year-old is facing seven charges, including possessing dangerous drugs and unlawful possession of weapons.

McNally, an alleged member of the Lone Wolves outlaw motorcycle gang, founded the sports supplement business Mass Nutrition.

Police are investigating whether the bodybuilder was distributing methylamphetamine through the chain.

Outside court his lawyer Campbell MacCallum said his client stepped away from the business a few months ago.

"In terms of Mass Nutrition, this [drug charges] has nothing to do with that particular company," Mr MacCallum said outside court.

"He is concerned mainly about his reputation of course.

"He denies a lot of the allegations that have been placed against him so it's some interesting times ahead."

McNally was granted watch house bail on the condition that he report to police each week and reside at his Mudgeeraba acreage.

He is due to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court on January 8.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-11/luke-mcnally-supplement-chain-drug-offences-court/7020816


----------



## poledriver

*Police say ice use is driving crime surge in Coffs Harbour and Grafton*

Coffs-Clarence Police say ice use is directly contributing to a surge in break and enters around the Coffs Harbour-Grafton region.

The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research said the rising number of arrests for amphetamine possession was alarming, and there was concern it would flow into other areas of crime.

Senior police in the Coffs-Clarence region said that was already the case.

First time arrests for amphetamine possession have risen more than 70 per cent in the Coffs Harbour-Grafton region over the last five years.

Bureau director Don Weatherburn said the problem extended around New South Wales and said the real concern was flow-on into other areas of crime.

'Heroin epidemic' was last big increase in drug use

"Last time we saw a big increase in drug use, which was the heroin epidemic back in the late 1990s, we saw a big increase in property crime," Mr Weatherburn said.

"So, I hope that the current rapid increase in methamphetamine isn't going to turn into a problem down the track with violent crime and thefts from cars and houses in order to raise cash to buy that drug."

To fund their habits they have to commit offences.

Coffs-Clarence commander Superintendent Mark Holahan said much of the spike in arrests could be attributed to specific targeting of ice use in the community.

"The 15 extra police officers that have been placed in the region this year have made a significant impact," Superintendent Holohan said.

"We are averaging between 350 and 400 person searches a month across the command. The trade-off is that we're going to see more drug arrests.

"To fund their habits they have to commit offences.

"Now, we know in the short-term we've had an increase in break and enter into houses — that will probably reflect in the next crime statistics review — and that's all directly related to ice usage in the community."

'Dob in a drug dealer' campaign to be adopted

Early next year the Coffs Clarence Command will follow other regional towns in adopting the "dob in a drug dealer" campaign.

Superintendent Holahan said they were trying to target dealers and were hoping that community information would lead to arrests.

"People in the neighbourhood know who uses drugs, and we encourage them to come forward and call Crime Stoppers," he said.

"We're very much focused on trying to remove the scourge of ice, because it impacts not just on police, but on nurses, teaches and on the whole community."

Coffs Harbour has one of the highest methamphetamine laboratory detection rates in NSW, but according to police the labs are becoming harder to detect.

"Labs themselves are smaller today and more mobile; we've detected labs in cars," Superintendent Holohan said.

"We're continually getting that information from communities, but we have to assess it and we have to weigh it up against all the other jobs that we have on."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-...-already-driving-crime-surge-in-coffs/7018558


----------



## poledriver

*Woman who claims she inhaled methylamphetmines by accident before driving wins appeal*

A 36-year-old Canberra woman who claimed she had accidentally inhaled methylamphetamines at a party has won an appeal after she was convicted in the ACT Magistrates Court.

The woman was charged with driving while she had the illicit drug in her system after it was detected in a blood test taken after an accident.

The woman was adamant she had not used the drug for eight years.

She told lawyers in the case she could be that specific because she stopped around the time one of her children was born.

But the woman said she had been to a housewarming party in the days before the accident and had seen people there smoking the drug in a glass pipe.

The woman's lawyers cited a law which stated a person was not criminally responsible in such circumstances where the criminal conduct was caused by someone else.

Her lawyers argued the woman had no control over the way the drugs got into her system.

But she was convicted when Magistrate Maria Doogan said she did not accept the explanation.

She found there was no evidence that anybody at the party was smoking methylamphetamine and no evidence the woman had ingested it in any other way.

"I am not satisfied that the substance got into her system by her inhaling it at some party so I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that she committed the offence," Magistrate Doogan said.

The woman was also fined $400.

But Justice John Burns found the defence that someone else had caused the drug to be in the woman's system was not properly considered.

"It is contrary to the general criminal law principles to punish acts or events which are beyond the control of an accused person," he said.

Justice Burns ordered the case be returned to the ACT Magistrates Court to be considered by a different magistrate.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-...mines-inhaled-by-accident-wins-appeal/7018362


----------



## poledriver

*Man charged after joint agency operation seizes meth worth $15 million*



> 09-12-2015 -
> A 51-year-old Sydney man has been arrested and more than 23 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of approximately $15.4 million has been seized following a joint agency investigation to stop the flow of illicit substances into Australia.
> 
> On 19 November 2015, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers, acting on intelligence, intercepted a package containing a refrigerator, a juice blender and a number of water cooling towers at the port of Darwin.
> 
> After further examination, approximately 27 packages were allegedly found within the fridge doors.
> 
> It will be alleged the packages contained a white crystalline substance with a total weight of approximately 23 kilograms. Presumptive testing returned a positive result for methamphetamine (ICE). The potential street value of the drugs is up to $15.4 million.
> 
> The matter was subsequently referred to Joint Taskforce Nemesis for further investigation.
> 
> On 27 November 2015, police commenced a controlled delivery of the consignment, which had been redirected to a delivery depot in Sydney. Police will allege that the 51-year-old collected the consignment on 7 December 2015 and returned it to his premises in the Sydney suburb of Georges Hall, NSW.
> 
> Officers from Joint Taskforce Nemesis conducted a search warrant on an address in Georges Hall on 9 December 2015, where the man was arrested. During the search warrant, police will allege they discovered fraudulent documents and an additional three kilograms of a substance suspected to be methamphetamine and $6,700 cash.
> 
> The man was charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth) and attempt to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5 by virtue of section 11.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth). It is expected he will face Sydney Central Local Court today.
> 
> The AFP’s Darwin Office Manager Superintendent Mark Setter praised the efforts of investigators, working across states and jurisdictions to make the arrest.
> 
> “This was a complex operation, and involved a great level of coordination from the time the drugs were intercepted in Darwin to being traced through to Sydney where the arrest has been made,” Superintendent Setter said.
> 
> “The investigation is an excellent example of the collaborative working arrangements of Northern Territory law enforcement agencies.”
> 
> Northern Territory Acting Assistant Commissioner Kate Vanderlaan said the outcome demonstrated the excellent working relationships and capability of law enforcement agencies across Australia.
> 
> “This highlights the importance of the National Ice Action Strategy to minimise harm to the Australian community,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Vanderlaan said.
> 
> ABF Commander Central Region Rachel Houghton said this is yet another example of officers working in collaboration to target the illegal importation of border controlled drugs.
> 
> “Our agencies continue to combine our capabilities to prevent these substances from entering the country and impacting the Australian community,” Commander Houghton said.
> 
> Australian Crime Commission National Manager Investigations, Richard Grant, said the seizure and arrest were illustrative of state and Commonwealth agencies working together for a greater good.
> 
> Joint Taskforce Nemesis involves officers from the Australian Federal Police, Northern Territory Police, Australian Border Force and the Australian Crime Commission targeting the manufacturing, importation and distribution of illicit drugs, in particular methamphetamine.



http://newsroom.border.gov.au/relea...agency-operation-seizes-meth-worth-15-million


----------



## DRUGZNOTHUGZ

poledriver said:


> *Woman who claims she inhaled methylamphetmines by accident before driving wins appeal*
> 
> A 36-year-old Canberra woman who claimed she had accidentally inhaled methylamphetamines at a party has won an appeal after she was convicted in the ACT Magistrates Court.
> 
> The woman was charged with driving while she had the illicit drug in her system after it was detected in a blood test taken after an accident.
> 
> The woman was adamant she had not used the drug for eight years.
> 
> She told lawyers in the case she could be that specific because she stopped around the time one of her children was born.
> 
> But the woman said she had been to a housewarming party in the days before the accident and had seen people there smoking the drug in a glass pipe.
> 
> The woman's lawyers cited a law which stated a person was not criminally responsible in such circumstances where the criminal conduct was caused by someone else.
> 
> Her lawyers argued the woman had no control over the way the drugs got into her system.
> 
> But she was convicted when Magistrate Maria Doogan said she did not accept the explanation.
> 
> She found there was no evidence that anybody at the party was smoking methylamphetamine and no evidence the woman had ingested it in any other way.
> 
> "I am not satisfied that the substance got into her system by her inhaling it at some party so I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that she committed the offence," Magistrate Doogan said.
> 
> The woman was also fined $400.
> 
> But Justice John Burns found the defence that someone else had caused the drug to be in the woman's system was not properly considered.
> 
> "It is contrary to the general criminal law principles to punish acts or events which are beyond the control of an accused person," he said.
> 
> Justice Burns ordered the case be returned to the ACT Magistrates Court to be considered by a different magistrate.
> 
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-...mines-inhaled-by-accident-wins-appeal/7018362



Man, that's like the oldest excuse in the book. I call bullshit... surely you'd fuck right off out of the vicinity of the crackpipe if you'd used meth at any point in your life and you had no intention of using again, especially if you had to drive. I mean, I've been around it while others are smoking, but it's not something I endeavour to do if I can help it cos it makes me want the shit. And would second-hand crank even come up on a test? She musta had a good lawyer.


----------



## RDP89

Yeah, she's so full of shit....the amazing thing is they actually bought it.


----------



## DRUGZNOTHUGZ

Nah, from the scope of that article they just gave her an appeal. They shouldn't have even given her that, seems pretty straightforward to me if there's no proof people were smoking at the party she was at.


----------



## poledriver

If I ever get a positive for weed on a road side drug test can I just say I was hanging out with bong heads and I must have inhaled some 2nd hand smoke?


----------



## DRUGZNOTHUGZ

Yeah do it, works every time  see officer, see my friends right, they made some hash cookies and I could smell them baking in the oven, so like, no charge pls :]


----------



## methyldreams

FUCK THE POLICE.. You notice the price going right down yet the quality is staying high purity... what does this mean??? the cunts are lossing the war on drugs.. GO HARD OR GO HOME MOTHAFUKAS


----------



## manboychef

They must have filled a bathroom and been passing multiple pipes and her standing right in the center getting shotguns left and right for it to come up/


----------



## consumer

I am amazed they took her seriously.


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force added 18 new photos to the album: Police dismantle alleged "ice" syndicate - Strike Force Leonard.
Yesterday at 10:34am · 

Police have arrested nine people and executed 13 search warrants during an operation aimed at dismantling a syndicate allegedly supplying “ice” in Sydney.
Detectives from the Redfern Region Enforcement Squad formed Strike Force Leonard in August 2015 to investigate the activities of two men and their associates.
This culminated yesterday (Wednesday 16 December 2015) in a Sydney-wide operation involving strike force detectives and officers from a number of specialist units.
About 11am yesterday, police arrested a 55-year-old man at his workplace in Girraween.

During a search of the man’s car, police seized quantities of the prohibited drugs methylamphetamine (“ice”) and gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), along with an amount of cash.
The man was taken to Merrylands Police Station, where he was charged with supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity) and participate in a criminal group. He was refused bail to appear in Fairfield Local Court today (Thursday 17 December 2015).
A second man was arrested around the same time yesterday, at a residential apartment in Sydney’s CBD.

Officers took this man, aged 45, to Day Street Police Station, where he was charged with supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity) and direct a criminal group. He was also refused bail, and is due to appear in Central Local Court today.
Police will allege the two men were involved in a syndicate supplying “ice”. It’s also alleged the 45-year-old man was the main upline supplier of the drug to the older man, who has in turn been selling it to associates across Sydney.
Sevenof these associates – three men and four women – were arrested throughout yesterday afternoon and evening during the execution of 12 search warrants at residential premises in Phillip Bay, Strathfield, Guildford, Redfern, Surry Hills, Elizabeth Bay, Artarmon, Toongabbie, Bardwell Valley and the Sydney CBD.
All have been charged with supplying “ice”.

Items seized during the searches include 314 grams of “ice”, 77 grams of cocaine, 10 grams of cannabis, 62 grams of MDMA (“ecstasy”), one litre of GHB and a large amount of cash.
The operation is ongoing, with an additional search warrant being executed in Maroubra this morning.


----------



## mister

Short Vice video on booze verses meth....

*We Spent a Night with Paramedics to Find Out if Australia Is Really Facing a Meth Epidemic*

http://www.vice.com/en_au/video/we-spent-a-night-with-paramedics-to-find-out-if-australia-is-really-facing-a-meth-epidemic-r


----------



## poledriver

^ Taken from the link posted above by mister -



> _*We Spent a Night with Paramedics to Find Out if Australia Is Really Facing a Meth Epidemic*_
> 
> Paramedics get front-row seats to the way a city gets wasted. When someone passes out, gets knocked unconscious, falls, freaks out, or gets found, mobile medics are usually the first on the scene. This is why, when we wanted to know what Australia's much-written-about ice (crystalline methamphetamine) epidemic looked like, we contacted Ambulance Victoria.
> 
> Australia is now eight months into an official war on ice. In April former Prime Minister Tony Abbott ordered a task-force to find ways of tackling the use of the drug. On Monday, Prime Minister Turnbull announced $300 million to enact the plan, making assurances that health service providers would see the bulk of this cash.
> 
> In the months leading up to this announcement we'd spent four Saturday nights trawling Melbourne with two separate ambulance crews. With the funding boost coming in, it's likely crews like these will be seeing their slice of it. And while they surely need it, maybe it's not for the reasons you'd assume.
> 
> The first incident we were called out to involved a young guy who'd fallen off a balcony. He'd been drinking gin and we found him splayed over a bottom floor, unable to sit up. He was smiling and bubbly, but his words made no sense and his head looked worryingly asymmetrical. This was almost standard, explained Greg Gibson, the group manager with Ambulance Victoria. Every weekend they clean up after a culture that drinks to get drunk. According to him, the fallout from other drugs pales in comparison.
> 
> The most cited stats on the cost of drugs and alcohol are from 2004-05. That year it was estimated illicit drug use costed Australia $8.2 billion [$6 billion USD], while alcohol was nearly double at $15.3 billion [$11 billion USD]. A revised estimate by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Educationhas since priced drinking higher again at $36 billion [$26 billion USD].
> 
> These are only estimates, but they seemed pretty well-reflected during my ambulance tour of Melbourne. We saw booze-powered fights, accidents, domestics, and a whole lot of vomit. Only once we got called to an ice incident. An older guy in a halfway house claimed he was having an overdose but when we got there he was just kind of confused. It was an ugly scene, but compared to a young guy who'd been drunkenly sucker-punched and face-planted on a fire hydrant, it was pretty innocuous.
> 
> We're not the first to raise these concerns. Experts have been comparing the damage waged by drinking to the effects made by ice for years. The first issue is that ice use doesn't even seem as prevalent as the word epidemic might suggest.
> 
> Australia's main way of measuring drug use is the National Drug Strategy Household Survey. It tells us that rates of ice use have plateaued since 2010. At that point seven percent of people admitted they'd tried ice at least once. In 2013 that number was unchanged.
> 
> While usage might be stable, the public don't seem to know this. The University of NSW recently surveyed 11,000 people to find just under half thought between 30 and 100 percent of Australians had tried ice. As mentioned before, that true figure is seven percent—a notable difference.
> 
> So what's fanning the notion we're in the grips of an ice epidemic? According to experts it may be a feedback cycle, perpetrated by media coverage and endorsed by increased arrests. Associate Professor John Fitzgerald, sociologist and drug expert at the University of Melbourne, told the ABC that drugs arrests have risen dramatically, which would seem to suggest there's more drugs around.
> 
> "In the space of two years [2011-2013] we doubled the amount of amphetamine users we were arresting. That's insane because we didn't see a proportional change in how many dealers we were arresting. There was a targeting of drug users," he explained.
> 
> Of course this is a simplification. There are numerous reasons why the Australian public is so fixated on ice. But again the paramedics we told us for all the excitement around illicit drugs, ice just wasn't their man concern.
> 
> Spending four nights in an ambulance was never a way to quantifiably prove the existence of an ice epidemic. In any case, it didn't. But it did illustrate the extent to which society suffers via alcohol. The issue is that we're throwing $300 million [$219 million USD] at ice, while comparatively ignoring the other.



https://www.vice.com/en_au/video/we...-australia-is-really-facing-a-meth-epidemic-r


----------



## methyldreams

so Mrs polediver have you ever even tried this drug that is used by many very responsibily? 

Yet all I see is you trying to re-inforce what the media is already doing.

Yeah it doe's fuck up lives, but theres many like me with a love for this drug who can use for a week non stop no sleep and be normal except have a boogey in your nose that you can never seem to pick lol


----------



## S.J.B.

methyldreams said:


> so Mrs polediver have you ever even tried this drug that is used by many very responsibily?
> 
> Yet all I see is you trying to re-inforce what the media is already doing.
> 
> Yeah it doe's fuck up lives, but theres many like me with a love for this drug who can use for a week non stop no sleep and be normal except have a boogey in your nose that you can never seem to pick lol



This is Drugs in the Media.  We aren't posting these stories because we agree with them.


----------



## poledriver

*Hong Kong nationals plead guilty over 'largest ice bust in WA history'*






Two Hong Kong nationals have pleaded guilty over charges arising from what was described at the time as the largest ice seizure in Western Australia's history.

Jian Tat Ng and Chin Yeung Ng were among four men arrested in September this year, after police found 320 kilograms of the drug and about $1.4 million in cash at a house in Canning Vale and at a city apartment and hotel room.

The two men pleaded guilty, through a Cantonese interpreter, to charges of possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply.

The charges relate to about five kilograms of ice which were found in the city premises.

One of the men also admitted possessing unlawfully obtained property.

Both were remanded in custody until they appear in the District Court in February.

Two other men, Pak Cheong Cheung and Yik To Ng, have been charged over the drugs which are alleged to have been found at the Canning Vale house.

They also appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court today and were remanded in custody until their next court appearance, also in February next year.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-17/hong-kong-nationals-largest-wa-history-ice-guilty-plea/7037642


----------



## methyldreams

S.J.P. said:


> This is Drugs in the Media.  We aren't posting these stories because we agree with them.



Why you posting them? more deaths and family violence become of alcohole why not post them, Yeah Australia is in a ice age that's only because it's to expensive for the major criminal groups to bring over the quality MDMA and since a lot of the organised crime groups these days are only worried about $$$$ not social fabric... What's your point???? Document how many people's life's are fucked up over prescription medication and the downfall of humanity due to capatilism we should be looking into mystyism and sacred rituals that societys have taken for thousands of years


----------



## poledriver

*Adelaide woman charged over $4m drug haul will argue no case to answer, court hears*



> An Adelaide woman charged in connection with an ice and cocaine haul worth about $4 million will argue in court that she has no case to answer.
> 
> Cathy Paspaliaris, 55, and her brother Nick Totsikas, 44, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court again today.
> 
> Both have been charged with trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug in August this year.
> 
> Police allegedly found 3.3 kilograms of ice and 1.1 kilograms of cocaine during searches of houses in North Plympton and Parkside.
> 
> Officers said more than $65,000 in cash was also seized.
> 
> The court today heard that Paspaliaris would argue she had no case to answer and that the issue would be possession.
> 
> Her lawyer provided no further details on the potential defence.
> 
> The issue has been listed for "no case argument" in February.
> 
> Totsikas is due to answer his charges on the same date.
> 
> Along with two counts of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug, Totsikas is also facing a further two counts each of trafficking methamphetamine in a controlled drug and unlawful possession.
> 
> Paspaliaris is charged with two counts of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.
> 
> The siblings remain on bail.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-...er-drug-bust-argues-no-case-to-answer/7037718


----------



## poledriver

*Ice use doubled in Melbourne suburbs in past year, survey finds*






A scientific analysis of wastewater has revealed a jump in the use of the drug ice in parts of Melbourne in the past 12 months.

Researchers from Melbourne's Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Centre and the University of Queensland found that use of the drug had doubled in the city's south-eastern and eastern suburbs compared to the previous year.

It also found a 50 per cent jump in the use of the drug in Melbourne's central, northern and western suburbs.

Dr Belinda Lloyd, the head of research at Turning Point, said samples were taken as the water entered the treatment plant and tests were conducted to identify actual traces of the drug and byproducts from metabolised drugs.

"It gives us us an objective measure of drug consumption at a population level," she said.

"We have comparison data so we can understand how patterns are changing and where there may be points where we look at evidence-based treatments."

She said the research also allowed them to track population trends and different patterns of use between the weekdays and the weekend.

Martin Foley, the Victorian Mental Health Minister, said the results confirmed what the Government already knew and would be used to help direct funding from the Government's $45 million ice package.

"Sadly we weren't surprised but we were very disappointed because what this continues to show is that the scourge of ice grows right across Melbourne," he said.

"What it has been useful for, is to allow us further evidence as to where to target out efforts to make sure we get on top of this problem.

"This is not a problem we can arrest our way out of. This is a problem we can build community support to assist addicts and their families."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-...led-in-melbourne-suburbs-in-past-year/7043108


----------



## poledriver

*Gang life ended in massive Perth ice bust*






They called themselves The Company and their business was to flood Australia with deadly, high-purity meth.

Using phones bought in newsagencies and nondescript houses rented east of Perth, the Taiwanese gang was sitting on enormous amounts of the white crystals that can wreak havoc.

There was 85kg, worth about $45 million, bundled up in three multicoloured bags in the wardrobe of a Queens Park house. Another 5kg was hidden in noodle packets and tissue boxes in a flat in Cloverdale.

In Melbourne, their cohorts had an even bigger drug stash from the same Asian source.

Men with names such as Ling, Chen, Yang and Tao did not know each other well but kept in touch using codenames in texts and messages through Wii Chat, Facebook and LINE.

What they did not know was they were being watched.

The Australian Crime Commission and Federal and State police had followed their trail from Taiwan to Australia via Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur.

And they recorded every move in what would be one of Australia’s biggest drug busts.

The gang arrived in Melbourne in May last year with passports issued on the same day and on tickets booked on the same date with the same agent.

For two months, CCTV recorded them and four suitcases, two black and two red, which police opened on July 29 to find 116.4kg of meth in 117 packages worth more than $100 million.

Days earlier, Yen-Han Tao, 25, the son of a Taipei steelworker, arrived in WA on a tourist visa.

Born with a heart defect and having struggled in school, Tao became the sole breadwinner for his family in his teens after his father’s foot was crippled.

Buried under healthcare debt, Tao also owed dealers fuelling his ketamine habit who bashed him when he could not pay and then offered him a way out.

After renting an empty house in Yallambee Way, Queens Park, Tao was joined by two other young Taiwanese men on tourist visas. But apart from a few train trips to Crown Casino and Northbridge, they did very little sightseeing or shopping.

The house had no fridge, no freezer, no washing machine. Not even a TV. But there were scales, a laptop and mobile phones. And it was never empty.

On October 9, officers raided it and a similar sparsely furnished home in Gild Street, Cloverdale. The result was what was then WA’s biggest methamphetamine seizure.

When questioned, Tao said an English-speaking man named “Darmo” set him up in the house and he had been visiting tourist spots such as the Pinnacles since arriving.

But instead of sunsets and selfies, his phone held messages between employees of The Company that referred to him as “Little Black”. In WA’s Supreme Court this week, Federal prosecutor Sarah Oliver said Tao played a crucial role in the Perth arm of the gang, which recruited men of similar backgrounds to do similar jobs — guarding and hiding meth for trafficking.

Justice Lindy Jenkins, in jailing Tao for 12 years, said the vast amount of drugs involved, about 850,000 street deals, would have devastated lives across the city.

“I can safely say that the use of such an amount of drugs would have resulted directly or indirectly in death, violence, the destruction of many productive lives and the fracturing of social and family relations,” she said.

Three men caught with 5kg of ice in Cloverdale were sentenced to between four and 61/2 years and two men in Melbourne were given 12 years.

But the ringleaders, named in court as Sho Teng Cheng, Meng Suang Kuo and Le Lam Cheng, managed to leave Australia without being arrested.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/30403046/gang-life-ended-in-massive-perth-ice-bust/


----------



## poledriver

*Queensland real estate agent avoids prison over ice supply*

A Bayside real estate agent could lose his license after being convicted of supplying the drug ice.

Patrick Ryan McCann was handed an 18-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to 24 ice supplying offences.

An earlier charge of trafficking was withdrawn.

The 37-year-old was caught after a covert police operation last year involving phone intercepts and surveillance revealed he supplied the drug to five friends over a two year period.

After his arrest, Mr McCann spent time in a rehabilitation facility on the Gold Coast.

In sentencing, Justice Kerry O'Brien took into account Mr McCann's high profile job and that the charges would cause him to lose business.

He still holds a real estate licence, however his conviction could see his licence cancelled and career over.

A decision on his future will be left up to the Real Estate Agents Board.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ds-prison-over-ice-supply#sUWBmO2P5KiGEQv3.99


----------



## poledriver

*Ice now an 'indispensable feature' of violent crime: judge*






Methamphetamine or "ice" has become an "almost indispensable feature" of ultra-violent crime in Victoria according to a senior judge, who questioned whether governments were doing enough to stop the carnage.

The message from outspoken Supreme Court Judge Lex Lasry came on the same day Victorian crime figures revealed the number of people caught using or possessing ice was for the first time rivalling those caught with cannabis.

In handing down a sentence for a former stripper and her two accomplices, who killed the woman's ex-partner amid a background of excessive use of the drug ice, Justice Lasry said he and his colleagues had watched "for years" as use of the drug had driven violent offending.

"For years my judicial colleagues and I have watched as this problem has developed to become an almost indispensable feature to some extraordinarily violent criminal behaviour," he said.

"This case is but one more example. I wonder how strong the will of executive government really is in this area to inhibit and reduce the trade and consumption of this terrible drug."

Crime Statistics Agency figures released on Thursday show that drug offences increased almost 17 per cent in the past year, and that most of the increase was due to amphetamine, including ice, offences.

Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp (regional operations) said the Latrobe region, which takes in the Latrobe Valley and had the second highest offence rate of any local government area in Victoria, had a 17.4 per cent increase in crime that was significantly influenced by "dob in a dealer" programs, targeting ice.

In August, the Australian Institute of Criminology reported 37 per cent of adult detainees in police custody had tested positive to amphetamines – a 13 per cent jump since 2011–12.

Justice Lasry's comments follow a string of high-profile cases involving the use of the drug.

A woman found guilty of killing her ex-lover's wife and grandson with garden shears started using ice after she began to suspect the man wouldn't marry her, but the court was told ice played no role in the killings.

A man at the centre of Monday's seige in Seaford, who is suspected of stabbing one man to death and stabbing a woman in the leg, demanded the drug during his stand-off with police.

And on Thursday, a 21-year-old man who had taken ice, amphetamines, MDMA and GHB before crashing his car into a Geelong home and leaving a five-month-old baby with life-threatening injures, was sentenced to 23 months jail.

Premier Daniel Andrew's ice taskforce, promised during the 2014 election campaign, was given 100 days to develop an action plan to halt the carnage caused by use of the drug.

That action plan, released in March, included measures to support families struggling to help a loved one suffering ice addiction, to bolster drug rehabilitation services and money for new drug and booze buses.

But the government has delayed other measures because of the national task force, unveiled by former prime minister Tony Abbott in April.

It is understood these delays related to measures that would require significant funding, such as an expansion of the highly successful drug court model championed in Dandenong.

The national task force, headed by former Victoria Police chief commissioner Ken Lay, reported to the government in October and the federal government announced its response last Sunday, vowing to spend almost $300 million over four years particularly in drug treatment, mental health services and preventative measures.

Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash, who has responsibility for drug policy, told Fairfax "we can't police our way out of this".

"In order to break the drug dealer's business model, we have to smash demand," she said.

"Our response to ice has to evolve with the times and the way to break the ice dealer's model is to cripple demand. As the taskforce says, the dealers are easily replaceable and the ice rings are international, well-resourced, and incredibly agile."


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/i...rime-judge-20151217-glq0r5.html#ixzz3unI15RP3


----------



## poledriver

*A father's desperate plea: Send my son to rehab or he could kill this Christmas*








> They are the words of a broken father who fears his ice-addicted teenage son is about to either kill – or be killed – this Christmas.
> 
> After witnessing his 15-year-old boy David* walk free from court and then breach bail for the 17th time last week, Adam Jacobs* wrote to detectives, warning the move may end up haunting authorities.
> 
> His desperate letter conveys despair that another "perfect opportunity" has been wasted to divert his son to a Sydney-based residential treatment centre.
> 
> It also expresses concern that the legal system has just returned a violent young menace back on to the streets of Melbourne over the festive season.
> 
> "I fear over the Christmas break David will get himself or someone else hurt because there is no consequence's [sic] from police or Judges," Mr Jacobs said.
> 
> A fortnight ago, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a $300 million package to tackle the ice epidemic and drug addiction, with the bulk of the money to be spent on treatment and prevention.
> 
> The news was celebrated by Mr Jacobs, from Melbourne, who, one week earlier, was advised by a health expert that, if his son wanted professional residential treatment, he would be better off committing a crime in NSW – where a judge could at least have options at hand.
> 
> David was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of seven. His father says anger, aggression and behavioural issues have been part and parcel of his life since.
> 
> When he fell in with a bad crowd, drug use escalated and he stopped coming home. In the past 12 months he has become a danger to others.
> 
> In turn, his distraught family say they have been left "stunned" by a system that has "frozen" them out and handed a vulnerable and violent young child "complete control" over his own life.
> 
> David is facing charges as an accessory to both car theft and the serious assault of a man, in his 50s, who was left in a coma after he was beaten up and suffered a fractured skull.
> 
> With no mandatory detox program or treatment service available for young people in Victoria, Mr Jacobs had hoped last week that the court would help him funnel his son interstate to the Ted Noffs Program for Adolescent Life Management in Sydney, which offers a three-month therapy program.
> 
> Instead, he wandered out of court on Wednesday and immediately breached bail by failing to return home.
> 
> His family say they now fear what will unfold during the four-week "hole", between now and January 20, when he next faces court.
> 
> "We are crying out for help for our son," Mr Jacobs told Fairfax Media.
> 
> "He is not in sound mind to make decisions for himself. He is a 15 -year-old alcohol and drug affected boy that is not safe in our community. Does he have to kill himself or kill someone else before we get recognised?"
> 
> The father's letter to detectives
> 
> Hello Tom, hello Rob [detectives],
> 
> David's case was adjourned today.
> 
> My question to both of you, David has broken his bail 17 times now
> 
> I have put forward our ideas for diversion rehab eg Noffs foundation, instead of Jail community service or ropes program.
> 
> David left court today with the thugs he has been friends with, he waited until XXXX had his court case, and I assume he is with him now 11.30pm
> 
> He has not gone back to the unit and he has broken his bail again.
> 
> I fear over the Christmas break David will get himself or someone else hurt because there is no consequence's from police or Judges.
> 
> If the system wanted to help David, today would have been a perfect opportunity to get him put into rehab for three months to stop his pattern of behaviour
> 
> I am concerned for his well-being and others over the next four weeks, until court 20/1/16
> 
> I have copied ... Fairfax Media into this email, so if David or someone else is hurt, bashing, car accident, overdose, etc it is recorded all the work we have done to try and help our son
> 
> We have begged for help.
> 
> Jail is not the answer, rehab to break his behaviour patterns is what he needs.
> 
> What needs to happen before something will be done to help our kids before they become stuck in the criminal system.
> 
> *Not their real names
> 
> Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/a-fa...-christmas-20151217-glq67l.html#ixzz3upwBpZ5K


----------



## consumer

methyldreams said:


> Why you posting them? more deaths and family violence become of alcohole why not post them, Yeah Australia is in a ice age that's only because it's to expensive for the major criminal groups to bring over the quality MDMA and since a lot of the organised crime groups these days are only worried about $$$$ not social fabric... What's your point???? Document how many people's life's are fucked up over prescription medication and the downfall of humanity due to capatilism we should be looking into mystyism and sacred rituals that societys have taken for thousands of years


This is Drugs in the Media. Its where news articles on drugs are posted. What part of that dont you understand? I think the meth is messing with your powers of comprehension. Poledriver does a fantastic job of collating these reports and posting them here. He should be congratulated not criticized.


----------



## mister

methyldreams said:


> so Mrs polediver have you ever even tried this drug that is used by many very responsibily?
> 
> Yet all I see is you trying to re-inforce what the media is already doing.
> 
> Yeah it doe's fuck up lives, but theres many like me with a love for this drug who can use for a week non stop no sleep and be normal except have a boogey in your nose that you can never seem to pick lol



Idiot alert


----------



## S.J.B.

methyldreams said:


> Why you posting them? more deaths and family violence become of alcohole why not post them, Yeah Australia is in a ice age that's only because it's to expensive for the major criminal groups to bring over the quality MDMA and since a lot of the organised crime groups these days are only worried about $$$$ not social fabric... What's your point???? Document how many people's life's are fucked up over prescription medication and the downfall of humanity due to capatilism we should be looking into mystyism and sacred rituals that societys have taken for thousands of years



As illicit-drug users, it is important to know what is being said about these drugs in the media in order to, among other things, predict what sorts of policies are likely to come in the future and to get a gauge of the feasibility of reform efforts.



			
				Tim Clarke said:
			
		

> Men with names such as Ling, Chen, Yang and Tao did not know each other well but kept in touch using codenames in texts and messages through *Wii Chat*, Facebook and LINE.



I just burst out laughing imagining gangsters communicating through Wii Chat.  I assume he meant to say WeChat.


----------



## poledriver

> NSW Police Force added 6 new photos.
> 24 mins ·
> 
> Officers from Wagga Wagga Local Area Command have charged three men following the discovery of prohibited drugs in a stairwell at a hotel.
> About 1pm (Monday 21 December 2015), police were called to a hotel on Lake Albert Road, after three bags of prohibited drugs, believed to be methamphetamine, were located.
> Officers seized the bags and an investigation was commenced.
> 
> Detectives attended a hotel room and spoke to a 47-year-old man. On searching the room amphetamine and a glass pipe were seized.
> The man was issued a field court attendance notice for possess prohibited drug and possession of equipment to administer.
> He will attend Wagga Wagga Local Court next year (Thursday 3 February 2016).
> 
> While at the location a car drove into the car park, officers spoke to the driver who was subjected to a Roadside Drug Test (RDT), which indicated a positive result.
> The man was arrested and his car was searched. Police allegedly located 3.5g of amphetamine and an electronic control device.
> 
> The 34-year-old was taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station, where he underwent a secondary drug test with an alleged positive result.
> He was charged with supply prohibited drug, possess prohibited drug, two traffic related offences and was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court today (Tuesday 22 December 2015).
> While speaking to the man in the car, officers saw another man leave a hotel room, they stopped and spoke to him.
> 
> Police searched the hotel room and seized 85g of amphetamine, with an estimated street value of over $30,000, over 3g of heroin, an electronic control device, knives and counterfeit notes.
> The 47-year-old was arrested and taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station, and charged with supply prohibited drug x2, and possess counterfeit money.
> He was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court today (Tuesday 22 December 2015).
> Inquiries are continuing.


----------



## poledriver

*Craigieburn dad attacked by man he claims was high on ice*

A MELBOURNE father who was bashed unconscious while trying to protect his family from a man allegedly high on ice could lose the sight in his left eye.






Grant O’Neill, 45, was attacked at the front door of his Craigieburn home at 3am on December 14.
Mr O’Neill and his wife, Lisa, were woken by the sounds of yelling and banging outside and were worried the noise would wake their three children.

Mr O’Neill opened the door and was set upon.
“I was just worried about my family,” Mr O’Neill told 7 News.

“He tried to rip my eye out and just kept kicking me.
“He was on ice and he said that.”
Mr O’Neill was knocked unconscious while the man repeatedly kicked and stomped on him.

Mrs O’Neill said she feared the worst.
“There was just blood, you couldn’t see his face,” she said.
“One, two more blows and he would’ve been gone.”

Doctors are now trying to save Mr O’Neill’s eyesight while he recovers in hospital.
“I had plastic surgery on my lip, I’ve got two fractured cheekbones, he broke my nose,” Mr O’Neill said.

Detectives from the Hume Criminal Investigation Unit arrested and interviewed a 21-year-old man and a 17-year-old male, both from Craigieburn, in relation to the aggravated burglary.
They have both been released without charge.
The O’Neill’s are frustrated the way police have handled the situation.
“It’s a joke, an absolute joke,” Mr O’Neill said.

And some vids -

http://www.news.com.au/national/vic.../news-story/098cdf6824b57d56a85940af2d58ad39?


----------



## poledriver

*Woman spiked ex boyfriend's drink causing him to breach bail*

A South Australian woman who spiked her ex-boyfriend's drinks with an illicit drug, causing him to breach his bail, has been spared a jail term.

Michelle Marie Edwards, 39, pleaded guilty to two counts of administering a controlled drug to another person.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine and or 10 years' jail.

The District Court previously heard Edwards spiked her ex-boyfriend's drinks with methylamphetamine, causing him to test positive for drugs and breach his bail conditions.

Her lawyer, George Mancini, had previously told the court his client was upset and mentally disturbed at the time.

"Her mental state was such that that caused her to spike the drinks of her friend in respect of the matter that's before the court," Mr Mancini said.

"They were in a relationship and she put the drug methylamphetamine into his drinks for various reasons to do with, I suppose her disturbed mental state and her difficulties with herself and the relationship with the victim, which resulted in him being detected in breach of bail."

Mr Mancini told the court his client had made changes to curb her drug habit and was trying to turn her life around.

The case was adjourned for more than a year to allow Edwards to complete a court-run drug treatment program.

In sentencing, Judge Julie McIntyre said it was to Edwards' credit that she persisted with the program.

"You showed commitment to the program and awareness of what was required to successfully complete it," Judge McIntyre said.

"It is greatly to your credit that you completed the program.

"You are now clear of drugs and hopefully will remain so in the future."

Breach of good behaviour bond overlooked

Her offending also breached a previous good behaviour bond for an assault charge.



> You've put in a lot of hard work in the last 12 months. If you breach this bond in any way or commit another offence you'll be liable to serve that sentence of imprisonment.
> Judge Julie McIntyre



Judge McIntyre said in the circumstances she was prepared to excuse that breach.

She imposed a sentence of 14 months' imprisonment with a non-parole period of seven months, which she suspended.

She placed Edwards on an 18-month good behaviour bond.

"You've put in a lot of hard work in the last 12 months," Judge McIntyre said.

"If you breach this bond in any way or commit another offence you'll be liable to serve that sentence of imprisonment.

"Take advantage of this opportunity because it's likely to be your last. If there is any more drug offending you are likely to go to jail."

Edwards will be under the supervision of a community corrections officer during the period of the bond.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-23/woman-spiked-ex-boyfriends-drink-causing-breach-bail/7050418


----------



## poledriver

*Helping addicts is the only way to halt scourge of ice*



> Ice is a huge problem, and it will take help from the whole community to solve it, writes Fiona Nash.



After returning from the UN Narcotics Conference early this year, I visited a drug and alcohol treatment facility.
I met a charming 30-ish man who cheekily informed me he was a "privileged white male".

From a torn couch in modest accommodation, he spoke of the realities of ice addiction, the euphoria and connection the drug had initially made him feel, and how while high he engaged in risky sexual behaviour which resulted in him contracting HIV.

This year I've met with US White House Drug Policy Adviser Michael Botticelli, many drug and alcohol ministers from other countries, countless health and emergency workers, police, counsellors and visited many rehabilitation facilities. After we announced the National Ice Taskforce in April, I travelled more than 30,000 kilometres holding public ice forums in 13 rural and regional locations.

One grandfather wept in front of a crowd as he told of his grandchildren walking into their mother's bedroom to wake her before school only to find her dead. He shook as he paced the floor, microphone in one hand, his other alternating between wiping sweat from his brow and tears from his eyes.

One addict said the moments of clarity (or "windows") in which she would commit to getting clean would last only a few hours. She would be told there were not beds available and resume using ice. The young woman repeatedly trailed off mid-sentence as the drug had destroyed her focus (though neural pathways will grow back, given time).

A working-class mother in a regional town told me she'd paid tens of thousands to send her son to Thailand because there were no appropriate beds available in her state of Victoria.
I was told of a brother and sister who both suicided after becoming hooked on ice in a rural NSW town.

In one rehabilitation facility, an insightful woman explained how initially the drug helped her have the life she'd only dreamed of by allowing her to be outgoing and entertaining. However her habit required money and she began prostituting herself to get it. Later she said the drug "turned on me" and caused horrific delusions and psychosis. Some of her teeth turned black and rotted.
At same table was a former brand director of one of Australia's most recognised companies. The educated, articulate, formerly wealthy man had taken ice for years before finally becoming hooked (a common story). Then he'd spent his life savings.

A former member of a prominent Sydney business group told me he'd used the drug as a "temporary" anti-tiredness measure when a business partner was unable to work. He stayed awake for weeks, began dealing to support his habit and wound up in jail. It's worth noting, keeping a person in prison for a year costs a taxpayer upwards of $135,000. Residential rehabilitation costs the taxpayer about $50,000 a year. 

States are primarily responsible for front line services such as hospitals, ambulances and rehabilitation – the federal health budget funds 160 of Australia's 800-odd treatment facilities.
From Lismore to Geraldton, police said the same thing: "We can't arrest our way out of this."

One forthright rural South Australian copper said: "You can give me billions of dollars, and I'll arrest lots of drug dealers for you. But it won't make a lick of difference to the ice problem."
The National Ice Taskforce found ice is easy to get, the price is unchanged, the purity has tripled (resulting in more addict-based crime) and the dealers are easily replaceable.
So, to break the drug dealer's business model, we must smash demand. That means, among other things, removing the biggest buyers from the market – the addicts – by helping them get off the drug.

With the support of Justice Minister Michael Keenan, we received cabinet approval for $300 million of new money to boost drug treatment, aftercare, education, prevention, support and community engagement, including the biggest federal treatment funding boost ever.
Governments can't reduce ice use alone. We need help from the whole community as we aim to reduce demand for drugs, support police, health, emergency and drug and alcohol workers; give parents and relatives somewhere to take their loved ones, and help those who need it.

Fiona Nash is Minister for Rural Health and Minister responsible for alcohol and drug policy.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/helpi...-to-halt-scourge-of-ice-20151222-gltfe2.html?


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force
40 mins · 

Two men have been charged with allegedly supplying methyl-amphetamine (ICE) to customers at a store in Windsor.

In December last year, detectives from Hawkesbury Local Area Command formed Strike Force Jenkinson to investigate the alleged supply of ICE in the Windsor area.

As a result of their inquiries, yesterday (Thursday 7 January 2016), two men – aged 24 and 25 – were arrested at separate locations in Windsor.

It will be alleged both men supplied ICE from a store on George Street, Windsor, with the older man also accused of selling an ICE pipe over the counter.

The 24-year-old man was charged with four counts of supplying a prohibited drug, and one count of doing so on an ongoing basis.

The 25-year-old man was charged with eight counts of supplying a prohibited drug, one count of doing so on an ongoing basis, and supplying an ice pipe.

Both men were refused bail to appear at Penrith Local Court today (Friday 8 January 2016).


*NSFW*:


----------



## Jabberwocky

Guy plays APL poker league. Too funny.


----------



## slimvictor

methyldreams said:


> so Mrs polediver have you ever even tried this drug that is used by many very responsibily?
> 
> Yet all I see is you trying to re-inforce what the media is already doing.
> 
> Yeah it doe's fuck up lives, but theres many like me with a love for this drug who can use for a week non stop no sleep and be normal except have a boogey in your nose that you can never seem to pick lol



My friend, you should think about this a bit more deeply. 
What is DiTM?  Do you know?  Check it out, read a bit, and see if you understand things a bit better. 
We are not, by any means, trying to reinforce what the media are saying. 
On the contrary, nearly all of the time we are pointing out problems with what the media publish. 
So, feel free to discuss these articles with us.  
Are the biased?  Can you explain why?  We are doing this job together.  Please join us.


----------



## poledriver

*Police seize 60 kilograms of methamphetamine destined for Adelaide, man with Hells Angels links arrested*






A man with bikie links has been arrested after 60 kilograms of methamphetamine, bound for the streets of Adelaide, were intercepted in a shipment of stones, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said.

Police estimated the drugs' street value at $40 million, and said they were hidden in a shipment of stones, sent from Indonesia, intended for use in tiles and floors.

The joint operation involved officers from AFP, Australian Border Force and South Australia Police.

South Australian AFP Commander Peter Sykora said it was "one of the largest seizures in South Australia's history".

"The ice was broken up into 60 lots of one kilogram each," he said.

Police charged a 43-year-old Flinders Park man with the importation of a commercial quantity of drugs and said he was an associate, not a member, of the Hells Angels.

Police at that stage substituted the narcotic and replaced it with an inert substance, and then put [that] back within the consignment.

AFP Commander Peter Sykora

"We believe that these drugs were going into the South Australian market, in both metropolitan and country areas," SA Police Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Crameri said.

Commander Sykora said the drugs were found just before Christmas before police hatched a plot to track them.

"It was within those four cardboard boxes that the ice was located," he said.

"Police at that stage substituted the narcotic and replaced it with an inert substance, and then put [that] back within the consignment."

Officers tracked the drugs to a business at Royal Park where police alleged the man checked on the delivery yesterday.







> Drugs evidence collected by police



PHOTO: The drugs were found just before Christmas before police hatched a plot to track them by replacing them with a substitute. (Twitter: Andrew Colvin)
He left the premises before waiting officers swooped.

Police also searched his home at Flinders Park and a storage facility at Royal Park that was allegedly being used as a drug lab.

"[There] we located 10 kilograms of cannabis and various items including chemicals that are associated with a clandestine laboratory," they said.

Commander Sykora said the man dropped on to the AFP's radar after travelling to Indonesia last year, prompting them to carry out checks on the man's business background.

"I would suspect he has used his company and a similar method of importation previously," he said.

He said South Australia may be considered a soft target, but said the bust proves "that's not the case whatsoever".

Police said they were unsure if there would be further arrests, and the 43-year-old would appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-08/man-arrested-after-60kg-of-ice-intercepted/7076778


----------



## poledriver

*Ice-addicted Victorian father to spend one year behind bars after crime spree*



> An ice-addicted father has been sentenced to 12 months jail after going on a crime spree in Geelong last year.
> 
> Tyrone Claridge, 40, committed 16 thefts, broke into a restaurant and ruined a not for profit theatre during a spate of crimes while he was on bail for other offences.
> 
> CCTV captured Claridge breaking into a Geelong theatre company where he smashed open a safe containing nearly $4000 in the early hours of November 21, leaving with $10,000 worth of goods and causing $15,000 worth of damage.
> 
> In September, Claridge stole a new mobile phone from a Vodafone shop, before going on to steal a car from South Geelong train station carpark two months later.
> 
> Claridge also stole 10 brass taps from the front yards of Geelong residents in June last year, which he sold to metal recyclers.
> 
> Victoria Police Detective Sergeant Gavin Mullins said Claridge was a prolific offender in the area with a “long drug history”.
> 
> Claridge told police he carried out the crimes to pay for his drug habit, saying many were committed when he was high.
> 
> Magistrate Ron Saines today said he was “satisfied” there was some “remorse” from Claridge over his crimes, adding, however, that it was “cold comfort to community groups who have worked so hard”.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...nd-bars-after-crime-spree#S957Wxk5qqH2K4PJ.99


----------



## poledriver

*Alleged shooter of Sydney cop 'a former ice addict nurse'*



> A man charged with shooting a police officer and a security guard inside a western Sydney hospital's emergency department is a nurse who had been released on bail earlier that day for allegedly attacking two policemen.
> 
> The 39-year-old man is accused of holding a pair of scissors to the throat of a female doctor at Nepean Hospital last night, and then grabbing a gun from Senior Constable Luke Warburton's holster and shooting him in the upper thigh during a scuffle.
> 
> The alleged shooter was a former nurse at nearby Westmead Hospital who had left two years ago, partly because of addiction to the drug ice, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
> 
> He was arrested on Tuesday morning and charged with break and enter of a property in Colyton, as well as assaulting two police officers and resisting arrest.
> 
> He was bailed and taken to Nepean Hospital in police custody, before being discharged on Tuesday afternoon.
> 
> The man somehow suffered more injuries in the evening, including a suspected broken jaw, forcing him to return to Nepean Hospital that night.
> 
> An argument then erupted between the man and his wife, who is believed to be in her teens, in Nepean Hospital's emergency ward.
> 
> Snr Cnst Warburton was the first police officer on the scene, and the man allegedly fired the officer's gun twice, hitting the policeman and a security guard, before he was subdued.
> 
> An elderly witness said the man screamed, "I'm gonna kill you" and "You took my family" before the shots were fired.
> 
> Snr Const Warburton is in a critical but stable condition.
> 
> The security guard was shot in the calf, and is in a stable condition.
> 
> Snr Const Warburton, the handler of police dog Chuck, was instrumental in the capture of one of Australia's most wanted fugitives, Malcolm Naden, in 2012.
> 
> In 2012, Chuck brought Naden to heel, biting the murderer on the arm as he emerged from his Hunter Valley hideaway in the dead of night.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...a-former-ice-addict-nurse#1J6JkMXJYHx09oIB.99


----------



## consumer

Giving us nurses a bad name.


----------



## poledriver

*Waterloo unit fire uncovers secret drug lab*

A 31-YEAR-OLD was arrested after a fire allegedly led police to a drug lab at an inner-city unit last night.

Emergency services were called to the eighth-floor apartment at Potter St in Waterloo just after 11.30pm on Wednesday night, after reports of a fire.

It is believed the fire was sparked by a drug lab contained inside the unit.






A 31-year-old man living in the unit was arrested by police and taken by paramedics to Royal North Shore Hospital for treatment of burns.

A resident living in the building said he was on the terrace below when he looked up and saw flames.

The witness, who did not want to be named, said he grabbed a water hose to help put out the blaze.

However, he said he soon became confused when the man living in the unit, who was stark naked, tried to shrug off the blaze.

“He said ‘it’s under control you don’t need to call the fire fighters, no need to help’,” the witness said.

“I think they closed the windows,” he said.






But, he decided to call triple-0 when the fire got “out of control”, the witness said.

“Suddenly, the fire was as high as the ceiling,” he said.

The witness said he became even more puzzled when the occupier allegedly denied living there to police.

“I’m not sure if his understanding of English is that good, because when police asked ‘is this your unit’, he said ‘no’,” he said.

The unit — which he described as a “pretty quiet” household normally — was occupied by a couple and another man, he said.

Hundreds of residents were evacuated from the apartment block after the fire started and were not allowed to return to their beds until hours later.

The apartment building did not have a speaker system to alert people to fire and the alarm was instead raised by screams of panic from residents in the adjacent building.

Some people, like 19-year-old Taylah Dwyer, had evacuated the building by the time police arrived.

“I was just loading the dishwasher and all I heard was people screaming ‘everyone get out’,” Ms Dwyer said.

“My instinct was to get outside — I was really panicked, I’m only 19,” she said.

A crime scene was established and the police chemical operations unit and Fire & Rescue Hazmat were asked to attend.

Up to eight police officers were treated at the scene for possible exposure to toxic materials and smoke.

A number of them also rinsed their skin at the scene, after it had potentially been exposed to toxic chemicals while they were inside the unit.

The exact drugs being produced in the drug lab is not yet clear.

However, a witness told The Daily Telegraph he overheard it being referred to as a “meth lab” by emergency service workers.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne.../news-story/79c54bfc43c4034f91bfddaca839b2cf?


----------



## poledriver

*Taskforce set up to look at ice use in regional New South Wales*

Tamworth, in northern New South Wales, will soon have a community action group to target the illegal drug ice.

The plan is one of a number of proposals to come from a moderated group of police, other emergency service workers, health staff and community service providers, who were called together to discuss the impacts of the use of the drug in the region.

Acting Premier Troy Grant said the overwhelming message coming from stakeholders is that more is needed in terms of prevention, education and treatment for ice users.

"Tackling ice is not a one trick pony - it's about a concerted and concentrated effort across the three areas," he said.

The last half an hour of the 1.5 hour forum was opened up to the media, where there was an emotion-filled discussion.

In wrapping up the meeting, Mr Grant put together a list of recommendations and requested the action group conduct an audit of local referral systems and prepare a 'service map' as a means of identifying gaps in resources.

Mr Grant hasn't put any money on the table but said the group's findings will be reported to the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

"We'll have to understand the scope and scale of what's going to be asked of Government before we can talk about the funding of it," he said.

"But we have a clear intent to support communities right across New South Wales in dealing with this issue."

*Harsher law enforcement unnecessary*: Police

Western Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie, who also attended the forum, said there's no need for a permanent drug squad for Tamworth, as such resources are deployed around the state as needed.

"We don't need a drug squad, we're targeting drug suppliers and manufacturers everyday across all the local area commands in Western Region through various methods," he said.

"But the commands do have resources, they have people and they have the ability to call in specialist resources."

Assistant Commissioner McKechnie echoed Mr Grant's sentiment that the solution is not as simple as sending in more law enforcement resources.

"It's about those three areas: education, law enforcement - we'll do our work - and then there's rehabilitation," he said.

Another recommendation from the forum was for Oxley Local Area Commander, Superintendent Clint Pheeny, to facilitate a forum with young people.

That's expected to be held in the coming months.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-...t-ice-use-in-regional-new-south-wales/7089478


----------



## poledriver

*Man and woman charged over alleged drug supply offences - Pyrmont*

A man and woman have been charged over alleged drug supply offences and goods in custody, after police stopped them in Pyrmont this morning.

Just before 5am (Thursday 14 January 2016), officers attached to Sydney City Local Area Command stopped and spoke to a man near Hackett Street.

Police then searched a nearby vehicle, where they allegedly located over 570g of methylamphetamine.

Another man, aged 36, and a woman, aged 29, were arrested and taken to Sydney City Police Station.

Further checks revealed the vehicle had allegedly been stolen from a Victorian address.

All items were seized for forensic examination.

The pair, from Perth, was charged with possess prohibited drug, supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), and goods in custody.

They have been refused bail, to appear at Central Local Court tomorrow (Friday 15 January 2016).

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/l...vdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGNTA5OTAuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ==


----------



## SixBuckets

*
*
[h=1]*“There’s Just Nothing For Us To Do”: A Deeper Look At The Crystal Meth Problem In Country Victoria*[/h]


> Sarah* brings the glass pipe to her lips and inhales the sweet yellow smoke. Sitting back, she lets sweaty euphoria take over her body. She reaches for her phone, but she can’t move. Her ears are ringing, her mouth parched. Panicking, she launches clumsily at the mobile: she must call triple 0. It’s then that she remembers. If she calls the ambos she will be drug tested, and that means violating the terms of her probation. Afraid and alone, she stares at the ceiling and waits.Sarah tells the story with practised nonchalance, smiling as she insists: “At first I thought it was just a good batch of gear!” Seated opposite me at a Wangaratta cafe, she’s edgy, constantly scanning the busy street. She’s in town to see her solicitor following an assault charge – “I’ve been done for a few things” — but has recently moved to neighbouring Myrtleford to “get away from the scene.”
> A 20-year-old Aboriginal woman from the part of town locals call “the Bronx”, Sarah struggled to find her place growing up. Bullied in school, she received little encouragement from a system “that only works for nerds.” I ask her what it felt like when she first tried ice. “Like nobody could change the way I felt.” She pauses. “Like I was safe.”
> Matt*, a 22-year-old recovering addict from a neighbouring town, is telling me about the time he stayed up for a month. “At one point, I was running up and down the street in the middle of the night. I had a torch in one hand and a knife in the other, and I was just chasing these voices.” Did he know the voices weren’t real? “I guess I didn’t want to know.”
> Like Sarah, Matt endured a rocky childhood. Born to drug addict parents who introduced him to weed at just eight, he wagged school daily, “so I could meet up with my mates to go smoke bongs”. He conducts our phone call from the garage, out of the way of his wife, Kelly*, and kids. “They’re the only reason I stopped,” he admits. Kelly has proudly informed me that Matt is 107 days clean, and I ask him if he feels better now than when he was using. “Not really,” he sighs. “Hopefully soon.”



Really doubt that guy was smoking 7 grams of ice a day, unless gear in rural Australia is even shitter than I'd heard. 

Read more at http://junkee.com/theres-just-nothi...in-country-victoria/61790#QGJ6b1xKwOp0K2wg.99


----------



## SixBuckets

[h=1]No Ice 'epidemic' : Drug expert (audio)[/h]


> An Australian Drug and alcohol expert says the 'Ice Epidemic' doesn't exist, but we do need to change the way we deal with drugs like methamphetamines.



http://www.abc.net.au/radionational...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force
1 hr · 

Police have charged a Muswellbrook man over the commercial supply of methamphetamine after an investigation in the Hunter Valley.

In December 2015, police from Hunter Valley Local Area Command launched Strike Force Wangee to investigate the supply of drugs in the region.

During the investigation, police allege a 30-year-old man was observed selling amphetamine on three occasions.

About 8.30pm yesterday (Thursday 14 January 2016), police arrested the man in Muswellbrook.

After his arrest, officers executed a search warrant at an address in William Street, Muswellbrook.

During the warrant, police seized amphetamine and cannabis, cash, and 12 gauge shotgun cartridges.

The man was taken to Muswellbrook Police Station where he was charged with take part in the supply of commercial quantity of drugs, supply prohibited drug, and possess prohibited drug.

He was refused bail to appear at Muswellbrook Local Court today (15 January 2016).


----------



## poledriver

*The vile scourge of ice tortures everyday Aussie families*






*ICE NATION* - A Fresh Start

A MOTHER who disowned her addict son. The paramedics regularly attacked by drug-fuelled psychos.

A police chief devastated by the impact of drug lords killing his community.

The pregnant addict who turned to prostitution.

A terrified wife who fled the violent husband who cut off her horses’ ears and handed them to her.






The lost generation of children who don’t attend school because their parents are too wasted to take them. These are the real people on the real frontline in the war on ice, living the nightmare inflicted on towns and cities across Australia by the drug.

And it could touch your life next.

“It’s like no drug we’ve ever had before,” said Acting Premier Troy Grant.

“Ice is a clear and present danger for every community throughout NSW.”

Like many around her, Tracey Filicietti’s family has been devastated by ice.

Her son James, 34, got hooked on booze and cannabis before turning to ice while living in Sydney during his late 20s.

He was an ordinary, charming guy but ice turned him into a monster and one day, after taking the drug, he flew into a psychotic rage and threatened to kill his two young sisters.

It was one in a series of violent episodes but the final straw for his mum.

“I just couldn’t deal with it ... I had to protect my babies, so I cut him out of my life,” Ms Filicietti, 54, told the Daily Telegraph.

“He still writes to me from jail. But I won’t reply. I don’t want him in my life. I can’t beat myself up about where it all went wrong, I just have to move forward.”

She doesn’t even own a picture of him.

This is happening across NSW. The epidemic is real.

One of Ms Filicietti’s friends fled her violent ice-addict husband. A while later he cut the ears off her horses and handed them to her.

“It just turns people mad,” Ms Filicietti added.

She moved to Tamworth with her husband from their former home near Lismore a couple of years ago. But ice followed them.

Tamworth, like other regional towns is being flooded with the drug — so much so that local MP Kevin Anderson convened an emergency summit this week to find solutions to the epidemic.

One attending medical worker described how children aren’t attending school in Tamworth because their addict parents are “too wasted” to take them.

Tamworth Ambulance Inspector Ray Tait is concerned about the safety of his officers when it comes to dealing with ice users. Picture: Peter Lorimer.
You can buy ice for $60 a bag in Tamworth. That gives addicts two hits. There are plenty of drug houses to get it from. Manufacturers are driving Breaking Bad-style mobile labs into the bush to make the drug before it’s distributed to low-level dealers.

Many of the sellers and addicts live around the notorious Coledale area, to the west of Tamworth. Small gangs roam at night, looking for their next hit. It’s a no-go zone for most people. But drugs and misery thrive. Unemployment is high, just like the residents.

Ray Tait runs Tamworth Ambulance Station and his paramedics are regularly called to Coldale. They’re regularly attacked too.

A while back they were called to help a young boy suffering an epileptic fit. The boy’s dad, high on ice, threw a heater at the paramedics.






In another recent incident, paramedics prevented a man high on ice from killing himself — only for him to attack them. One of the ambos is still on leave because of his injuries.

Inspector Tait said Tamworth’s problem with ice has gotten so bad his crews need physical protection.

“You wouldn’t send a vet into a lion’s cage — but that’s pretty much what my guys are doing,” he added. “I’ve got kids and I’ve got grandkids and I hope and pray they don’t get caught up with this substance. It’s pure evil.”

Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie, police commander for Western NSW, has received reports about children as young as eight taking ice in the bush. Teenage addicts are common. Some steal from their family to fund their habit.

“How do people deal with their property being sold off to buy drugs?” said Commissioner McKechnie.

“How do they deal with sleeping with their handbag under their pillow at night so their money is not stolen by their children? I’m not sure how you cope with that.”

With comments after the article -

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne.../news-story/333b7c476a92f03572a867f323518a15?


----------



## SixBuckets

That mostly seems to be an article about male violence against women, but sure, blame the ice.


----------



## poledriver

*Hospital security officers are calling for protection on the job from dangerous patients*

A COP and a security officer were shot by a patient under the influence of ice in an incident at a western Sydney Hospital last Tuesday, but security officers at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown believe that it may take a death before NSW Health officials make any changes to protect security workers’ safety.

NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner has said she will meet with Health services Union officials this week to discuss upgrading security in the state’s hospitals but a date has yet to be set.

Ron Pike and Glen Dansie have over 50 years of experience working in security and the duo are pushing for changes, and say that it doesn’t get more dangerous than working in hospital security.

“I’ve been doing security for 27 years, and about five of those at RPA,” Mr Pike said.

“I’ve worked club and pub security, but working here has been by far the most dangerous and I’ve faced the most violence.

“It’s just getting out of control.

“Ice, mental health and alcohol cause us the biggest problems.

“We’ve got a brand new mental health facility across the road there, but there aren’t enough beds, and sometimes we’ll have the backlog from that over here in our Emergency Department for two days at a time.

He said they started seeing the problems with ice use over the last four years, and it’s just escalated continually.

“Police will bring in patients on ice in handcuffs and hand them over to us, but we’ve got no power to contain them.

“They’ll say ‘we’ve got to go now, put your handcuffs on them’ — but we don’t have any.

“We’ve got no handcuffs, no batons, no pepper spray no nothing.

“One night it took eight of us to contain someone on ice — four police officers and four of us — I’ll never forget that.”






But a spokeswoman for NSW Health said that it had comprehensive policies on the management of security and violence issues in the workplace, which provide a framework for Local Health Districts/Networks to deal with security and violence issues and implement strategies governing their ongoing control at the local level.

“NSW Health does not tolerate violence against any staff member in NSW hospitals,’ she said.

“Strategies to prevent and manage violence need to take into account the fact that all patients, regardless of their condition, have the right to appropriate health care.

“Violence prevention and management training is undertaken by frontline staff to help them recognise and deal with violent behaviour.

“This approach is consistent with work health and safety obligations.

“Staff are also trained in de-escalation techniques and are able to call on emergency support including senior staff, security and Police, as necessary.

“Hospitals also have a Patient Alert System which may be used to identify patients presenting a risk to the safety of staff and other patients.

“This enables those managing the presenting patient to do so in a safe and appropriate manner.

“Occasionally adverse incidents happen, and they are investigated so that safety systems can be improved.”

But Mr Dansie said the problems faced at hospitals like RPA were that not only do security guards have no power to do anything if a patient is affected by ice, but they also are extremely understaffed.

“On a normal day shift we have three of us working here — one in the control room, and two on the floor,” he said.

No security is permanently at the ED until the weekend, when the numbers climb to two on the floor, two on ED and one in control room for Friday, Saturday and Sunday night shifts.

“All hospitals have the same problem,” he said.

“Someone needs to die for something to happen, and before there is a change in procedures.”

Mr Pike and Mr Dansie said they’d seen it all, and that they were scared that things were only going to get worse, if the matter wasn’t addressed urgently.

“We’re faced with violence everyday here,” Mr Pike said.

“Spitting, kicking, punching, hair pulling, and I’ve even been threatened by one woman with a syringe.

“All for $24 per hour.”

Mr Dansie said that before coming to RPA six years ago, he’d worked at Rozelle Hospital.

“I spent 20 years at Rozelle before coming here and we had the worst of the worst there,” he said.

“But working here is far more dangerous.

“At RPA we are not equipped to handle mental health or ice-effected patients.

“There’s no security room to detain dangerous patients in here, and at Rozelle we had more powers because we were Special Constables.”

Mr Dansie said that one day while working at Rozelle Hospital a patient pulled out a .22 rifle from his bag.

“He’d been transferred to us after waiting 6.5 hours at RPA,” he said.

“People like that are just a ticking time bomb and it’s an example of the sort of thing that constantly happens around here now.

“We don’t have the power to search in bags and we have to ring the police.”

Mr Pike said that he’d seen police pull machetes, knives, metal pipes, scissors and all sorts of blades out of patients bags in the ED.

Health Services Union representative Peter Mason said he believed the treatment of security officers by hospitals across the state was unfathomable.

“Every night something happens around here,” he said.

“The problem is that there are no records for that data and assaults are under reported.

“The Health department seems to think that when it comes to a security officer that if you give them a cup of tea and an Iced VoVo they’ll settle down and quieten up.”

Mr Mason said that unless something was done to either amend the Health Act, or change the role of police officers, that it was only a matter of time before something serious happened.

“Patients are at risk, Staff are at risk, security officers are at risk, and visitors to the hospital are at risk,” he said.

“Something needs to change, and urgently.”

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

● Mr Pike said that there are two hospitals in Victoria that are trialling stab-proof vests and tiny cameras for security guards and that syringe proof gloves were also being trialled at some institutions

● Security officers could be given authority to search bags

● Mr Dansie said he thought two permanent guards on ED all the time would help de-escalate events before they got out of control

● Amend the Health Act to give security officers similar powers to Special Constables or change the role of the police office to avoid situations of “dump and run”

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...s/news-story/8916bf6d1b386e2c76e4f20b7baa352f


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force

6 hrs · 

Strike force detectives have charged six people and seized cash and drugs following investigations into the alleged ongoing large-scale supply of ‘ICE’ in Sydney.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS) formed Strike Force Amarina in July 2015 to investigate criminal activity in Sydney’s inner and south west.

Following extensive investigations, MEOCS detectives executed search warrants at homes in Yagoona, Sefton and Mount Pritchard, along with a hotel room in Sydney’s south west, about 7am yesterday (Tuesday 19 January 2016).

At the locations, detectives seized a large sum of cash along with drugs, electronic devices and drug paraphernalia.

A Lexus SUV was also seized from one of the homes.

Two men – aged 26 and 19 – were arrested at a Yagoona home and taken to Bankstown Police Station where they were both charged with supply commercial quantity of prohibited drug and direct criminal group.

The 19-year-old was also charged with resist police in execution of duty.

Both men were bail refused to appear at Bankstown Local Court today (Wednesday 20 January 2016).

Two men – aged 26 and 23 – were arrested at the hotel and taken to Bankstown Police Station.

The 26-year-old was charged with supply prohibited drugs, supply commercial quantity of prohibited drugs, three counts of knowingly take part in the supply of a prohibited drug, and money laundering.

The younger man was charged with supply commercial quantity of prohibited drugs and money laundering.

Both men were refused bail to also appear at Bankstown Local Court today.

A 26-year-old Mount Pritchard man was arrested and taken to Burwood Police Station where he was charged with supply prohibited drugs on ongoing basis; and participate in a criminal group.

He was bail refused and appeared in Burwood Local Court yesterday.

An 18-year-old woman was arrested in Sefton and was taken to Auburn Police Station where she was charged with supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis; deal in the proceeds of crime; and participate in a criminal group.

She was bail refused to appear at Bankstown Local Court today.


----------



## poledriver

Australian Federal Police
3 hrs · 
Working with our friends over at Australian Border Force, we have been able to stop 500kg of illicit substances from hitting Australian streets.

Operation Serpia began with the arrival of three sea freight containers from China earlier this month. Inside were a number of bar stools which, as it turns out, contained 159kgs of meth worth around $106.5 million.

Boxes of soup mix were also found in the shipment. But instead of soup, the packets contained 340kgs of the drug precursor ephedrine. This amount of ephedrine could be used to make up to 250kgs of meth.

Four arrests were made as a result of this operation, and these people will face court on a range of drug importation and possession charges.



> Criminal syndicate dismantled and almost 500kg of methamphetamine and ephedrine seized in Sydney
> 22-01-2016 -
> An Australian criminal syndicate has been successfully disrupted after the arrest of man alleged to be a crucial component of the internationally linked group.
> 
> The 26-year-old Sydney man along with a further three people will face court today, charged over the attempted importation of approximately 159 kilograms of methamphetamine, with a potential street value of up to $106.5 million, and 340 kilograms of the drug precursor ephedrine into Australia.
> 
> Australian Border Force (ABF) officers targeted three sea freight containers that arrived from China and were inspected over two days on 6-7 January. The containers held a number of bar stools and boxes of soup packets. ABF officers deconstructed the bar stools, and found a total of 159 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine concealed within the seat-backs. A further 340 kilograms of ephedrine was found concealed in the soup mix packets.
> 
> As a result of this detection, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) began an investigation, code-named Operation Serpia, with the assistance of the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the ongoing cooperation of the Chinese National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC).
> 
> The AFP investigation into the criminal group allegedly behind this large scale drug importation resulted in a controlled delivery of three separate cargo containers to three separate commercial addresses in Peakhurst and Kingsgrove.
> 
> Police intelligence identified a 57-year-old woman, a 45-year-old man and a 50-year-old man and on Thursday 21 January, the three people were arrested for their alleged role in the importation.
> 
> Late Thursday evening, a 26-year-old Sydney man was arrested at Narwee after the AFP conducted a further controlled delivery of a number of the bar stools.
> 
> Another man was also arrested during the operation and released without charge, pending further enquiries.
> 
> Police will allege that the 45-year-old man and 50-year-old man were employed to remove the drugs from the consignment, and some of the methamphetamine was intended for the 26-year-old Sydney man.
> 
> On Thursday 21 January and Friday 22 January, the AFP conducted a number of search warrants across the suburbs of Sydney, seizing further evidence and intelligence relating to the importation.
> 
> The AFP estimates that 340 kilograms of the pre-cursor ephedrine could be used to manufacture up to a further 250 kilograms of methamphetamine. This amount of methamphetamine has a potential street value of $167.5 million.
> 
> AFP State Manager NSW, Commander Chris Sheehan, said this seizure and these arrests is the culmination of a sophisticated and resource intensive operation where our members have worked tirelessly to ensure those responsible are stopped from causing any more harm to the Australian community.
> 
> “The AFP’s long term strategy to combat methamphetamine in Australia is to target and focus on the international syndicates seeking to profit from the misery they inflict on the Australian community,” Commander Sheehan said.
> 
> Tim Fitzgerald, ABF NSW Regional Commander, said the significant seizure was the result of ABF intelligence analysts taking a small piece of information and building on it to identify three high risk containers being imported from China.
> 
> “Based on intelligence we identified a significant concealment of methamphetamine and ephedrine and our officers were able to disrupt this attempt to illegally import a very large amount of drugs,” Regional Commander Fitzgerald said.
> 
> In November 2015, Taskforce Blaze was established between the AFP and the Chinese National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC) to investigate criminal syndicates trafficking methamphetamine into Australia.
> 
> AFP enquiries into this attempted importation are continuing and further arrests have not been ruled out.
> 
> All four will face the Sydney Central Local Court today (22 January 2015).
> 
> Summary of charges:
> 
> 57-year-old woman, 45-year-old man and 50-year-old man:
> • Conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.1 by virtue of section 11.5 of the Criminal Code (Cth);
> • Conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled precursor, namely ephedrine, contrary to section 307.11 by virtue of section 11.5 of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
> • Conspiracy to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5 by virtue of section 11.5 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
> 
> 26-year-old man:
> • Attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5 by virtue of section 11.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth). This relates to the 1.6kg of substituted material in the two stools.
> 
> ** High quality vision and images are available from the AFP Media team


----------



## poledriver

*Media Release: One arrested after 100kg methamphetamine found in Chinese New Year decorations*

Release Date: Friday, January 22 2016, 03:12 PM

This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and the Queensland Police Service.

Police have seized approximately 100kgs of methamphetamine with a potential street value of $20 million hidden in boxes of Chinese New Year decorations that were destined for the streets of Australia.

One man has been charged with serious drug offences carrying terms of life imprisonment for his alleged involvement in the importation and intended distribution of the illegal shipment from China.

On 20 January 2016, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) received information about a shipment of boxes that had arrived at the Port of Brisbane containing Chinese New Year decorations, with white powder hidden inside.

Later that same day, QPS officers conducted a search warrant in the Bribie Island suburb of Bongaree seizing electronic devices, a phone, lap top, USB sticks and six boxes holding numerous Chinese decorations.

During the search QPS allegedly located concealments of white powder in the Chinese decorations. A presumptive test conducted by QPS officers returned a positive result for methamphetamine (ice).

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) took possession of an additional four boxes of decorations which remained at the Port of Brisbane and subsequently launched an operation.

An 66-year-old Bongaree man was later arrested and charged by AFP officers with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug contrary to Section 307.1 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).  He appeared before the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 21 January 2016.

Search warrants were executed on two residences.

AFP State Manager Queensland Commander Sharon Cowden said this seizure sends a strong message to both Australian-based and international criminals attempting to import illegal substances into Australia. 

“Australian authorities will continue to combat the movement of illicit drugs across international borders and into Australia as demonstrated in this operation today,” Commander Cowden said.

“This significant seizure of ice destined for our community demonstrates the value of such strong law enforcement partnerships and the benefit to the Australian public by keeping the scourge of ice off our streets.”

QPS Drug & Serious Crime Group Acting Detective Superintendent Mark Slater said that this is a very significant seizure of ice and the methods of concealment are indicative of the lengths criminal elements employ to import drugs into Australia.

“Queensland Police will continue to work collaboratively with partner law enforcement agencies to combat the trafficking of ice in our community.”

The man appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on 21 January 2016  and has been remanded in custody until 19 February 2016.

Investigations are continuing.


----------



## poledriver

*Ex-King's student David Anderson stabbed parents while on ice: police*

A former private school student, believed to have taken ice, allegedly stabbed his parents in a terrifying early morning attack in Sydney's west.

Neighbours in the quiet, wealthy cul-de-sac in Oatlands woke at 4am on Friday to the blood-curdling screams of a woman fearing for her life.

"She was screaming so hard, saying, 'Somebody help! David, stop! Somebody help us, he's trying to kill us!' " said a neighbour, who asked not to be identified.

Police will allege the couple's son, David Anderson, 21, stabbed his father, Andrew, 55, and mother, Patricia, 53, during a rampage while on ice.

Both victims were taken to Westmead Hospital. Mr Anderson's father is in a serious but stable condition, while his mother is in a stable condition.

Neighbours said they heard screaming, bizarre "animal" noises and glass smashing inside and outside the house.

Cont -

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/former-pr...-parents-for-drug-money-20160122-gmbwa9.html?


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force

34 mins · 

Police have charged two men following a vehicle stop near Port Macquarie yesterday.

About 5pm (Wednesday 27 January 2016), officers from Mid North Coast Local Area Command stopped a vehicle on the Oxley Highway at King Creek.

Police attempted to arrest the passenger in the car, a 21-year-old man, when it’s alleged he tried to re-start the car.

Officers forced entry to the vehicle when the man allegedly tried to run away. During the incident, he was hit by a car and suffered a minor foot injury.

The man was arrested and police conducted a search of the vehicle.

During the search, police allegedly located and seized 14g of methylamphetamine, with an estimated street value of about $8,400, and drug supply equipment.

The driver, also aged 21, was arrested.

Both men were taken to Port Macquarie Police Station.

The 21-year-old passenger was charged with four offences including an outstanding warrant, assault officer, resist officer in execution of duty, and destroy/damage property (x2).

The 21-year-old driver was charged with six offences including supply and possess prohibited drug, resist officer in execution of duty and traffic offences.

Both have been refused bail, to appear at Port Macquarie Local Court today (Thursday 28 January 2016).


----------



## poledriver

*'Ice' seized in Numurkah in north-east Victorian drug raids*



> Police have arrested four people and seized a large quantity of drugs after carrying out a series of raids across north-east Victoria.
> 
> An amount of the drug 'ice' was seized from a property in Numurkah's Swallow Street yesterday and two 26-year-old men were arrested - they now facing trafficking charges.
> 
> A 51-year-old man was also arrested in Toorack Street, Numurkah.
> 
> He has been charged with trafficking cannabis.
> 
> Meanwhile, police in Shepparton carried out a simultaneous raid at a house in Alexander Parade, arresting a 27-year-old resident after ice, cash, and stolen goods were found.
> 
> Detective Marcus Boyd from the Cobram Criminal Investigation Unit said police acted on a tip-off from the public.
> 
> "Once again this is the culmination of the good work by investigating detectives linking these burglaries to the use of ice in and around the Numurkah area and flowing onto Shepparton," he said.
> 
> He said police had put a dent in the area's ice supply.
> 
> "It's ice that would have been used by people on the streets, so it's good to have that with us and off the streets and putting a little bit of a dent in the ice trafficking community if you like," he said.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-29/'ice'-seized-in-north-east-victorian-drug-raids/7123626


----------



## poledriver

*Ads for dangerous drug ice multiply on Craigslist*






CRYSTAL meth is being sold on public internet sites, disguised as bags of ice that will “keep you cool this summer”.

A string of ads posted on classifieds website Craigslist offer the drug to anyone wanting to “keep the party going”. Each ad has a picture of melting ice cubes and the words “bags of ice available! Stay cool for summer! 3 for $130”.
The dealer is in Melbourne and promises to deliver the goods to the city’s suburbs within the hour.

Dealers are also selling drugs through the Dark Web, a hidden, lawless place on the internet where people can access illegal substances.
A news.com.au investigation last year uncovered the Dark Web was hoarding $7.5 million in illicit substances. On marketplace Agora, Australian dealers offered more than 9000 individual listings of drugs in just one week.
The Dark Web is easy enough to access, but you need software to conceal your identity, as well as the dealer’s.

Craigslist does not have that sort of censoring, you don’t need to download any special software or be particularly computer savvy, and you can have anything you desire with a click of the mouse.
Dealers have been selling their product on sites like Craigslist for some time, but the ads are continuing to multiply, making it harder and harder to regulate.

Users say it’s easy to score through sites like Craigslist. Recovering meth addict Brian* told news.com.auhis life spiralled out of control when he discovered how straightforward it was to access.
Many addicts who buy their gear off the Dark Web have to have enough computer knowledge to use Bitcoin, a virtual currency. But with sites like Craigslist, anyone with an internet connection can have access to the ads within minutes of logging on.

*DRUGS ONLINE A NEW ISSUE*

Refocus rehab clinic director Barbara Kustra said using the internet to sell drugs was a new phenomenon and Craigslist was not the only channel dealers were using.
Ms Kustra said anybody who bought off sites like Craigslist was taking a serious risk.
“If you have something delivered, you don’t know what it is,” she said.

“Although it’s risky buying off the street, there’s usually a person that’s connected to the drug so people have to be more cautious about what they put in the drug because it’s easier to trace it back to them.
“People online could take more chances with dangerous chemicals because it is a faceless crime.”

The rehabilitation worker imagined these ads would target young people.

“I think people under 25 are incredibly impulsive and computer savvy,” Ms Kustra said.
“I would imagine that if you’re an impulsive person at a party and you’re young with access to these ads, you’ve got trouble.”

She said drug experts and authorities were still working to understand online drug deals.
“I think like anything at the beginning they’re going to have to gain intelligence and get special task forces to deal with internet crime,” Ms Kustra said.
She warned everybody to stay away from Craigslist.

“You’re taking a really big chance,” she said.
“You don’t know who it’s from, what it is and you might get a batch that makes you go crazy, psychotic or overdose.”

Drug dealing over the internet is just another factor that could further stretch the ice epidemic and Ms Kustra said she had already seen the drug take control of many in the past few years.
“Five years ago about 20 per cent of people who came to rehab were on ice. Now it’s 60 per cent,” she said.






Drugs on Craigslist are relatively cheap, with some dealers selling two bags of ice for $100 or four bags for $190.
It’s advertised in the Melbourne suburbs of Maidstone, Ascot Vale, Moonee Ponds, and Footscray.

RMIT University cyber security expert Mark Gregory said the internet was fast becoming a vehicle for people to break the law.
“It’s a problem of course for the website in that they’re trying to maintain a reputation,” he said.

“It’s also a problem for law enforcement because they obviously need to be gathering information and contacting these websites.”
Dr Gregory said people spoke in code in order to dodge site rules.

“It’s a constant battle for police to deal with this type of thing,” he said. “People are dealing online because it’s very cost effective, the market size is huge and it’s much more difficult to contact them because these people are anonymous.”

Dr Gregory said these public ads may entice children who could end up hooked on the drug.
“Children get sucked in and want to experiment with drugs and the availability of it is a real threat,” he said.

“But dealing online now is just the norm and we are about to see a lot more of it.
“These ads are popping up all over the place and we need to be aware of what our children are doing — it’s not good enough just to leave children on the internet without supervision.”

*POLICE AWARE OF THE ISSUE*

Victoria Police is aware of a number of websites that facilitate the trafficking of illicit goods and has conducted a number of investigations which have resulted in successful prosecutions from information gathered through these websites.
These investigations have involved illicit goods of varying quantities and values.

“Anyone who is engaging in illegal activity on the internet needs to be aware that Victoria Police actively monitor these sites and conduct proactive and covert investigations into online illegal activity,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
“If you are conducting criminal activity within these forums you will be caught and charged.

“The Victoria Police E-Crime Squad is constantly increasing their skills and training to make sure they keep up to date with changing methods used by people selling and buying items online.
“Investigators also work closely with digital analysts to address new trends.”

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he.../news-story/182112b2265e1534e41359a9a0405bf2?


----------



## poledriver

*Two men charged and almost 5kg of crystal methamphetamine seized*

Two men have been charged following a joint agency investigation into the importation of border controlled drugs through international mail.

This joint agency operation, codenamed Operation Delime, involved members from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Victoria Police and Australian Border Force (ABF).

ABF officers at the Melbourne international mail facility detected five consignments of the border controlled drug Crystal Methamphetamine between 28 December 2015 and 21 January 2016.

The drugs, with a total weight of 4.9 kilograms, are believed to have originated in Asia.

On Wednesday 27 January, AFP and Victoria Police officers executed search warrants in Melbourne, Caroline Springs and Kyneton resulting in the four arrests of Taiwanese nationals.

A 29–year-old Melbourne man appeared today (Thursday 28 January) at the Melbourne Magistrates Court charged with three counts of importing commercial quantities of border controlled drugs.

A 31 –year-old Kyneton man appeared today (Thursday 28 January) at the Melbourne Magistrates Court charged with one count of importing commercial quantities of border controlled drugs.

A 29-year-old Surry Hills man and a 36-year-old male Taiwanese tourist were released pending further enquiries.

Joint Task Force Icarus, with members drawn from the AFP, ABF and Victoria Police, is a joint agency task force that targets those who seek to use the international mail and air cargo systems for criminal activity.

People needing help with drug related problems, including families and friends of drug users, are encouraged to call the Health Department’s direct line on 1800 888 236, a 24-hour telephone counselling, information and referral service.

Police and the ABF need the community’s assistance to minimise the harm caused by drugs.

http://newsroom.border.gov.au/relea...-almost-5kg-of-crystal-methamphetamine-seized


----------



## poledriver

*Trial of Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara for the murder of student Jamie Gao begins in the NSW Supreme Court*






"He went to that meeting and went into that storage shed thinking that what was to happen would shortly make him very rich," the Crown Prosecutor said.

"Instead he was shot and killed and dragged to the back of the station wagon and dumped at sea."

The victim was Jamie Gao, a 20-year-old student and would-be drug dealer who was hoping to make his fortune in a "massive" one-off drug deal.

Instead, the NSW Supreme Court heard on Monday, Mr Gao was murdered by the two men who were supposed to be the buyers in the deal – Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara.

In his opening address to the pair's murder trial, Crown Prosecutor Chris Maxwell, QC, said it was an "undeniable fact" that Mr Gao was shot twice in a rented storage shed in the south-west Sydney suburb of Padstow on the afternoon of May 20, 2014.

Six days later the young man's body was found floating in the sea off Cronulla inside a surfboard cover and wrapped in blue plastic.

The members of the jury were shown still images from CCTV footage which allegedly showed that on May 20 Mr McNamara and Mr Gao went into the unlit shed at 1.46pm and that Mr Rogerson joined them at 2.10pm. 

Eight minutes later the two accused emerged dragging a silver surfboard cover allegedly containing Mr Gao's body.

"What is abundantly clear is that Mr Gao was shot dead behind the closed doors at a point in time during that 30 minutes," Mr Maxwell said.

"It's clear, you might think, that Jamie Gao was shot by one of the accused. It will become apparent that the prosecution cannot establish which accused was the shooter. But it doesn't have to prove which one was the killer."

He said that this was because Mr Rogerson and Mr McNamara were part of a joint criminal enterprise to murder Mr Gao and then steal the 2.78kg of methyl amphetamine he had brought to sell to them.

After the murder, police allegedly found the drugs in Mr McNamara's car wrapped in two brown pillow cases.

Both Mr Rogerson and Mr McNamara have been charged with commercial drug supply in addition to murder.

Mr Rogerson is charged in the alternative of accessory to murder.

Both accused have pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.

Mr Maxwell said that Mr McNamara had been hired as a private investigator by Mr Gao's friends to help them fight their own drugs charges and that Mr Gao had acted as a Cantonese interpreter for their meetings.

Not long after, Mr Gao had allegedly told his cousin that "the deal with Glen was going to be massive" and that he was "going to be rich soon".

The trial, before Justice Geoffrey Bellew, continues.     

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/trial-of-...reme-court-20160201-gmiwor.html#ixzz3ywlp7otS


----------



## poledriver

*The exorbitant cost of quitting ice*






MOST experts are unanimous that if an ice addict cries for help, you want to act quickly — and James Gianchino, 34, who has been clean for three years, couldn’t agree more.

But addicts are being forced to pay up to $30,000 for a spot in a private rehab centre or face a wait of up to six months to go a public or charity-run centre.

“There’s a very small time frame that they’re in that mindset,” Mr Gianchino told news.com.au about the need to act quick.

“It’s not as if you can say, ‘hold tight for six months and we’ll get you a bed’. That could mean death or an ongoing life of crime and addiction.”

But a six month wait is the reality for some public and charity-funded rehab centres, forcing many ice addicts’ families to fork out tens of thousands of dollars to get their loved ones immediate help.

After losing his fiance, home and job to a four-year ice addiction, Mr Gianchino tried to get into a publicly funded rehab program in Melbourne but was told to wait or go interstate.

“You have to fit a certain criteria — if you are at your wit’s end and almost dead they might accept you,” he says.

“Apparently I wasn’t quite bad enough — I was like, ‘should I go and get a bit worse?’”

Eventually he turned to his family who helped him scrape together the $30,000 for a spot at a private centre, which he credits for saving his life.

While patients seeking a bed at large centres like Odyssey House in Sydney can usually get in quickly, a bed at a Salvation Army rehab in Brisbane will take about three weeks to secure, while on the NSW Central Coast you’re looking at about three months.

Further south in Victoria, Sam Biondo, the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association executive officer, says average wait times for public and charity-funded beds are in the order of six weeks to six months.

“It really concerns me that the anguish of loved ones forces people to sell their houses or strip their superannuation [to pay for private rehab],” Mr Biondo told news.com.au.

“I’ve heard figures of $35,000 a month, which certainly for me as a professional with a fulltime job would be an outrageous amount of money. 

I don’t know how people who are impoverished or even people who are somewhat wealthier can afford that level of commitment.”

The federal government has pledged $600 million to tackle ice, but for now the 200,000 Australian ice addicts and their families are often left wondering how to get treatment.

“It’s very obvious that supply [of rehab beds] is not keeping up with demand,” Gerard Byrne, operations manager for Salvation Army Recovery Services QLD, NSW and ACT, told news.com.au.

“We certainly need to make sure that there is adequate funding across the whole non-government residential drug and alcohol sector to be able to keep up with demand.”

TRAVELLING FOR TREATMENT

While some people go interstate for a bed, others head overseas to places like The Cabin in Chiang Mai Thailand, which costs $14,000 a month — less than half of some of the pricier Australian private centres.






“Seventy-five per cent of our clientele are ordinary middle class families so it’s often a bit of a stretch to afford it,” says Alastair Mordey, The Cabin program director.

“We’ve had people who have mortgaged their house, and often the parents and grandparents put in.”

Case in point is Jay, 32, who has spent three months at The Cabin for cocaine and gambling addiction, made possible by a loan from family after he couldn’t get into a non-profit rehab in Sydney.

“You had to call every Tuesday and Friday and if you missed a call, you would get dropped down to the bottom of the list,” he says.

“I did that for five weeks but still didn’t get a bed. Meanwhile, I continued using cocaine and gambling — my cocktail of addiction got progressively worse.”

IS IT WORTH THE COST?

Not all rehab programs are created equal and there’s debate about whether government-funded or private programs are best.

Mr Biondo says it’s difficult to monitor private programs who can charge thousands but might not be effective. However Mr Gianchino is concerned public programs may not be as comprehensive.

Ask Ben Morley, 35, his thoughts on private rehab and he’s adamant it’s worth every cent.






After 19 years of drug use, Mr Morley was suicidal and had locked himself in his apartment unable to eat, sleep or move until his brother-in-law broke in and his father drove him to the Raymond Hader rehabilitation centre where they’ve now spent about $50,000.

“I probably would have cost my parents three times that much if I continued with my cocaine and ice addiction and stealing,” he told news.com.au.

“It was the price to pay to save my life and avoid me dying or ending up in jail — it’s probably a small price for the outcome.”

In their 2016/17 state budget submission, the Victorian Alcohol & Drug Association have recommended the state government fund two 30-bed residential rehabilitation facilities.

James' story -






http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...e/news-story/c27f2ea5c846c3871f10dab7f8736349


----------



## poledriver

A man has been charged with drug supply after a vehicle stop in Wagga Wagga.

About 9am today (Thursday 4 February 2016), police stopped a Holden Commodore which was travelling on Ashmont Avenue, Wagga Wagga.

The driver, a 35-year-old man, was subjected to a random drug test which returned a positive reading.

Officer subsequently searched the vehicle, allegedly locating an amount of methamphetamine, as well as drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested and taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station where he was charged with supply prohibited drug.

He was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court tomorrow (Friday 5 February 2016).


----------



## poledriver

*46yo man to face Geraldton court on 'ice' charges*



> Geraldton police have charged a 46-year-old man after allegedly finding more than $20,000 worth of methamphetamine in his possession.
> 
> Detectives seized more than 20 grams of methamphetamine, four ecstasy tablets, a small amount of LSD and two firearms.
> 
> The man has been refused bail and is due to appear in Geraldton Magistrates Court at a later date.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-...face-'ice'-charges-in-geraldton-court/7133468


----------



## poledriver

*Hospital security guards want powers to detain or restrain violent patients*

Hospital security guards have outlined overwhelming concerns about staff numbers, job training and hospital safety ahead of a roundtable meeting with the government on Monday.

Heath Minister Jillian Skinner committed to holding a roundtable on hospital violence following the near-fatal shooting of a police officer and a hospital security guard by a drug-affected patient in Nepean Hospital's emergency department on January 12.

Doctors, nurses, security guards and emergency workers have spoken out about critical levels of violence in NSW hospitals, partially attributed to sky-rocketing use of crystal methamphetamine, or ice.

A survey of more than 600 security guards and hospital workers, conducted by the Health Services Union in the aftermath of the Nepean Hospital shooting, has revealed almost unanimous support for better training, re-designed emergency departments and revised arrangements with NSW Police, who often have to dump violent patients at their doors.

Almost 98 per cent of respondents want more training for staff in emergency departments with high levels of ice presentations.

More than 95 per cent want more security staff to be able to deal with high levels of violence and 90 per cent supported legislation to introduce health-specific powers of restraint and detention under limited circumstances. 

HSU secretary Gerard Hayes said a 2012 survey revealed similar calls for action, yet little had changed. 

"All we're seeing now is ice becoming a more prevalent factor as well as the alcohol-fuelled violence but, from a security management point of view, the hospital system is as it was about 20 years ago," he said.

Last Saturday, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital was the scene of another serious incident when a mental health patient, who was dropped at the hospital by police, climbed into a roof cavity and was at risk of falling on an intubated patient in the resuscitation department.

"If he fell on that patient, he would have killed him for sure," said one witness, who took a photo of the collapsed roof cavity.

RPA general manager Deborah Willcox said the patient wasn't aggressive, didn't put any staff or patients in danger and was talked down from the roof, rather than falling. 

In the HSU survey, workers have exposed numerous security issues in NSW hospitals, from the inability for guards to search patients' bags for weapons to uniforms that make people mistake them as taxi drivers and cleaners.

Repeated frustrations included a lack of training and laws preventing guards from detaining or restraining violent patients. 

"Police bringing persons for treatment in handcuffs and leaving that same person in an emergency department with security officers with no restraints ... I have always found [that] puzzling," one respondent said.

Another said: "Training needs to focus more on negotiation skills rather than self defence. We need a much more professional standard of security officer in our hospitals. We don't need guards who are looking to pick fights or sit around on their smartphones all day."

Several guards have called for dedicated "ice" rooms or seclusion rooms in emergency departments, such is the scale and volatility of the drug problem.

Mrs Skinner has committed to re-assessing the design of some emergency departments with high numbers of ice presentations and auditing anti-violence measures in the busiest hospitals.

Additional security staff have been promised for hospitals "with a demonstrated increased need" and training sessions for dealing with ice-affected patients will begin in March.

Monday's health security roundtable will be convened by NSW Health and attended by the HSU, NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, Australian Medical Association, Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation, Unions NSW and a number of local health district chief executives and NSW Health experts. Police will not attend.

The number of ice-related presentations to 59 public hospital emergency departments in NSW increased more than seven-fold between 2009 and 2014, according to a NSW Health background paper released in September.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hospital-security-guards-20160205-gmmyis.html


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Perth drug busts: WA Police seize 32kg of meth in two separate raids*






TWO separate raids on Perth hotel rooms within hours on Tuesday have prevented more than 30kg of methamphetamine from hitting the streets.

A 22-year-old Chinese national has been charged following the seizure of 26.4kg of crystal meth, with a potential street value up to $66 million, on Tuesday afternoon.

A raid on a Perth CBD hotel room by the Joint Organised Crime Taskforce – comprising of WA Police, Australian Federal Police, Australian Crime Commission, Australian Border Force and Australian Transactions Reports and Analysis Centre – allegedly uncovered 14 vacuum sealed bags containing a white crystal substance, which police believe is meth.

The haul is the biggest seizure of meth by the joint taskforce.

Scales, phones and a small amount of cash were also seized. The 22-year-old man was arrested at the scene and later charged with possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply. He was set to face Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.











Hours later on Tuesday night, officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Division Meth Team raided a Perth hotel apartment and seized about 5kg of methamphetamine and 14.4 litres of Gamma-Butyoactone, a pre-cursor chemical used to make the drug GHB, also known as liquid fantasy.

A 41-year-old man and 25-year-old woman have been charged with two counts each of possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply and one count each of possessing stolen or unlawfully obtained property. Police are conducting further inquiries in relation to this seizure.

AFP state manager Commander Matt Rippon praised the efforts of the agencies involved in the joint taskforce operation.

“By stopping these drugs reaching the streets, we have today saved over a quarter of million deals of the drug wreaking havoc across our community,” he said.

WA Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Pryce Scanlan said seizures like this one were significant for the WA community as the dangers of meth were well-known.

“Asian organised crime continues to have a significant impact on the importation and distribution of meth in WA. They are affecting our state and taking advantage of the vulnerable in our community,” he said.






Since starting in April 2015, the WA taskforce has seized 75kg of meth and charged 29 people with drug importation or dealing offences.

ACC WA state manager Doug Miller said meth posed the greatest threat to the Australian public out of all illicit drugs – by far.

“The results achieved from joint operations such as this one demonstrate our commitment to work together to detect and disrupt this illicit market,” he said.

Minister for Justice Michael Keenan congratulated the taskforce’s largest seizure of ice to date and the arrest of one man for the intent to sell.

“This seizure demonstrates the tireless efforts law enforcement agencies are taking to protect the vulnerable in our community,” he said.

“By stopping these drugs reaching the streets, we have today saved over a quarter of a million deals of this dangerous drug, estimated at $66 million, from wreaking havoc across the Perth community.”

These two busts on Tuesday are the latest in a series of big methamphetamine seizures in Perth.

In July last year, federal and WA police seized 21kg of meth worth $21 million in Karrinyup and charged five people.

The following month, three men were charged over a $20 million methamphetamine haul from an Osborne Park storage unit.

Then in September, police seized 321kg of crystal meth and $1.4 million in cash — the largest seizure of the drug ice in WA history. Four Hong Kong nationals were charged over the drug haul, which had an estimated street value of $321 million.


Source: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wes...s/news-story/6439e692a5d5c7e30621071bf8263149


----------



## poledriver

Hefty.


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> Hefty.



That 22 year old must be wishing that he never watched a gangsta movie


----------



## poledriver

*Four charged after police seize more than $1 billion worth of the drug ice*

Australian Federal Police have seized more than $1 billion worth of the drug ice in a joint operation.

We will aim to bring you a live stream of the press conference held by AFP and NSW Police from 12pm onwards (AEDT). Tap the play button above to watch the live stream.

Four people have been charged by the Joint Organised Crime Group for their alleged involvement in the manufacture and importation of methylamphetamine.

Police allege the group were involved in the transportation of 720L of the illicit drug.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ion-worth-of-the-drug-ice#3wWyAvcRB376IwX8.99


----------



## poledriver

*Meth worth 'more than $1 BILLION' seized in joint Australian police operation*

Police have seized more than $1 billion worth of ice is a massive drug bust. 
Four people have been charged over their alleged involvement in importing and manufacturing 720 litres of methylamphetamine, according to the Australian Federal Police.
The Joint Organised Crime Group operation involved the Australian Federal Police, NSW Police, Australian Border Force and Australian Crime Commission.

Minister for Justice Michael Keenan will hold a media conference in Sydney at midday.
Australian Federal Police State Manager NSW Commander Chris Sheehan, NSW Police Chief Superintendent Ken Finch, Australian Border Force Regional Commander NSW Tim Fitzgerald, and Australian Crime Commission NSW State Manager, Warren Gray will also be at the press conference.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-seize-1-billion-worth-ice.html#ixzz40C69mdm8


----------



## poledriver

*Media Release: Joint agency operation seizes more than $1 billion of 'ice'*

Four people have been charged by the Joint Organised Crime Group (JOCG) for their alleged involvement in the importation and manufacture of 720 litres methylamphetamine with an estimated potential street value of more than a billion dollars.

On 8 November 2015 the JOCG established Operation OVCHARKA to investigate potential drug importation and supply from Asia, destined for the Australian market.

Between 23 and 30 December 2015 the JOCG executed four search warrants at storage facilities in Hurstville, Rockdale, Miranda and Padstow. Around 530 litres of liquid methylamphetamine was found concealed in art supplies and 2kg crystallised methylamphetamine.

On 26 December 2015 Australian Border Force (ABF) officers examined a consignment from Hong Kong at the NSW Container Examination Facility. Around 190 litres of liquid methylamphetamine was discovered concealed inside thousands of silicon bra inserts amongst the consignment of 86 boxes.

On 14 January 2016 the JOCG conducted a controlled delivery of the consignment of bra inserts to a storage facility in Burwood and a 33-year-old Hong Kong national was arrested. He was charged with importing a border controlled drug, contrary to Section 307.1 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995.

On 25 January 2016, the JOCG uncovered evidence of drug manufacturing at two Sydney residences in Hurstville and Campsie, alleged to be linked to the liquid methylamphetamine seized in art supplies. A 59-year-old male Chinese national was arrested at Hurstville. A 37-year-old male Hong Kong national and a 52-year-old female Hong Kong national were arrested at Campsie.

All three were charged with knowingly taking part in the manufacture of a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, contrary to section 24 of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW).

Investigations remain ongoing and further charges have not been ruled out.

The male arrested in Burwood is scheduled to appear at Central Local Court on 11 March 2016 while the remaining three will appear on 23 March 2016.

AFP State Manager NSW, Commander Chris Sheehan said police and their law enforcement partners are working harder than ever to prevent drugs from entering our country.

“The resolution of Operation Ovcharka has stopped a billion dollars-worth of ice from reaching our streets. Police working with our JOCG partner agencies continue to achieve significant ice seizures,” Commander Sheehan said.

ABF Regional Commander NSW, Tim Fitzgerald, said the initial detection on Boxing Day proved that law enforcement was alert to the risk of illicit narcotic importation, including over the Christmas period.

“People should be under no illusion; the ABF is targeting the importation of methylamphetamine and as the figures we’re announcing today show, we’re getting results. With the combined attention of Australia’s law enforcement agencies focused on this issue, the risk of illicit drug smuggling just isn’t worth it,” Commander Fitzgerald said.

NSW Police Force Organised Crime Director, Detective Chief Superintendent Ken Finch commended officers for their commitment to the operation, particularly over the Christmas/New Year period.

“Our squad works 365 days a year to combat transnational organised crime, which could impact NSW. The dedication of our detectives and the members of our partner agencies has seen four people being placed before the courts and ensured these dangerous drugs did not reach the streets of Sydney," Detective Chief Superintendent Ken Finch.

Australian Crime Commission NSW State Manager Warren Gray said that joint operations such as this one have a pivotal role to play in the fight against methylamphetamine.

“The ACC has assessed that methylamphetamine poses—by far—the greatest threat to the Australian public of all illicit drug types, and by a significant margin.”

The JOCG is a multiagency investigation group comprising the AFP, the NSW Police Force, ABF, NSW Crime Commission and the ACC.

During this operation the AFP worked also with Chinese authorities through Taskforce Blaze, which investigates criminal syndicates trafficking ice to Australia and internationally.

All charges attract a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Stills and footage of this operation are available by contacting AFP National Media.

http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/...n-seizes-more-than-one-billion-dollars-of-ice


----------



## poledriver

> Australian Federal Police have announced the largest seizure of liquid methylamphetamine in Australia’s history.
> 
> The Minister for Justice Michael Keenan announced the record haul and claimed the haul's "street value" is more than $1 billion.
> 
> Mr Keenan said the illicit drugs had allegedly come from an organised crime syndicate operating out of China and claimed the quantity was enough for 3.6 million "hits" of the drug.
> 
> “This is a devastating blow for the organised criminal gangs who peddle in ice, and it shows if you do target the Australian market, we do have the powers and resources to prosecute you.
> 
> “We are targeting criminal gangs that are trading off the misery of ice.”
> 
> Mr Keenan also said the four people charged over the offences, all Hong Kong nationals, could face life in prison if found guilty.
> 
> Police allege the group were involved in the transportation of 720L of the illicit drug.
> 
> AFP NSW State Manager Chris Sheehan said some of the drugs had allegedly entered Australia hidden in gel bra inserts, and other stashes had been found concealed in art supplies.
> 
> Mr Sheehan said it was a great result for the Australian community and the investigation had commenced when Australian Border Force officers seized a shipping container from Hong Kong in December.
> 
> The container was examined on January 4 and allegedly contained gel bra inserts filled with the drug.
> 
> Police allege a 33-year-old Hong Kong national is responsible for the shipment. He was arrested in January.
> 
> Drugs also allegedly concealed in art supplies were found at locations around Sydney including Miranda, Hurstville, Padstow and Kingsgrove.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ion-worth-of-the-drug-ice#f3ti2AgCIg4QwPhC.99


----------



## Jabberwocky

Damn knew you would beat me to it Poledriver



> A billion dollars worth of ice has been seized in a joint police operation.
> 
> Four people have been charged over the their alleged involvement in importing and manufacturing 720 litres of liquid methamphetamine.
> 
> The Joint Organised Crime Group operation involved the Australian Federal Police, NSW Police, Australian Border Force and Australian Crime Commission.
> 
> A 33-year-old Hong Kong national has been charged over the original seizure of the drugs by the Border Force, and a further three Hong Kong nationals, a 59-year-old man, a 37-year-old man, and a 52-year-old woman have been arrested and charged in relation to the drugs located in the storage facilities.
> 
> The methamphetamine seized could have produced up to 504kg of high quality ice.
> 
> Minister for Justice Michael Keenan has praised the efforts of police.
> 
> 'This joint operation today shows how successful our law enforcement agencies are in tackling the organised criminal gangs that peddle in the misery of ice.
> 
> 'It also comes on the back of the last two months of very successful operations of the Australian Federal Police in conjunction with their law enforcement partners, that have taken one tonne of illicit drugs off the streets in 11 individual operations'.
> 
> Officials said the operation began in December last year when the Australian Border Force examined a shipping container out of Hong Kong.
> 
> 'That shipping container was found to contain gel bra inserts and hidden inside those gel bra inserts was 190 litres of liquid methamphetamine,' said Commander Chris Sheehan.
> 
> An additional 530 litres of liquid methamphetamine were found during the investigation by joint organised crime investigators.
> 
> 'These drugs were concealed inside art supplies housed in five storage units in Sydney in the suburbs of Miranda, Hurstville, Padstow and Kingsgrove,' Mr Sheehan said.



Source and Video: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2016/02/15/ice-worth--1-billion-seized-by-police.html


----------



## Jabberwocky

> Australian police have seized 720 litres of the drug ice with an estimated street value of $1bn.
> 
> Four people have been charged over their alleged involvement in importing and manufacturing methamphetamine.
> 
> The joint organised crime group operation involved the Australian federal police, New South Wales police, Australian Border Force and Australian Crime Commission.
> 
> “This has resulted in 3.6 million individual hits of ice being taken off our streets with a street value of $1.26bn,” NSW justice minister Michael Keenan told reporters in Sydney on Monday.
> 
> Officials said the operation began in December when Border Force examined a shipping container out of Hong Kong.
> 
> “That shipping container was found to contain gel bra inserts and hidden inside those gel bra inserts was 190 litres of liquid methamphetamine,” Commander Chris Sheehan said.
> 
> An additional 530 litres were found during the investigation by joint organised crime investigators.
> 
> “These drugs were concealed inside art supplies housed in five storage units in Sydney in the suburbs of Miranda, Hurstville, Padstow and Kingsgrove,” Sheehan said.
> 
> A 33-year-old Hong Kong national was charged over the original seizure. Following his arrest, another three Hong Kong nationals – a 59-year-old man, a 37-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman – were arrested and charged over the drugs located in the storage facilities.
> 
> “This has been a very good day for Australia law enforcement and a very bad day for the organised criminals that have targeting the Australian drug market,” Keenan said.
> 
> Australia has one of the world’s highest rates of methamphetamine usage. The Australian Crime Commission said in March 2015 that as many as 1.3m Australians had tried ice or speed, with nearly 400,000 using in the last 12 months.
> 
> 
> The stories you need to read, in one handy email
> Read more
> Research in 2014 from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed that while methamphetamine usage had remained stable since 2010, the proportion within that of users taking the crystal form – otherwise known as ice – had markedly increased.
> 
> The purity of the drug in its crystalline form, the high demand and the relative success of law enforcement in intercepting imports means the price of the drug is higher in Australia than nearly anywhere else in the world, police said.
> 
> Australians pay nearly US$500 a gram compared with an average street price in China of US$80 a gram. Wholesale prices in Australia ranged from $9,000 to $325,000 a kilogram, a report from the Australian Crime Commission found.
> 
> The massive profit margin has made Australia an attractive destination for criminal gangs involved in the manufacturing and trafficking of methamphetamines.



Source: http://www.theguardian.com/australi...-seize-estimated-1bn-worth-of-methamphetamine


----------



## Jabberwocky

You can tell based on the photo's of these guys that these guys are just the pawns and the main guys at the top of the pecking order are some where in Hong Kong gambling away now and discussing the next shipment as we speak.


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## spacefacethebassace

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. At least one of the news articles suggested that the Australian police believe the apprehended parties to be higher ups in the distribution hierarchy, but I doubt it. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the higher ups are members of the CCP. You think the party officials aren't getting a taste of those billions of dollars of methamphetamine exports? And I gotta ask, Aussie BL'ers, do you think the reason so much speed is being imported into Aus. is because the drug fetches such a high price at the street level? I've heard street drug prices there are outrageous. It must be worth the producers to traffic as much as possible into the Australian market, since it fetches such a high price and is so god damn cheap to manufacture at scale.


----------



## poledriver

*Toddler had to sleep on floor because of so many stolen goods: Wagga police*








> A NSW home was so full of allegedly stolen goods that a one-year-old had to sleep on the floor in front of the television.
> 
> Police found 22 laptops, 43 watches, 61 mobile phones as well as cameras, jewellery, gaming consoles, computer tablets and a ride-on mower inside a home in Wagga Wagga, ABC reports.
> 
> "We also found a one-year-old child asleep in front of the TV in the main living room of the house, probably because all these items were stored in rooms that would normally be given over to raising a child," Inspector Darren Cloake said.
> 
> "Certainly our hands are full with property recovered."
> 
> Police are now asking victims of theft to wait until all the goods had been itemised and photographed before they call.
> 
> A small quantity of ice was also allegedly found in the house on Mumford Street.
> 
> A 32-year-old was arrested at the home on an outstanding warrant.
> 
> Charges are anticipated for other occupants of the home.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...stolen-goods-wagga-police#V8GuF8tI2ozYARq4.99


----------



## poledriver

> Ice in a hotel room and in household appliances – two of our drug seizures late last week.
> 
> In one, we worked as part of a joint taskforce in WA to seize crystal methamphetamine with a potential street value of $66M.
> 
> It was located in a hotel room in vacuum sealed bags. Scales, phones and cash were also seized during the search warrant.
> 
> A 22-year-old-man was arrested at the scene and charged with possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply.
> 
> This is the largest seizure of meth by the WA Joint Taskforce.
> 
> In another, we’ve charged a man with importing approximately 23kgs of meth into Australia.
> 
> This job began with our friends at the Australian Border Force detecting an anomaly in the door of a fridge that was part of a consignment of white goods imported from China.
> 
> When we searched inside the door, we found 69 packages of meth weighing a little over 10kgs.
> 
> Ten days later, ABF officers intercepted a second container shipped from China consisting of DVD players and televisions. We found fifty packages of meth weighing approximately 13kgs inside the DVD players.
> 
> A 27-year-old-man has been arrested and charged with two counts of importing a commercial quantity of meth, and two counts of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of meth.
> 
> Last but not least, a Melbourne drug syndicate was dismantled yesterday after four men were arrested in connection to 10.9kg of meth found in a shipment of ceramic horse statues.
> 
> Further investigations into the group resulted in another two seizures of meth, totalling 3.9kg.
> 
> All four men have been charged with importing a commercial quantity of drugs, and attempting to possess an unlawfully imported substance.




*NSFW*:


----------



## poledriver

*Aspiring bikini model and her ex-husband escape jail after pleading guilty to a failed drug trafficking operation supplying meth to festival-goers*



> Renee Ellen Codrington and Jai Clinton King fronted the Supreme Court
> The pair trafficked meth in a failed drug trafficking operation in 2013
> Judge said 'the enterprise does not seem to have been very profitable,'
> The pair were sentenced to terms of three years and nine months
> Court heard the former bikini model suffered an 'addiction to drugs'



A one-time bikini model and her ex-husband have escaped jail time over their short-lived and unprofitable foray into Queensland's drug dealing scene.
Renee Ellen Codrington and her former partner, Jai Clinton King, fronted the Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday charged with drug trafficking and other drug-related offences.
But despite Justice Debra Mullins admitting she had anticipated putting them behind bars, the pair were sentenced to terms of three years and nine months, wholly suspended.






The pair were tracked down through their dealers after a 14-month police operation called Kilo Hyperdrive which targeted drug networks on the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.
The court heard Ms Codrington and Mr King were both unemployed when they trafficked methamphetamines between August and October 2013, as well as supplying it at the SPRUNG hip hop festival in September that year. 
On the day of the festival Mr King packaged the drugs that were sold to punters by Ms Codrington, reports Courier Mail. 

Crown Prosecutor Shauna Rankin agreed with Justice Mullins' assessment of the operation as low-level street dealing, citing a total of illicit substances in question as between two and three ounces over the relevant period.
The court also heard Ms Codrington, a former bikini model and well-referenced car detailer, had suffered a 'significant addiction to drugs' and been treated for depression.
The court also heard she had attended an alcohol and drug service to treat her addiction.

The 33-year-old met her former husband at her dealer's house but had a whirlwind romance, according to her lawyer, and have since separated. 
When police raided her rented home near Forest Lake in October 2013 they found drugs containing almost 2.6 grams of pure methylamphetamines. 
For his part, the court heard King had a 'violent disposition', tended towards big-noting himself and would use threats and physical attacks to carry out his drug-related activities.

'The enterprise does not seem to have been very profitable,' Justice Mullins observed.
Ms Codrington wept and dabbed her eyes with tissues as the sentence was handed down, while King appeared calm at the opposite end of the dock.
Under their suspended sentences, neither must commit another crime punishable by imprisonment for a period of four years.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-escape-jail-selling-meth.html#ixzz40dXtldSL


----------



## poledriver

*Drugs found in ceramic horses, four Melbourne men arrested after AFP investigation*






Australian Federal Police (AFP) have arrested four men and seized nearly 15 kilograms of methamphetamines, mostly hidden inside a shipment of horse statues in Melbourne.

Border Force officers intercepted a consignment destined for Broadmeadows, in Melbourne's north-west, in November.

After a three-month investigation, AFP officers arrested a 30-year-old Sierra Leone man in Truganina, in Melbourne's west, who police allege was the organiser of the drug ring.

They also arrested two Liberian nationals, aged 28 and 26, and a 21-year-old Australian, all from Melbourne's western suburbs.

All four men have been charged with importing a commercial quantity of drugs.

AFP Superintendent Matt Warren said the arrests had shut down a sophisticated drug syndicate.

"We will allege this group of men attempted to use scatter methods to import drugs into Victoria," he said.

"These arrests are particularly significant given we have managed to charge the alleged organiser of this syndicate, which will stop countless more attempts to import this horrendous drug."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-18/four-men-arrested-in-afp-drug-raids-melbourne/7179420


----------



## poledriver

*Media Release: Melbourne drug ring dismantled*

This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force.

Four men have been arrested and close to 15 kilograms of methamphetamine seized during a three-month investigation to destroy a drug syndicate operating in Melbourne.

Operation Conure began on November 24, 2015 when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers intercepted a consignment destined for Broadmeadows, Victoria. The shipment contained ceramic horse statues, allegedly filled with 10.9 kilograms of methamphetamine.

The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for further investigation. On December 1, 2015 a controlled delivery was conducted and three persons of interest were identified by police.

After further enquiries, AFP officers identified a fourth person of interest, a 30-year-old Sierra Leone man – who is alleged to be the organiser of the importation in the horse statues.

Police also uncovered alleged links between this person and a 2.4 kilogram methamphetamine importation in November 2015.

It will be alleged that these four men were operating a drug syndicate and can be linked to other methamphetamine seizures in the Melbourne area, including a further 1.5 kilogram methamphetamine seizure last year.

Acting on this information, the AFP conducted four search warrants yesterday (17 February 2016) across Melbourne.

The 30-year-old Sierra Leone man was arrested in Truganina; a 28-year-old Liberian man was arrested in Wyndham North; a 26-year-old Liberian man was arrested in St Albans and a 21-year-old Australian national was arrested in Sunshine.

All four men have been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine,  contrary to subsection 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth); and attempting to possess an unlawfully imported substance contrary to subsection 11.1(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).

The 30-year-old man appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court yesterday; while the other three men are scheduled to appear before the same court today.

AFP Superintendent Matt Warren, Coordinator of Crime Operations Victoria, said today’s arrests have effectively shut down a sophisticated drug ring.

“We will allege this group of men attempted to use scatter methods to import drugs into Victoria,” Superintendent Warren said.
“These arrests are particularly significant given we have managed to charge the alleged organiser of this drug syndicate, which will stop countless more attempts to import this horrendous drug.”

ABF Superintendent Michael Lewis, Maritime Operations, said the amount of harm these drugs could have caused the community cannot be understated.

“This operation is another example of the excellent work our officers undertake every day. We are very pleased with the results of the operation and are confident our efforts have significantly reduced the amount of drugs being supplied here in Melbourne,” Superintendent Lewis said.

The maximum penalty for commonwealth importation offences is life imprisonment.

Note: Footage is available on request from the AFP National Media team.

http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/.../media-release-melbourne-drug-ring-dismantled


----------



## poledriver

*'Ice', guns, Tasers seized in Gladstone, Tannum Sands drug bust in central Queensland*






Police have arrested the alleged head of a central Queensland drug syndicate after an eight-month investigation.

Officers raided several properties around Gladstone and Tannum Sands this week as part of their investigation, which has resulted in 38 people arrested on more than 100 charges.

During the raids, police recovered 12 firearms, four Tasers, 430 grams of 'ice' worth about $100,000, seized $96,000 in cash and found property suspected of being stolen, including building equipment, machinery, jewellery and electrical equipment.

"To date we have arrested 38 persons on 117 charges," Detective Inspector Lance Vercoe said.

"The primary target has been remanded in custody on charges of trafficking in 'ice', supplying dangerous drugs, suppling drugs to a minor and using a carriage service device to procure a minor.

"We expect further weapons-related charges to be laid prior to his next court appearance."

A 29-year-old Tannum Sands man is due to appear in the Gladstone Magistrates Court today.

Others arrested are due to face court on March 15.

Police said more properties were likely to be searched today.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-25/'ice'-guns-tasers-seized-in-central-qld-drug-bust/7199512


----------



## poledriver

*Sydney drug syndicate dealt ice to up 120 people a day, NSW Police say*

A drug syndicate suspected of supplying ice to up to 120 people a day has been uncovered in Sydney, police say.



> Key points:
> 
> Man, 22, arrested and charged with seven drug-related offences
> Drugs, a handgun, ammunition seized during raids on houses in western Sydney
> Officers searched five properties and said they expected to make further arrests
> Officers searched five properties and arrested a man yesterday, and said they expected to make further arrests.



Drugs, a handgun and ammunition were seized during the searches in the western Sydney suburbs of Guilford, Yennora and Fairfield East, and the eastern suburb of Maroubra, police said.

A 22-year-old man, arrested at Maroubra, was charged with a seven offences.

They include supplying prohibited drugs, directing the activities of a criminal group and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Police said they would allege the man "was part of a criminal syndicate involved in the large-scale distribution of the drug ice, supplying up to 120 people per day".

The searches and arrest were the result of an investigation into the supply of ice in Sydney's west.

The Wetherill Park Region Enforcement Squad formed Strike Force Archdall to investigate ice dealing in the Fairfield East and Guildford areas in July last year.

"Strike Force Archdall is ongoing, and police anticipate making further arrests," a NSW Police statement said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-...t-ice-120-people-a-day-nsw-police-say/7194580


----------



## poledriver

*NT: Father of four bought $68k in meth to share with wife, court told*

A father-of-four who admitted to purchasing over $68,000 worth of crystal meth over the internet and having it posted to his home in Alice Springs, concealed inside a kid’s toy robot, has avoided jail time.

The 42-year-old man appeared before Alice Springs Supreme Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a dangerous drug.

The court heard that, on June 5 last year, the self-employed tradesman was pulled over by police after collecting a Toll Express parcel that had been sent to him from Queensland.

During a search of the man’s vehicle, officers opened the parcel and found 56.2 grams of methamphetamine concealed inside a children’s plastic toy robot.

An additional $6000 in cash was also found inside a black bum bag. A further two parcels sent from the same Queensland address were also found during a subsequent raid on the man’s house.

The father-of-four told the court he purchased the methamphetamine for him to share with his partner, a claim that Justice Mildren accepted.

“I accept that methamphetamine was for your personal use and that you did not supply anybody else apart from sharing it with your current partner,” Justice Mildren said.

Before handing down his sentence, Justice Mildren noted, had the meth been sold on the streets of Alice Springs at the current street value of $1200 a gram, the 42-year-old would have had the potential to gain $68,640.

Justice Mildren went on to praise the father for cooperating with police and for completing a drug rehabilitation program, before sentencing him to 18 months jail, wholly suspended.

http://www.mygc.com.au/67000-of-meth-found-in-kids-toy/


----------



## CfZrx

I cant figure out how you would load or even use this pipe! Anybody know? Oh, and *Wagga Wagga*?? Lol





poledriver said:


> A man has been charged with drug supply after a vehicle stop in Wagga Wagga.
> 
> About 9am today (Thursday 4 February 2016), police stopped a Holden Commodore which was travelling on Ashmont Avenue, Wagga Wagga.
> 
> The driver, a 35-year-old man, was subjected to a random drug test which returned a positive reading.
> 
> Officer subsequently searched the vehicle, allegedly locating an amount of methamphetamine, as well as drug paraphernalia.
> 
> He was arrested and taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station where he was charged with supply prohibited drug.
> 
> He was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court tomorrow (Friday 5 February 2016).


----------



## poledriver

You put the crystal in the hole and it sits on the glass then they heat up under it with a lighter and suck in the vapour from the thin end down near the scales.


----------



## CfZrx

Yes the pics u posted i can see are normal meth pipes, but the Sweet Puff looks odd.


----------



## poledriver

*Some 268,000 Aussies regularly use ice: report*






More than half of the estimated 268,000 regular users of ice are dependent on the drug, says the first research quantifying the problem in Australia.

The estimates suggest the numbers have substantially risen during the past five years, while recent increases were most marked among those aged 15-34.

Overall the highest rates of methamphetamine use have consistently been among 25 to 35-year-olds.

"There is a need for both more health services and better engagement with and retention of clients in treatment services," say the authors of the research published online by the Medical Journal of Australia.

Using sources including drug treatment and hospitalisation data, they estimated the number of regular and dependent ice users for each year from 2002 to 2014 and the numbers by age group.

Regular users had the drug at least once a month in the last year, while those with "impaired control" of their use and who continued despite health and other adverse consequences were deemed to be dependent.

They estimated that in 2013-14 there were 268,000 regular users, aged between 15 and 54, with 160,000 of them being dependent.

"This equates to population rates of 2.09 per cent for regular and 1.24 per cent for dependent use," said lead researcher Professor Louisa Degenhardt from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

The rate of dependent use had continued to increase since 2009-10, when the rate was estimated to be .74 per cent, and was higher than the previous peak of 1.22 per cent in 2006-07.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/health/2016...aussies-regularly-use-ice#JOXBTLjWlT57We9j.99


----------



## poledriver

*Australia's deadly ICE age: New research reveals methamphetamine use has tripled in just five years*



> More than half of the estimated 268,000 users of 'ice' are drug dependent
> 25-35 year olds have the highest rates of methamphetamine use
> Regular users had the drug at least once a month in the last year
> The rate of dependent use had continued to increase since 2009-2010



Australia's disastrous methamphetamine epidemic seems to be worsening after research revealed the drug's user statistics tripled in the last five years.
More than half of the estimated 268,000 regular users of ice are dependent on the drug, says the first research quantifying the problem in Australia.
The estimates suggest the numbers have substantially risen during the past five years, while recent increases were most marked among those aged 15-34.






Overall the highest rates of methamphetamine use have consistently been among 25 to 35-year-olds.
'There is a need for both more health services and better engagement with and retention of clients in treatment services,' say the authors of the research published online by the Medical Journal of Australia.

Using sources including drug treatment and hospitalisation data, they estimated the number of regular and dependent ice users for each year from 2002 to 2014 and the numbers by age group.
Regular users had the drug at least once a month in the last year, while those with 'impaired control' of their use and who continued despite health and other adverse consequences were deemed to be dependent.

They estimated that in 2013-14 there were 268,000 regular users, aged between 15 and 54, with 160,000 of them being dependent.
'This equates to population rates of 2.09 per cent for regular and 1.24 per cent for dependent use,' said lead researcher Professor Louisa Degenhardt from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.
The rate of dependent use had continued to increase since 2009-10, when the rate was estimated to be .74 per cent, and was higher than the previous peak of 1.22 per cent in 2006-07. 

*HOW ICE DESTROYS THE BRAIN *

Ice is a stimulant, a methamphetamine that speeds up the messages between the brain and the body.
It usually looks like small chunky clear crystals, hence the name ice. It can also come as white or brownish powder.
It is usually smoked or injected, with effects felt in seconds. The effects are slower when swallowed or snorted and can last about 6 hours.
Ice causes dopamine levels in the brain to shoot from 100 to around 1,250 units, about 12 times as much of a release of dopamine as you get from food and sex
When the drug wears off, users experience a debilitating depression and urge to get more of the drug.
Persistent use can change brain chemistry, destroying the brain's pleasure centers
Long term use can cause severe impairment in memory, judgment and motor coordination
Changes in brain chemistry can lead to violent behaviour, anxiety and wakefulness
it also causes psychotic behaviour, such as paranoia, hallucinations and delusions. Many users report feeling insects crawling beneath their skin.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...hamphetamine-use-tripled-just-five-years.html


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Ice addiction triples in five years: UNSW drug study*

THE NUMBER of Australians using the drug ice at least once a month has tripled to 270,000 in the last five years.

The first research to track the growing rate of addiction to the dangerous drug has found nearly 60,000 of the regular users are aged 15-24.

And it shows in 2012-13, there were 1131 15-25 year olds hospitalised for amphetamine use and 22,000 used drug treatment programs to cope with amphetamine addiction.

The findings suggest it’s new users of methamphetamines who are becoming quickly addicted to the drug which causes psychosis, hallucinations, aggression, paranoia, delusions and impaired memory.

ICE NATION: Inside Australia’s drug epidemic

UNSW researcher Dr Sara Larney used hospital admission data and figures from drug and alcohol treatment programs to estimate the number of methamphetamine addicts.

Unlike government data which measures anyone who used methamphetamines once in a year, this new work focuses on the number of regular users, people who use the drug at least once a month, Dr Larney says.






“The household survey underestimates the regular users because it’s a household survey of the whole population and people under-report,” she said.

The research published in the Medical Journal of Australia found the number of regular methamphetamine users jumped from 90,000 in 2009-10 to 268,000 in 2013-14.

The number of 15-24 year olds dependent on the drug more than doubled form 0.4 per cent in 2009-10 to 1.14 per cent in 2013-14.

Professor Louisa Degenhardt, from UNSW’s National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, said dependency on the drug was now higher than the previous peak in use in 2006-07.

“Our estimates suggest that there have been substantial increases over the past five years in the numbers of regular and dependent methamphetamine users in Australia,” the study says.

“The increased number of problem methamphetamine users indicates a need to expand services to redress the health problems associated with regular methamphetamine use,” the authors conclude.

News Corp has previously highlighted how Australian families are forced to go overseas to find drug treatment programs for addicted children because there are long waiting lists for local programs.

The government’s National Drug Strategy Household drug survey 2013 found about 1.3 million people (seven per cent) had used methamphetamines in their lifetime and 400,000 (2.1 per cent) had done so in the last 12 months.

This survey found use of the drug in its powder form decreased from 51 per cent to 29 per cent in recent times while the use of the crystal form — ice — more than doubled, from 22 per cent in 2010 to 50 per cent in 2013.

Those who used the drug in the form of ice were more likely to use it on a regular basis with one in four using it weekly, compared with only two per cent of those using the powder form.

The UNSW study says patterns of drug use often show a rapid uptake among new users who initially report extremely rewarding effects that they advertise to their peers, thereby recruiting further new users. There is often a swift development of problem use among heavy users, whose doses escalate as tolerance develops; these problems typically include psychosis and dependence, and arrests for drug possession and supply. The emergence of these problems produces a rapid decline in new recruits as the high visibility of these harms becomes apparent to non-using peers. Fifteen recent surveys suggest that this phenomenon has occurred in Australia.

The Global Drug Survey suggests that methamphetamine may have acquired a negative reputation among older drug users.

Methamphetamine use has become increasingly stigmatised, with fewer people admitting to having used the drug, suggesting that these surveys underestimate an increasingly stigmatised form of substance use.


Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/li...y/news-story/fd9a6d6a42ffbc4a05ae09e50ebbd7d7


----------



## poledriver

*'It's almost like a trick at first': Young Australians lead a surge in serious ice use*

Regular users of the drug ice have more than doubled in four years, placing acute pressure on treatment services across the country.

More than one in 100 people are addicted to the drug and one in 50 are regular monthly users, according to the first quantification of the nation's serious ice user population.

Yet frontline workers say federal funding from the National Ice Taskforce is enough to cover "about a quarter of a staff member" for each treatment service. 






Using data from hospitals and treatment services, a group of researchers led by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, estimated 268,000 people aged 15-54, or 2.09 per cent of the population, use ice at least monthly.

Alarmingly, the highest rate of use and the steepest increase has been among young people, the study, to be published in the Medical Journal of Australia on Monday, found.

The number of 15-24 year old's addicted to ice has tripled in four years to 1.14 per cent of the population.

Jack Nagle, pictured during one of his binges, first took ice socially at parties.

Jack Nagle, pictured during one of his binges, first took ice socially at parties. Photo: Supplied

"The increased number of problem methamphetamine users indicates a need to expand services to redress the health problems associated with regular use," the authors concluded.

Jack Nagle, who was addicted to ice for a year, said the horror news stories and ad campaigns don't affect curious young people.

"It's almost like a trick at first, you see all this terrible stuff that happens to people on the news but when you first take it, it's fantastic, it's actually quite fun" said the 25-year-old.

Jack Nagle said he called on his mother for help after a one-week binge that left him in a psychosis.

Jack Nagle said he called on his mother for help after a one-week binge that left him in a psychosis. Photo: Supplied

"You don't initially have those catastrophic consequences and it's a really social drug but it turns on its heels very quickly. By the time it does, it's hard to get out."

Mr Nagle was 19 and into basketball, partying and drinking when he first tried it with a friend in a car outside a Melbourne pub. It was much cheaper than speed and gave him a bigger high.

Social use at parties – along with cannabis, alcohol and speed – then spiralled to the point where he committed petty crime to fund a week-long binge that cost $7500 and left him in a psychosis.

After hitting rock bottom, he knocked on his mother's door for help. He had a year of residential treatment and now works for a Melbourne rehab service, Refocus. 

"I guess I wanted help for a long time but I wasn't sure how to ask for it," he said. "I was lucky I got put into treatment straight away."

Ted Noffs Foundation chief executive Matt Noffs, who runs the only service in Australia that caters to ice addicts as young as 13, said options for young people were woefully inadequate. 

He said the government's $250 million for treatment will be split among 30 regions, allowing enough to fund less than a quarter of a staff member if money was distributed equally to every service.

"If we're not treating this earlier, then you create a generation who are dependent for life," he said.

"The money isn't enough, it's late in the piece, knowing where we are with ice, and youth support should be the priority."

In its report in December, the taskforce found the price of ice has stayed low, while purity and availability has increased.

Led by former Victorian police commissioner Ken Lay, the taskforce acknowledged the largest gains to be made in solving the ice epidemic will come from prevention and early intervention.

​A spokesman for NSW Assistant Health Minister, Pru Goward, said the government had partnered with NGOs to fund new treatment services across the state, including Dubbo, Wollongong, Mt Druitt, Lismore, Newcastle and St Vincent's Hospital. 

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/its-...us-ice-use-20160228-gn5ru2.html#ixzz41Vnisrdb


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force

1 hr · 

Four people are before the courts as a result of a police investigation into an alleged criminal syndicate supplying “ice” in Sydney’s south-west.

In July 2015, the Wetherill Park Region Enforcement Squad formed Strike Force Archdall to investigate the supply of methylamphetamine (“ice”) in the Fairfield East and Guildford areas.

As a result of these inquiries, police executed search warrants at five premises in Guildford, Yennora, Fairfield East and Maroubra last Tuesday (23 February 2016).

A 22-year-old Maroubra man is already before the courts following his arrest on that day.

Further inquiries by Strike Force Archdall detectives resulted in the arrest of three more men, specifically:

- On Thursday (25 February 2016), a 20-year-old man was arrested in the Guildford area. He was charged with supply prohibited drug; supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity); and knowingly participate in criminal group. The man appeared in Bankstown Local Court on the day of his arrest, and was granted conditional bail to face Burwood Local Court on 21 April 2016.

- On Friday (26 February 2016), a 30-year-old man was arrested during a vehicle stop, also in the Guildford area. He was charged with take part in supplying prohibited drugs (commercial quantity); supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis; knowingly direct activities of a criminal group; knowingly participate in a criminal group and organise drug premises. The man remains in custody, and is next due to appear at Burwood Local Court on the 30 March 2016.

- Earlier today (Monday 29 February 2016), a 31-year-old man presented at Bankstown Police Station, where he was arrested and charged with supply prohibited drug commercial quantity; knowingly direct the activities of a criminal group; knowingly participate in a criminal group; and recruit other to assist in carrying out criminal activity (two counts). He was refused bail and will appear at Bankstown Local Court later this afternoon.

Police allege the men were part of a criminal syndicate involved in the large-scale distribution of the drug “ice”, supplying up to 120 people per day.

Strike Force Archdall is ongoing, and police anticipate making further arrests.


----------



## poledriver

*Brutal bashing caught on camera after string of alleged attacks across Sydney's south-west*

WARNING, GRAPHIC: Disturbing CCTV footage has surfaced of a man, reportedly high on ice, bashing another man during a violent and thuggish string of assaults in Sydney's south-west.

36-year-old Ricky Hema claims he was in the grip of the drug ‘ice’ when police allege he violently attacked at least four people within the space of two hours.







> Hema can be seen allegedly punching, kicking and jumping repeatedly on his victim's unresponsive body. Photo: CCTV



He says he can’t remember the attacks.

Hema’s lawyer Ahmed Dib said his family were apologetic for their son’s actions.

“I spoke to Ricky Hema's family earlier today and they just wanted to extend all their prayers and thoughts to any of the parties involved,” he told 7 News.

The security video shows the suspect approaching an unsuspecting victim from behind and hitting him with a punch that knocks him to the ground in the carpark of a unit complex in Campsie.

Several kicks to the face follow, but seemingly unsatisfied with the violent assault, the attacker appears to jump on his victim's unresponsive body.

The 27-year-old victim, Oliver Ross, was taken to St George Hospital suffering head injuries.

Hema’s crime spree reportedly began at 1:30pm on January 24 when he allegedly attacked 74-year-old Youssef El-Boustani at the Mirage pub in Punchbowl.

Mr El-Boustani spent more than a week in hospital.

Next he headed to the Royal Sheaf Hotel at Burwood, where police said he attacked two more men and was ordered to leave the venue.

He ended his violent rampage in the Campsie car park, knocking Mr Ross out cold.

All of the attacks occurred while Hema was still on bail for another serious attack.

He is now being held in custody after his bail was revoked following his latest attacks.

He could face up to 25 years in jail if he is convicted of the assault charges.

Howard Brown from the Victims of Crime Assistance League told 7 News Hema never should have never been let out on bail in the first place.

“It's not as if his previous offences didn't involve violence. The majority of them did involve violence. He should never have been granted bail in the first place, then we wouldn't have new victims. That's my real concern.”

Victims of crime are calling for a review of police bail procedures.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/3096438...ged-attacks-across-sydneys-south-west/?cmp=fb


----------



## poledriver

*Victorian police officer charged with stealing thousands of dollars, trafficking meth*



> A Victorian policeman has been accused of stealing money from people in return for allowing them to go free, and of trafficking methamphetamine.
> 
> Nicholas John Powell, who was stationed at Fitzroy police station, has been charged with theft, drug-trafficking, dealing with the proceeds of crime and misconduct in public office.
> 
> A second member from the police region, Brendan Nolan, has been charged with the same offences. Both men have been suspended without pay.
> 
> Court documents show that in May 2012, Powell allegedly took $3,000 from a man at Fitzroy police station in exchange for the man's freedom.
> 
> He has also been charged with handling the proceeds of crime, on the basis that the cash was suspected to be the proceeds of crime.
> 
> The documents show that a month later, in June, Powell allegedly stole methamphetamine from Fitzroy police station, swapping it for a cutting agent he seized from a criminal.
> 
> Powell then allegedly arranged for the methamphetamine to be sold.
> 
> It is also alleged that in July that year, Powell stole $2,300 worth of Crown Casino chips from a woman at Fitzroy police station.
> 
> The two officers were arrested following an investigation by Taskforce Keel, which was set up by police command to probe the leak of thousands of police documents to people, including some with links to bikie gangs.
> 
> Taskforce Keel has focused on Fitzroy police station.
> 
> A number of police officers from the station having been suspended or charged with various offences.
> 
> Another officer formerly stationed at Fitzroy, David Branov, was sentenced to more than four years in prison in December after pleading guilty to theft, drug and misconduct charges.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-24/police-allegedly-demand-money-to-let-people-go-free/6250412


----------



## poledriver

Australian Federal Police

14 hrs · 

We followed a money trail, leading us to arrest two men and the seizure of cash and drugs - $710,000 and 60kg of meth to be exact.

The two men were arrested in Sydney yesterday and charged with proceeds of crime and drug offences.

By identifying and pursuing leads associated with money laundering we’re able to track those allegedly involved in criminal activity, predominantly illicit drug trafficking, but also financing of other criminal enterprises.

More info: http://goo.gl/TX7gys

‪#‎AusFedPolice‬ ‪#‎drugs‬ ‪#‎moneymoneymoney‬


----------



## poledriver

*Harriet Wran wrote letters to ex-boyfriend regretting ice addiction*






Harriet Wran penned a heartfelt letter to her former boyfriend after her arrest for murder, expressing her wish the drug ice never existed and her fears over a lengthy jail term.

In letters written in October 2014 which have just surfaced, Wran wrote to Dennan Chew apologising for showing him "the side of her that drug addiction brings out" when they were together, The Daily Telegraph reports.

"I wish I lived in any time period other than this one, where ice would never have come into my life," she wrote.

Wran, 27, met Mr Chew, a personal trainer in Sydney's east, at a rehab clinic in Bronte in 2013.

They separated sometime after, for reasons Mr Chew has not revealed.

"I was horribly bossy and rude ... You were going through a tough time it seemed and I was more concerned with being ruthlessly disconnected," she wrote.

In the letters, written three months into her jail rehab stint, Wran also complained about "getting fat" in jail but being "super excited" about the prospect of studying ancient history by correspondence while behind bars.






"I’ve been clean since I got here, so nearly three months,' she wrote. "It seems I finally received the wake-up call I needed to stop for good.

"I just hope it’s not a 20-year life lesson."

Wran, the daughter of former NSW Labor premier Neville Wran, reportedly developed an ice addiction in her early 20s, as well as battling anorexia.

Her addiction lead to her becoming homeless, before being charged in August 2014 for murdering drug dealer Daniel McNulty in Redfern.

Wran is alleged to have shown up at Mr McNulty's unit with two other men, Lloyd Haines and Michael Lee, her boyfriend of two weeks, and stabbed him over a botched $70 ice deal.

Mr McNulty's flatmate Brett Fitzgerald was hit with a hammer when he came to his aid, police allege.

She pleaded not guilty to murder in November last year.

In the letter Wran said it was "too dangerous" to discuss the case but said "you know me I could never hurt anyone".

"It was my mistake of being in the company of such low-life (people) that landed me here," she wrote.

"I can’t believe I’m in here charged with murder, quite a price to pay for total stupidity.

"What happened that night was really awful and I will be haunted by it for the rest of my life."

Her trial is slated to start June 20 this year.

As well as facing a murder charge, Wran was recently a party in a family civil court fight over the $40 million estate of her father, who died in 2014 aged 87.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...-regretting-ice-addiction#yUxdb0OdIPIigKvC.99


----------



## poledriver

*Police rearrest methamphetamine accused after WA's biggest seizure*



> Two men accused of dealing $320 million worth of ice - the biggest seizure of the drug in Western Australia - have been rearrested after a magistrate dismissed the original charges against them over a technicality.
> 
> Hong Kong nationals Pak Cheong Cheung and Yik To Ng were charged last September with possessing methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply and possessing unlawfully obtained property, after 320 kilograms of the drug was found at a house in Canning Vale and at residences in the city.
> 
> Most of the drugs were hidden inside packages of tea and $1.2 million in cash was also seized.
> 
> At the time police said the bust was the biggest seizure of ice ever made in WA.
> 
> The two accused men appeared in court via video link from Hakea prison on Friday.
> 
> However, defence lawyer Patti Chong told the court police had provided her only with electronic copies of the evidence against her client, and she had not yet received a hard copy.
> 
> Magistrate Paul Heaney then dismissed the charges "for want of prosecution".
> 
> In a statement Friday afternoon, acting commander of state crime Michelle Fyfe said the two men had since been "re-arrested and charged with the same offences".
> 
> "WA Police fulfilled all its disclosure obligations to defence counsel and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions prior to this morning's court sitting," she said.
> 
> The DPP's office denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement it had "met all disclosure obligations".
> 
> The two men, who are still in custody, are due to appear in court on Saturday on the new charges.
> 
> Meanwhile, two other Hong Kong men who admitted playing a minor role in the drug operation, will be sentenced in the District Court later this year.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-...amine-accused-after-magistrate-dismis/7241516


----------



## poledriver

*Port Stephens president of Bandidos pleads guilty to commercial drug supply*

A senior bikie gang member from the New South Wales Hunter Valley has pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

Ronald Dennis Leggett, 44, of Belford was charged in February 2015.

He was one of 10 men arrested by police attached to Strike Force Okanagan.

Police facts tendered to the court show officers began investigating the supply of drugs by the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang in Taree in August 2014.

Officers started extensive surveillance, as well as intercepting and recording telephone conversations and text messages.

Leggett is the president of the Bandidos' Port Stephens chapter, and today pleaded guilty to two drug supply charges.

Police facts show Leggett supplied 475 grams of methylamphetamine at Heatherbrae between October 2014 and February 2015, as well as another 52 grams in February 2015 at Belford.

He has also pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing an unauthorised pistol, as well as possessing an unauthorised and prohibited firearm.

Police say that firearm is a homemade single-shot pistol with a suppressor and shortened barrel.

Magistrate Ian Cheetham today committed Leggett for sentencing in the Newcastle District Court.

Ten other charges will be taken into account when sentencing proceedings start on March 17.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-...dos-omcg-pleads-guilty-to-drug-supply/7232998


----------



## poledriver

*Media Release: Man charged for importation of liquid methamphetamine*

A 23-year-old Chinese national has been arrested and charged in relation to the alleged importation of approximately 44 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine hidden in gel push-up bra inserts.

On 25 February 2016, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers examined a targeted consignment of 36 cardboard boxes containing packets of the bra inserts which arrived at the Port of Melbourne from China. Initial testing of a coloured liquid contained within the inserts returned a positive result for liquid methamphetamine.

The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for investigation. A subsequent search warrant of the man’s Box Hill North residence was conducted during which police seized the 36 boxes.

The 23-year-old man was arrested and charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to Section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) and attempting to possess a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to Section 307.5 and 11.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). These offences carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

AFP Commander Melbourne Office John Beveridge said police are investigating possible links with other operations where similar methods of concealment have been used to import other consignments of liquid methamphetamine.

“We will make every effort to seek out the organisers of this alleged importation in an effort to bring them to account for trying to exploit our community with this dangerous drug,” Commander Beveridge said.

ABF Regional Commander Victoria and Tasmania Don Smith said that this detection is yet another example that the methods used by the ABF to target illicit imports continues to return significant results.

“The ABF and the AFP continue to work together to disrupt these criminal syndicates and today is another example of this partnership’s success in protecting the Australian community”, Commander Smith said.

The man is scheduled to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates Court today (Monday, 7 March 2016).

Investigations remain ongoing and further charges have not been ruled out.

Note to editors: Footage and still images available from the AFP National Media team.

http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/...ged-for-importation-of-liquid-methamphetamine


----------



## poledriver

*The drugs that allegedly got Jamie Gao killed*

University student Jamie Gao had been missing for four days when police discovered two brown pillow cases and a green backpack under the seats of a white, Ford station wagon.

The car was parked in the basement of a Cronulla apartment block – where former policeman Glen McNamara was living.

Video footage has been shown to the NSW Supreme Court of a police officer dressed in a blue forensic suit as he searched the car on May 24, 2014.

Inside one of the pillow cases was a crystallised rock substance contained in two snap lock plastic bags.

In the other pillow case was a smaller amount of white crystals contained inside cling wrap.

Altogether the crystal-like substance weighed 2.78 kilograms and was later confirmed to be the drug known as ice.

The prosecution will allege this was the drug that Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara stole from Mr Gao after he was shot dead inside a southern Sydney storage shed on May 20, 2014.

"[Jamie Gao] went to that meeting and went into that storage shed thinking that what was to happen would shortly make him very rich," Crown prosecutor Christopher Maxwell said in his opening address. 

"Instead he was shot and killed and dragged to the back of the station wagon and dumped at sea."

Mr Gao's body was found off the coast of Cronulla on May 26, 2014.

Mr McNamara and Mr Rogerson have pleaded not guilty to murder and supplying a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs. Mr Rogerson has also pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of being an accessory to murder.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/the-drugs...gao-killed-20160314-gninsx.html#ixzz42uPEmVh4


----------



## poledriver

*'Dob in a Dealer' launched across NSW*



> ELEANOR HALL: It started as a community program to address the escalating use of the drug, ice, in small towns in New South Wales and Victoria.
> 
> Now the 'Dob in a Dealer' campaign is being rolled out across New South Wales, as part of the Federal Government's crackdown on methamphetamine use.
> 
> Lucy Carter reports.
> 
> LUCY CARTER: The small town of Wellington in the central west of New South Wales developed the unfortunate nickname of 'Antarctica' because of the huge amount of ice being used by residents.
> 
> With a population of just 5,000 people, addiction and crime-related problems were causing issues for almost everyone in town.
> 
> Last year, Wellington police adopted a local 'Dob in a Dealer' policy.
> 
> ALISON CONN: We've been amazed at its success, as have the police.
> 
> LUCY CARTER: Alison Conn is the manager of the community group Wellington Information and Neighbourhood Services.
> 
> ALISON CONN: We've had over 100 reports go in through the Dob in a Dealer project and as a direct result of Dob in a Dealer we've had 15 arrests and they have actually varied.
> 
> It hasn't just been dealer arrests, it's been firearm offences, burglaries.
> 
> LUCY CARTER: She says the program has had a direct impact on drug use in the town.
> 
> ALISON CONN: The really important thing behind it Lucy, is not so much for us as a town arresting people, us as a town it's from saving some of our residents from using drugs.
> 
> And anecdotally we have seen that there are a number of people that no longer have access to drugs and no longer use drugs.
> 
> So that's been a fantastic result from our point of view.
> 
> LUCY CARTER: The success of the Dob in a Dealer program in Wellington and in parts of regional Victoria last year caught the interest of the Federal Government.
> 
> In August, the then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced $1 million of funding to be dedicated towards rolling the program out across Australia.
> 
> In New South Wales, that process is starting today.
> 
> Assistant Police Commissioner Peter Barrie is also a director of Crimestoppers New South Wales
> 
> I think we'll get a fantastic outcome, you know the community are very keen to assist police in identifying dealers in particular.
> 
> They understand the harm it's doing to their community, the harm it's doing to the individuals and family units.
> 
> And it strikes particularly hard in those smaller communities that perhaps don't have the support levels around them to assist.
> 
> LUCY CARTER: How does it work?
> 
> PETER BARRIE: Well simply where Crimestoppers are going to in New South Wales, 21 different locations, we are launching in Redfern today.
> 
> And we are working with the police and local communities and going to a number of different areas throughout that fortnight just to spread the message and essentially a simple one.
> 
> You can do something about this, call Crimestoppers, every little piece of information assists us and we've seen that the community are willing to do that.
> 
> You know we are getting some great results in terms of both the calls that we receive from Crimestoppers continuously increasing.
> 
> But also in the number of arrests and identification of these clandestine labs that are causing so much harm.
> 
> LUCY CARTER: And it is kept anonymous?
> 
> PETER BARRIE: Absolutely. So when people call Crimestoppers they have choices that they can make, if they wish to assist police in providing their details they can do that, sometimes that makes it a lot easier for our investigators to work with them in getting all the information they need.
> 
> But quite certainly they can do that anonymously as well.
> 
> So if they wish to remain anonymous the call taker will respect that and they will just assist them in getting the information to the police.
> 
> LUCY CARTER: Police say the Dob in a Dealer program is about making drug use and crime a local community issue.
> 
> Wellington's Alison Conn says she believes it will be effective on a larger scale.
> 
> ALISON CONN: If everybody embraces it as an individual community it will work very well in those individual communities. It's not a top down approach, it's a bottom up approach and that's what's really important. That's what works in communities today.
> 
> ELEANOR HALL: That's Alison Conn from Wellington Information and Neighbourhood Services ending that report from Lucy Carter.



http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2016/s4424430.htm


----------



## poledriver

*State-wide "Dob in a Dealer" campaign to combat "ice" kicks off in Redfern today*

Police and Crime Stoppers have today launched a new, state-wide campaign aimed at mobilising members of the public in the fight against the drug “ice” (crystal methylamphetamine).

The “Dob in a Dealer” campaign will be rolled out to 21 locations across NSW over the next six months, with the first being Redfern.

The campaign will run in each location for two weeks, during which police and Crime Stoppers will conduct intensive community-engagement activities.

These will highlight the important role members of the public have to play in helping police to shut down drug-manufacturing syndicates and arrest drug suppliers.

Local residents will be urged to contact Crime Stoppers, where they can anonymously report drug-dealing activities.

Data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research illustrate the burgeoning “ice” problem.

In the 36 months to September 2015, arrests for amphetamine possession soared by 75.3 per cent across NSW (up from 5,063 in 2013 to 8,876 in 2015).

Over the same time period, arrests for dealing/trafficking amphetamines in NSW increased 34 per cent (from 1,567 in 2013 to 2,099 in 2015).

There has also been a steady increase in the number of clandestine drug laboratories detected by police in NSW. In 2008 there were 55; by last year this had jumped to 106.

The “Dob in a Dealer” campaign will target criminals who are manufacturing and supplying ‘ice’, and even one phone call to Crime Stoppers can have an enormous impact.

In September 2012, a single, anonymous call to Crime Stoppers led to State Crime Command’s Asian Crime Squad – now known as the Organised Crime Squad – seizing 585 kilos of "ice" a few months later in February 2013.

Redfern Local Area Commander, Superintendent Luke Freudenstein, said "ice" is of serious concern to the community, particularly in areas where it has taken hold and is seriously impacting the lives of people who live there.

“This is certainly the case in my command. I want it to stop. The residents here want it to stop,” Supt Freudenstein said.

“The message we want to share today is the community can help us stem the flow of drugs by providing anonymous information about manufacturers and suppliers.

“If you feel bad about dobbing in drug dealers, let me remind you: they don’t care about you or your family; they don’t care if people become addicted, commit crimes to feed their habit, or overdose and die; they only care about the money they can make,” Supt Freudenstein said.

Crime Stoppers NSW CEO, Peter Price, said halting the spread of ‘ice’ requires a whole-of-community response.

“Crime Stoppers is committed to working with NSW Police, community leaders, local residents and the media to gather anonymous information that can help to reduce drug supply and drug-related crimes,” Mr Price said.

“After what we hope will be a fruitful start in Redfern, we’ll be taking this campaign to another 20 communities across NSW over the next six months, and asking everyone to join us in the fight against ‘ice’.

“We want members of the public to play an active role and tell us about criminals that are bringing harmful drugs into their region.

“Making a report to Crime Stoppers is completely confidential. You will never be identified or called up for a court case, but every piece of information you provide can help solve crimes and reduce supply,” Mr Price said.

If you think you have information about someone in your community who is manufacturing or supplying drugs, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 for a confidential conversation or report securely online at www.crimestoppers.com.au. 

The “Dob in a Dealer” campaign is funded by the Commonwealth Government.

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/l...vdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGNTMxOTcuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ==


----------



## poledriver

*Indigenous woman who died in WA police custody was 'exaggerating', inquest hears*








> A Western Australia senior police officer discussed with colleagues their belief an Aboriginal woman in custody was exaggerating her pain due to drug use, contradicting prior evidence heard at an inquest.
> 
> Ms Dhu, 22, whose first name is not used for cultural reasons, died two days after being locked up at Western Australia's South Hedland Police Station in August 2014 for unpaid fines totalling $3622, stemming from offences including assaulting an officer.
> 
> Ms Dhu, who was arrested on August 2, 2014, was to be detained at South Hedland Police Station for four days, as part of a scheme that saw participants trading fines for jail time.
> 
> During her stay, she complained of feeling unwell and was taken to Hedland Health Campus three times, only to be discharged due to “behavioural issues”.
> 
> Ms Dhu died on her third visit to the hospital from pneumonia and septicaemia owing to complications from a previous rib fracture.
> 
> The inquest into her death today heard Senior Constable Russell Tindall was a supervisor during Ms Dhu's second day in custody and testified on Wednesday that he spoke with colleagues about her after she died.
> 
> He could not remember details but said several officers might have been present when Ms Dhu was discussed.
> 
> Sen Const Tindall said some officers believed Ms Dhu had been exaggerating her pain and as a methamphetamine user, she might have been coming down from drugs.
> 
> Asked what he thought about her at the time, Sen Const Tindall replied: "My opinion was that she was OK. She was OK to be in custody."
> 
> His evidence contradicted the testimony of some officers who denied believing Ms Dhu was faking or exaggerating her illness.
> 
> Constable Tamara Perry, the lock-up keeper on the second day, also testified on Wednesday, saying she checked on Ms Dhu at the start of her shift and organised for her to have a shower.
> 
> She noticed scratches on Ms Dhu's back and they discussed her sore ribs, but Const Perry did not note anything in the system after discussing it with Sen Const Tindall.
> 
> Const Perry admitted it was the only time she could remember not recording in the system a detainee being in pain, but could not explain why.
> 
> She also spoke with Ms Dhu's partner and fellow detainee, Dion Ruffin, who complained about Ms Dhu's condition, saying: "Get her some help."
> 
> The officer said she told Mr Ruffin that Ms Dhu had already been to the hospital and had been deemed fit for custody.
> 
> “They wouldn't have cleared her if she wasn't OK," she told him.
> 
> Const Perry told the inquest she put her trust in doctors.
> 
> "They're medical professionals, I'm not," she said.
> 
> The officer denied disbelieving Ms Dhu was ill and said she offered to take her to hospital again if she needed to go, but Ms Dhu declined the offer.
> 
> Const Perry rejected the suggestion she had neglected with her duties.
> 
> Sen Const Tindall also trusted the medical professionals and said in hindsight they got it wrong.
> 
> The inquest continues.
> 
> http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...xaggerating-inquest-hears#plcYaSqQGsBI1kA9.99


----------



## poledriver

*Two charged after meth concealed in windsurfer sails seized*



> This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force.
> 
> Two women have been charged after allegedly attempting to import a quantity of methamphetamine in windsurfer sails yesterday (Sunday 20 March).
> 
> The 25-year-old woman and 24-year-old woman were selected by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers for a full luggage examination after they arrived at Sydney International Airport on a flight from Los Angeles yesterday.
> 
> The bags containing the windsurfer boards and sails were x-rayed and the officers noticed irregularities within the sail framework.
> 
> After further examination, the sail framework was found to contain a white substance which, when tested, returned a positive result for methamphetamine. Further testing will be done to determine the exact weight and purity of the drugs seized.
> 
> The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and after further investigation, both women were placed under arrest.
> 
> They have both been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to Section 307.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth) and are expected to face Central Local Court today (Monday 21 March).



http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/...ter-meth-concealed-in-windsurfer-sails-seized


----------



## poledriver

*Man jailed over horrific glassing at Warilla Hotel*

A 24-year-old man has been jailed for at least two-and-a-half years over a horrific, drug-fuelled glassing at the Warilla Hotel that left the victim with a 15cm neck wound.

Wollongong District Court judge Paul Conlon said had had “no idea” how the male victim was not fatally wounded the night Mitchell Bleimuth slammed a glass into his neck in an apparently unprovoked assault.

“Mr Bleimuth is fortunate he’s not facing a charge of murder, how it [the glass] missed the [victim’s] carotid artery I have no idea,” Judge Conlon said.






”It’s deplorable conduct.”

The court heard the victim and a friend were playing the poker machines around 8pm on March 6 last year when Bleimuth came and sat near them and began staring in their direction.

The victim went to the bathroom but on his return found Bleimuth standing in the entry doorway, holding a beer glass.

CCTV footage shows the pair having a brief but apparently civil exchange of words before Bleimuth launches into an unprovoked assault, punching the victim twice in the head with his empty left hand, then swinging his right hand, containing the glass, into the victim’s neck.

The pair wrestled for a short time before being separated by bar staff.

The victim was left with a 15cm-long, 3cm-deep cut to his neck which required specialist surgery.

Bleimuth received a deep cut to his hand in the dispute and attended Shellharbour Hospital later that night for treatment. He too required specialist surgery, which occurred on March 8.

He handed himself in to police on March 11 and has been in custody ever since.

In court, Bleimuth’s mother said her son had been in the grips of an ice addiction at the time of the assault.

“The ice was affecting his mind, his body, his whole life,” she said.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Conlon said there was a great need to “denounce and deter” such terrible behaviour.

He also found Bleimuth’s prospect of rehabilitation was “guarded”.

Bleimuth will have to serve a further 18 months on parole when he is released from custody in September 2017.

With video -

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/...tence-for-horrific-pub-glassing-video/?cs=300


----------



## poledriver

*Media Release: Man attempts to import meth in champagne*



> A 26-year-old Malaysian national is scheduled to appear in Perth Magistrate’s Court today, charged with attempting to import methamphetamine, suspended in champagne, through Perth International Airport.
> 
> On Saturday 26 March 2016, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers questioned a man who arrived on a flight from Malaysia and his luggage was subsequently examined. Two boxed 1.5-litre bottles of champagne were located, and it appeared the seal on one of the boxes containing the bottles had been broken.
> 
> ABF officers conducted a presumptive test of the bottle’s contents, which gave a positive indication for methamphetamine, commonly known as Ice.
> 
> Further testing will be undertaken to determine the exact weight and purity of the drugs seized.
> 
> The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), who arrested the man and charged him with attempting to import a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to subsection 307.2(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
> 
> The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.



http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/news/afp/2016/april/man-attempts-to-import-meth-in-champagne


----------



## poledriver

*Man caught with ‘ice’ down pants*








> Police raiding a Casino house on an unrelated matter caught a man with bags of ice (the chemical variety) down the front of his pants.
> 
> Police say they found the unexpected booty when they arrived at the Frederick Street property at 11.20am on April 1 with a search warrant for stolen property.
> 
> When the officers entered the house they saw a 44-year-old man whom they allege was trying to remove an object from the front of his pants.
> 
> He was stopped and searched with police locating a container with a number of small plastic bags inside. They contained a total of 7.3grams of methyl-amphetamine, police allege.
> 
> Two women aged 21 and 38 were also searched with 4.6 grams of cannabis and 0.3 grams of methyl-amphetamine being (respectively) seized.
> 
> The man was charged with supplying a prohibited drug.
> 
> He was refused bail to attend Lismore Local Court.
> 
> The women will be issued with a future court attendance notices for possessing a prohibited drug.
> 
> During the raid police also seized a number of electrical items allegedly stolen during a break-in at a neighbouring property two days before, including power tools, hi-fi equipment and a DVD player.
> 
> The investigation into the break and enter is ongoing with charges pending.



http://www.echo.net.au/2016/04/man-caught-with-ice-down-pants/


----------



## poledriver

*Violent ice addict who left a nurse with permanent brain damage was kept in a coma for EIGHT days because staff were too frightened to treat him*



> The Blue Mountains timber worker, 38, has an extensive criminal history
> He has been repeatedly admitted to Nepean and Hornsby hospitals
> Security guards were forced to hold him down with eight restraints
> Doctors used 'all the Valium in the hospital' to knock him out for eight days
> Frightened staff are calling for him to be transferred in fear of their lives



Staff are calling for an ice addict to be removed from a Sydney hospital after he left a nurse with permanent brain damage, flipped a hospital bed, and threatened to kill staff and patients.
The 38-year-old Blue Mountains timber worker, who has an extensive criminal history and mental health problems, has been repeatedly admitted to Nepean and Hornsby hospitals over the past two months.
Security guards were forced to hold down the man with eight restraints and doctors kept him unconscious for eight days, using 'all the Valium in the hospital' to knock him out, a source told the Daily Telegraph.  

Frightened staff are now threatening to quit their jobs unless he is transferred to Cumberland Hospital or Long Bay Correctional Centre.
'Someone will get killed sooner or later,' a staff member told the Daily Telegraph.
'He has already given a nurse at Cumberland Hospital permanent brain damage and broken another patient's femur. He's too much of a risk.' 

As an inpatient in the past, the man allegedly assaulted people in the community, threatened to kill hospital staff and patients, and flipped a hospital bed in Nepean's emergency department.
Hospital documents reveal that the man has an 'extremely high risk of violence and assault', and has since been housed in the Western Sydney hospital's mental health high dependency unit after threatening staff on March 27. 

'The management is not looking after staff,' the hospital source told the Telegraph. 
'It is not right to have him in this hospital where lives are being threatened. He should never have come into this hospital in the first place. My colleagues are so distressed because they fear for their lives.'
On Tuesday a crisis meeting was held on how nurses and security guards should deal with the ice-affected patient. 

This comes after a string of ice-related incidents, including a patient who shot security guard Barry Jennings, 48, and Senior Constable Luke Warburton in the leg at Nepean Hospital on January 12.
The number of ice-affected people admitted to NSW hospitals increased more than sevenfold between 2009 and 2014.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...staff-frightened-treat-him.html#ixzz45SiMvKDY


----------



## poledriver

> NSW Police Force added 4 new photos.
> 
> 2 hrs ·
> 
> Five people have been charged after police uncovered over seven kilograms of the drug ‘ice’ and over $1.25 million in cash in Zetland yesterday.
> 
> In January 2016, investigators from Redfern Region Enforcement Squad commenced Strike Force Diest, investigating the supply of the drug ‘ice’ by a man in the Sydney Metropolitan Area.
> Following inquiries, about 5.15pm yesterday (Wednesday 13 April 2016), police arrested four men at an address on Cooper Lane, Zetland, also seizing 1kg of the drug ‘ice’.
> 
> At this time, police also executed a search warrant at an address on Wattle Street, Ultimo, arresting two further men at that address. During the search warrant police allegedly located 6kg of the drug ‘ice’, a loaded pistol, and over $1.25 million in cash.
> The 7kg of ‘ice’ has an approximate street value of $700,000.
> 
> As a result of the investigation five men were charged and one was detained as an illegal immigrant:
> 
> - A 22-year-old man arrested at the Zetland address was charged with supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity) and participate in criminal group. He was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today (Thursday 14 April 2016).
> - A 36-year-old man arrested at the Zetland address was charged with supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity) and participate in criminal group. He was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today (Thursday 14 April 2016).
> 
> -A 19-year-old man arrested at the Zetland address was charged with supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity) and participate in criminal group. He was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today (Thursday 14 April 2016).
> -A 21-year-old man arrested at the Zetland address was detained as an illegal immigrant.
> 
> - A 24-year-old man arrested at the Ultimo address was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), deal in proceeds of crime, and participate in criminal group. He was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today (Thursday 14 April 2016).
> 
> - A 29-year-old man arrested at the Ultimo address was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), deal in proceeds of crime, participate in criminal group, and numerous firearm offences. He was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today (Thursday 14 April 2016).









*NSFW*:


----------



## Jabberwocky

Ice Ice Baby


----------



## poledriver

*Victoria pledges another $57.6m to tackle ice problem*

The Victorian Government has announced the second stage of its multi-million dollar ice package, which will see the drug court system expanded and training rolled out to frontline workers.

Key points:

Attorney-General says current system "isn't working"
Mental health facility to be set up in the Grampians for Ballarat community
Announcement follows $45 million pledged last year
The centrepiece of the $57.6 million package is a new drug court, based at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court, which will allow an additional 170 drug offenders to receive targeted support for their drug use.

It follows the success of a drug court in Dandenong and will provide extra rehabilitation beds and better services for Aboriginal Victorians.

The new funding follows $45 million pledged by the Government to tackle the drug last year.

Attorney-General Martin Pakula said the current system for dealing with drug users and offences is not working.

"The lack of effective sentencing options for serious drug-related offences has resulted in increased imprisonment rates, increased re-offending and a failure to address the underlying causes of addiction," he said.

"The drug court model is a sound and effective solution that gives offenders a better opportunity to turn their lives around."

Drug courts showing 'positive results'

Mental Health Minister Martin Foley said the new drug court system had shown positive results.

"What it does is place the interest of recovery above the interests of punishment," he said.

"It's had remarkable success and we intend to roll that model out around Victoria.

Ice action plan:

$32 million to expand the Drug Court of Victoria
$5.5 million for training and support for frontline workers
$6 million for Grampians mental health facility
$10 million to improve mental health, alcohol and other drug facilities
$4 million over four years to respond to ice in Aboriginal communities

"The support then leads to better outcomes as people both get their lives back together, get off the drugs and end their crime careers."

The package also includes $5.5 million for further training and support for frontline workers, and $10 million to improve mental health, alcohol and other drug facilities to improve patient outcomes.

An 18-20 bed mental health facility will also be established in the Grampians to serve the Ballarat community, at a cost of $6 million.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the training package will give skills and support to those working with ice users.

"If frontline workers are safer at work, they can do their job and save more lives," she said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-16/victoria-announces-another-57.6-million-to-tackle-ice/7332032


----------



## poledriver

*Woman charged and approximately 29kg of crystal meth seized*

A 19-year-old Hong Kong national will appear before the Melbourne Magistrates Court today (Thursday, 14 April) charged with allegedly importing crystal methamphetaime (Ice) and ephedrine through the international air mail and air cargo stream.

Taskforce Icarus officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Victoria Police and Australian Border Force (ABF) commenced a joint agency operation in November 2015.

ABF officers at the Melbourne Gateway Facility identified a suspicious importation which, upon examination, contained about one kilogram of crystal methamphetamine.

Between November 2015 and March 2016, a further three importations allegedly linked to the 19-year-old woman were identified, examined and found to contain approximately 28kg of crystal methamphetamine and 700 grams of ephedrine.

Yesterday (Wednesday 13 April), Officers from the AFP and Victoria Police executed a search warrant on a Docklands property where they arrested the woman.
She was charged with:

three counts of importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug, namely crystal methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth);
one count of importing a marketable quantity of border controlled precursor, namely ephedrine, contrary to section 307.12 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth);
one count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5 and 11.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) .
The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.

AFP Commander Paul Osborne, Manager Crime Operations said the Task Force is working together to target criminal syndicates.
“Task Force Icarus will continue to target those who seek to take advantage of the international mail and air cargo systems to import illicit drugs”.

“Those seeking to bring these destructive drugs into Australia should be aware that our capabilities to detect and disrupt organised crime continue to grow, and we will not slow our efforts,” Commander Osborne said.

Victoria Police Commander for Crime Command Cindy Millen said illicit drug use and drug-related crime has a negative impact on our community and people involved face heavy penalties.

“Anyone who is involved in importing illicit drugs should be aware of the seriousness of these offences and that they could face life in prison.”

Acting Regional Commander Victoria and Tasmania, Glenn Scutts, said the examination of international mail yields a large number of detections of drugs and other prohibited goods each year.

“This work contributes to maintaining the security of Australia’s border and the safety of the Australian community,” Commander Scutts said.

“ABF officers work tirelessly in combating illicit drug importation to ensure these dangerous drugs do not reach the Australian community.”

Task Force Icarus is a joint agency initiative that targets those who seek to use the international mail and air cargo systems for criminal activity.

http://newsroom.border.gov.au/releases/woman-charged-and-approximately-29kg-of-crystal-meth-seized


----------



## poledriver

*Struggle Street family want ice-addicted son jailed*

The Kennedy family were the gritty stars of SBS reality television series Struggle Street, with the family's difficulty in dealing with ice-addicted son, Corey, being one of their central struggles.

Now, Corey Kennedy is back on television for all the wrong reasons.

After becoming involved in a high-speed police pursuit, the 26-year-old is actually hoping the court system throws the book at him - so that he can finally conquer his ice addiction once and for all.

"They put the sirens on I freaked and took off," Kennedy told A Current Affair. "Because I was stupid and weren't thinking straight."

Once again, he was high on ice during the high-speed pursuit - the second one he has been involved in.

"Even before the show, since I was 18, I've been on ice," he said.

"All it's done is cause me dramas."

Father Ashley and step-mother Peta are at their wits-end.

"It bothers me because I reckon he will end up stabbing someone one day," Ashley told A Current Affair. 

"He's a nightmare out there, you know, he snaps. You see these people where they've been on ice and they wake up and stab their mother or father, well that's what I think is going to happen here one day, because he has no control over himself."

"Whether it be jail or whether it be rehab, he needs something."

When the lights were switched off and the cameras packed up, nothing changed on Struggle Street. Lots of things were said and lots of promises were made to the family, but they say nothing came of it.

Peta says a few doors opened for them after appearing on the show, but they were unable to afford the entry charges.

"I got a couple of things lined up but it takes money, it's like $600," Peta told A Current Affair. "I don't have the money. If I had it, I'd put him in rehab."

The reality television family is asking for some real reality from the court system, "for the community's sake".

"I don't want him hurting anybody else, I don't want him to go to jail for murder. I don't want to see him in the gutter with a pin in his arm. I don't want him to effect other people's lives like he has effected mine," Ashley said.

"It's hard for a man to say he's better off with his son in jail."

Mr Kennedy returns to court next month.

Video at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...et-family-want-son-gaoled#csvGGirljM83IoyO.99


----------



## slimvictor

^ that is a really sad situation.
Too bad they can't get help for their son other than jail. 
Society gives limited options.


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force

7 mins · 



> A state-wide campaign aimed at mobilising members of the public in the fight against the drug “ice” will today arrive in Campbelltown Local Area Command (LAC).
> 
> The “Dob in a Dealer” campaign has been initiated and funded by the Commonwealth Government, and is currently taking place in states and territories across Australia.
> 
> In NSW, the campaign is being held in 21 LACs across the state over a six-month period between March and September 2016.
> 
> It will run in each LAC for two weeks, during which police and Crime Stoppers will conduct intensive community-engagement activities.
> 
> These will highlight the important role members of the public have to play in helping police to shut down drug-manufacturing syndicates and arrest drug suppliers.
> 
> During the campaign, Campbelltown LAC residents will be urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the online portal, where they can report drug-dealing activities anonymously.
> 
> While members of the public are encouraged to report any prohibited-drug activity via Crime Stoppers, the focus of the “Dob in a Dealer” campaign is “ice” (crystal methylamphetamine).
> 
> Data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research illustrate the burgeoning “ice” problem.
> 
> In the 36 months to September 2015, arrests for amphetamine possession soared by 75.3 per cent across NSW (up from 5063 in 2013 to 8876 in 2015).
> 
> Over the same time period, arrests for dealing/trafficking amphetamines in NSW increased 34 per cent (from 1567 in 2013 to 2099 in 2015).
> 
> There has also been a steady increase in the number of clandestine drug laboratories detected by police in NSW. In 2008 there were 55; by last year this had jumped to 106.








Don't snitch.


----------



## kytnism

i can only imagine how many cracked out girlfriends of dealers embroiled in an argument with their s/o will make that call. as well as users that are refused credit/feel ripped off etc. 8(

...kytnism...


----------



## poledriver

*The truth about ice *



> *Trying ice doesn't always equal addiction*
> 
> People who regularly use ice (crystal methamphetamine), such as on a daily basis, can quickly become dependent on it. However, most people who use ice use it less than weekly and are not dependant. Crystal methamphetamine is actually less addictive than heroin, cocaine, tobacco, alcohol or benzodiazepines.1
> 
> *The strength of ice varies, making it easy to take too much*
> 
> It's difficult for someone using ice to know how much to take as the purity of the drug could be anywhere between around 20% and 70%. Having such a large range of strengths of the drug available on the market at the same time means that it's easy to take too much and then experience negative side effect. The strength of other drugs available on the black market often vary, but they usually do so over time making it easier for someone to know how much to take.2,8
> 
> *Not everyone who uses ice becomes violent and aggressive*
> 
> Everyone responds to drugs differently. 'Ice psychosis' is a potential result of both high and frequent use of ice. This condition is characterised by paranoid delusions, hallucinations and out of character aggressive or violent behaviour. The symptoms usually disappear a few days after the person stops using ice.3
> 
> *Alcohol is causing the most harm in Australia – not ice*
> 
> Alcohol is the most widely used drug in Australia and accounts for the most deaths and hospitalisations in the country compared to other drugs. Alcohol caused 5,554 deaths and 157,132 hospitalisations in 2010. In comparison, in 2011 there were 101 deaths associated with methamphetamine.4
> 
> *Australia is not in the midst of an 'ice epidemic'*
> 
> The number of Australians using methamphetamines isn't increasing, but of the people who already use these drugs more are using the stronger form, which is ice, rather than speed or base. This could be because the purity of 'ice' available in Australia has increased. As a result, more harm is being experienced for the person using the drug (negative side effects) and the community around them (antisocial behaviour, family breakdown).5,6
> 
> *Scare tactics don't work*
> 
> There is no evidence that crystal methamphetamine causes physical deformities. Campaigns depicting ravaged 'meth faces' are exaggerating the side-effects of ice. These extreme images are more likely to be related to poor sleep habits, dental hygiene, and diet – due to being dependant on the drug for a long time – than the crystal methamphetamine itself. Some people who use ice do pick at their skin and therefore develop facial scabs. However, there may be no visible signs that someone is using the substance, including if they are using it regularly.
> 
> Research into health promotion techniques has shown that using 'meth face' images in campaigns aimed at preventing people from using or continuing to use ice doesn't work. This research has also found this technique stigmatises people who use the drug.3
> 
> *There is treatment available for people with ice problems*
> 
> A range of treatment options are available for crystal methamphetamine use, including counselling, rehabilitation, self-help and family support. However, even when a person using ice is motivated to quit, it can be a difficult task and relapse rates are high.6
> 
> *People generally get ice from someone they know*
> 
> Over 60% of Australians who use ice get it from a friend and 30% get it from a dealer.5
> 
> *Methamphetamine is not a new drug*
> 
> Methamphetamine was first synthesised from ephedrine (a form of amphetamine), in Japan in 1893. It was widely used in World War Two when Japan, Germany and the United States provided the drug to military personal to increase endurance and performance. In 1941, methamphetamine was sold over the counter and advertised as a product to 'fight sleepiness and enhance vitality'.6
> 
> - See more at: http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/fact-sheets/the-truth-about-ice#sthash.XR0qZuNS.dpuf


----------



## poledriver

*Victoria pledges another $57.6m to tackle ice problem*

The Victorian Government has announced the second stage of its multi-million dollar ice package, which will see the drug court system expanded and training rolled out to frontline workers.

Key points:

Attorney-General says current system "isn't working"
Mental health facility to be set up in the Grampians for Ballarat community
Announcement follows $45 million pledged last year
The centrepiece of the $57.6 million package is a new drug court, based at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court, which will allow an additional 170 drug offenders to receive targeted support for their drug use.

It follows the success of a drug court in Dandenong and will provide extra rehabilitation beds and better services for Aboriginal Victorians.

The new funding follows $45 million pledged by the Government to tackle the drug last year.

Attorney-General Martin Pakula said the current system for dealing with drug users and offences is not working.

"The lack of effective sentencing options for serious drug-related offences has resulted in increased imprisonment rates, increased re-offending and a failure to address the underlying causes of addiction," he said.

"The drug court model is a sound and effective solution that gives offenders a better opportunity to turn their lives around."

Drug courts showing 'positive results'

Mental Health Minister Martin Foley said the new drug court system had shown positive results.

"What it does is place the interest of recovery above the interests of punishment," he said.

"It's had remarkable success and we intend to roll that model out around Victoria.

Ice action plan:

$32 million to expand the Drug Court of Victoria
$5.5 million for training and support for frontline workers
$6 million for Grampians mental health facility
$10 million to improve mental health, alcohol and other drug facilities
$4 million over four years to respond to ice in Aboriginal communities
"The support then leads to better outcomes as people both get their lives back together, get off the drugs and end their crime careers."

The package also includes $5.5 million for further training and support for frontline workers, and $10 million to improve mental health, alcohol and other drug facilities to improve patient outcomes.

An 18-20 bed mental health facility will also be established in the Grampians to serve the Ballarat community, at a cost of $6 million.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the training package will give skills and support to those working with ice users.

"If frontline workers are safer at work, they can do their job and save more lives," she said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-16/victoria-announces-another-57.6-million-to-tackle-ice/7332032


----------



## poledriver

*Bags of methylamphetamine*


Police found more than a million dollars worth of the drug ice in the bonnet of the car, next to the engine.


----------



## poledriver

^^

*Man caught with $1m worth of ice in car bonnet refused bail*

A 53-year-old Sydney man caught driving to Brisbane with more than $1 million worth of the drug ice has been refused bail in the Coffs Harbour Local Court.

Hoang Son Nguyen, from the south-western suburb of Cabramatta, and his 43-year-old male passenger came to the attention of police while stopped on the Pacific Highway just south of the Coffs Harbour CBD at about 3am on Sunday.

Police have not revealed why they stopped the car.

They say the men told them they were on their way to a wedding in Brisbane.

Coffs-Clarence crime manager Darren Jamieson said the bulk of the drugs were discovered in the car's engine space.

"Detectives located a meth pipe, cash and a small quantity of methylamphetamine in the car," Mr Jamieson said.

"They conducted a search and located the kilo of crystal ice secreted in the engine bay.

"That ice has a street value of well over $1 million."

The car was seized for forensic testing and Nguyen was charged with drug supply, possession of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, and carrying suspected proceeds of crime.

The man he was travelling with has been questioned by police but has not been charged.

Magistrate Jeffrey Linden refused Nguyen bail and adjourned the case to June.

Mr Jamieson said a new crime prevention strategy had seen police target vehicles travelling along the Pacific Highway.

"It's part of a wider strategy, looking at the transporting and carrying of illegal items or involving criminal offences," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-02/man-caught-with-more-than-1m-worth-of-ice-refused-bail/7376716


----------



## poledriver

*Townsville drug kingpin appeals against 11 year jail sentence for trafficking*

Lawyers for a Townsville man convicted of heading a north Queensland drug syndicate have lodged an appeal against his sentence.

Peter Andrew Heilbronn, 41, was jailed for 11 years after being found guilty of several charges, including drug trafficking and possessing dangerous drugs.

His trial in the Supreme Court earlier this year heard the former restaurateur was involved in at least seven cannabis supply deals between the Gold and Sunshine coasts and Townsville in 2011.

During the trial, police said Heilbronn had one man take $1 million worth of methamphetamine from Brisbane to Townsville in a plastic bucket.

Heilbronn's lawyers are appealing against the conviction and sentence.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-06/townsville-man-appeals-against-drug-ring-jail-sentence/7389664


----------



## Hiltoniano

It's pretty rediculous how often they mention a kilo of "Ice" is worth a million dollars. It may cost that much if you buy point for point from a dude who's up charging your ass dirty ( I'm in USA but I understand the higher prices in Australia) . Idk it seems like a tactic used by police to make it seem like they are doing something. And the media to continue the ice scare frenzy , a frenzy they are struggling to keep going on with.


----------



## poledriver

Yeah they do it with weed too, insane price marks ups. They probably do it with coke and heroin as well. 

I guess it makes the average idiot who knows jack shit about drugs think they are making huge busts and getting somewhere.. But of course they arent. There's never a shortage of drugs here if you know the right people.


----------



## manboychef

actually, taken that "$1m worth of ice" of the street only increases the value of the remaining ice by fractions of a percent.


----------



## poledriver

*Three men charged after 42kg of drug ice found in steel rollers*


*NSFW*: 















Two Taiwanese nationals and a Brisbane man have been charged with importing approximately 42 kilograms of the drug ice, which was found inside two large steel rollers on a sea consignment.

The three men were arrested after raids in Sydney and Brisbane on Wednesday afternoon, a statement from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said.

Wei Lun Lu, 28, and Chun Yuan Huang, 38, were arrested in Hurstville and charged with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine.

Both made a brief appearance at Sydney Central Local Court. They did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.

Prosecutors asked for an adjournment to allow for further forensic investigations and for telephone intercepts to be translated. The matter will return to the court on August 3.

A 37-year-old man from Sunnybank, in Brisbane, was arrested and charged with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine and is due to appear in court later.

Satisfying to know 420,000 street deals disrupted: AFP

The AFP statement said the Australian Border Force (ABF) were also involved in the operation.

AFP Commander Paul Osborne said the interception of the drug and the charging of the men was a clear win in the fight against illicit drugs.

"It is particularly satisfying to know that at least 420,000 street deals of methamphetamine won't be available in our communities as a result of this hard work."

NSW ABF Regional Commander Tim Fitzgerald said this detection demonstrated the value in using intelligence to identify and target high-risk sea cargo.

"The ABF works closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, including the AFP, to share intelligence and target criminal activity at the border," Commander Fitzgerald said.

The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.

Investigations into the matter are continuing.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-12/three-charged-over-42-kilograms-of-drug-ice/7409210


----------



## poledriver

*Major drug ring responsible for dealing ice in northern Victoria cracked, police say*



> A major drug ring responsible for dealing ice in northern Victoria has been cracked, police say.
> 
> Eight people were arrested on Wednesday morning after police seized drugs, including 230 grams of ice, along with cash, and stolen goods from homes across the region.
> 
> Officers searched 13 homes in Shepparton, Mooroopna, Echuca, Kyabram, Tatura, and at South Morang in Melbourne's outer north-east.
> 
> A quantity of stolen goods was also uncovered, including 13 motorbikes, computers, a tandem trailer, and tools.
> 
> Five men and one woman from Shepparton between the ages of 22 and 47 were arrested and are assisting police.
> 
> Another two men, from Mooroopna and Kyabram, were also arrested.
> 
> Police said the drug ring had links to illegal trafficking in New South Wales and the arrests came after an eight-month investigation.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-...acked-in-northern-victoria-police-say/7406156


----------



## poledriver

* Two men charged and 2kg of crystal meth seized*

Two men have been charged following a joint investigation into the importation of two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (ice) through the international air cargo stream.

Joint Taskforce Icarus officers – including the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Australian Border Force (ABF) and Victoria Police – concluded the investigation after the initial detection by ABF air cargo operations at Melbourne Airport on Thursday, 28 April 2016.

On Friday 6 May, AFP and Victoria Police arrested a 23-year-old Taiwanese national and a 22-year-old Chinese national.
Both have been charged with:

• one count of importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug, namely crystal methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), and 
• one count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5 and 11.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

The maximum penalty for those convicted of importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug is life imprisonment.

Both men are due to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday, 11 May).

Joint Taskforce Icarus targets those who seek to use the international mail stream and air cargo systems for criminal activity.

http://newsroom.border.gov.au/releases/two-men-charged-and-2kg-of-crystal-meth-seized


----------



## StudebakerHawk

Hiltoniano said:


> It's pretty rediculous how often they mention a kilo of "Ice" is worth a million dollars. It may cost that much if you buy point for point from a dude who's up charging your ass dirty ( I'm in USA but I understand the higher prices in Australia) . Idk it seems like a tactic used by police to make it seem like they are doing something. And the media to continue the ice scare frenzy , a frenzy they are struggling to keep going on with.



The cops and their LE sycophants always exaggerate to the max in Australian busts .... guess it sounds good in court , and makes them look good . And yes , they calculate the value on a $ per point basis , which gives totally unrealistic values .
One cannot take these numbers at all seriously....


----------



## JessFR

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...s|1|link|homepage|homepage&itmt=1463284986335



> *Into the vortex: Luke Williams’ spiral into ice-induced psychosis
> 
> LUKE Williams is a freelance journalist and former drug addict who was researching addiction to crystal meth, when the worst possible thing happened — he became addicted to it himself.*
> 
> This is an edited extract from his book The Ice Age, published with permission, about his descent into psychosis.
> 
> ***
> 
> A FEW years back, I met a 60-year-old guy named Bernard; he was smoking crystal meth in a public area in a gay sauna. I was between addictions, and so I didn’t join in — I just listened.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bernard was a very skinny, extremely well spoken, former private-school teacher. He was, first and foremost, polite and dignified. He talked in a kind of pure poetry, with just the right amount of detail, poise, and rhythm. He was old-fashioned, genteel; it was almost as if I had met the ghost of Patrick White.
> 
> As he smoked more meth, though, he began to resemble Mr Burns from The Simpsons, especially the episode in which Mr Burns is found in the woods and mistaken for an alien.
> 
> His voice became higher-pitched as he told me: “I had a good job, I was on a very good salary, I had a nice house, and I was very well-respected in the community. Then I met Crystal, and she wrapped her sweet, toxic tentacles around my heart and never let go.”
> 
> As the night wore on, he explained to me that when he smoked crystal meth, he could sit for hours on end with his eyes shut, imagining himself climbing mountains and surviving snow avalanches, or going on heroic journeys through deep tropical jungles.
> 
> “Once, I sat there for three straight days and explored these caves until I found the ruins of an ancient underground kingdom with huge castles and pyramids. When Crystal ran out of her love, I went and got more so I could continue with the adventure.”
> 
> This would often continue for up to 18 hours at a time. After years of going on these adventures, Bernard woke up to find he no longer had his job, or his salary, or his house — all of which, in turn, led him to smoke more meth.
> 
> ***
> 
> Jack Nagle was a tall blond basketball-mad 19-year-old living in Melbourne’s southeast suburbs when he decided it was time to broaden his horizons.
> 
> “I wanted to get out in the world, start mixing with people who weren’t from my high school,” he told me. “I guess there wasn’t really anything missing in my life, I just wanted to try new stuff, meet new girls, that kind of thing.”
> 
> Along the way, Jack stumbled across crystal meth. Curious — having already dabbled in other amphetamines — he smoked a bit, and then a little bit more, and then the next weekend, and the one after that, and then during the week, until he was lost in a fog of thoughts, ideas, and theories.
> 
> At one stage, he went on a 10-day binge, where he smoked more than $7500 worth of meth and was consumed by fantasies, starting with the recurring belief that he was at the airport waiting to get on a plane to Thailand, when he was, in fact, in his bedroom.
> 
> He told me that after a while, “I became convinced it was all part of a TV show plot, and that my life was a TV show, and I was being filmed all the time.
> 
> “Like The Truman Show?” I asked.
> 
> “Yes” Jack replied “exactly like The Truman Show,” and he went on to relate how he had once confronted a girl (who had rejected him) about her role on this TV show — she, quite naturally, freaked out.
> 
> “Eventually I started kind of performing for the camera,” he explained. “So one day I got home after a day of smoking, believing that the cameras were on me, and I thought to myself what a boring day it had been, and that the viewers probably would have been really annoyed with me. So I stood up in my lounge room and broke out in this mad dance for 15 minutes just so the audience would be entertained.”
> 
> ***
> 
> One winter evening in Perth, in 2014, Cassy McDonald took an intravenous shot of crystal meth in her suburban home and, almost immediately afterwards, heard her phone ringing.
> 
> “For some reason, I felt really desperate to answer it, like it was some kind of emergency,” she said.
> 
> “I had this feeling it was my mum calling to tell me something really important.”
> 
> Having decided that the phone must be somewhere in her car, she went out to the car, which was sitting unlocked in her driveway, and began to search.
> 
> “All I remember was fear; I was terrified, I locked all the doors and refused to get out, and ripped open all my dashboard and seats looking for the phone. It seemed like I was only in there a few hours, but I was in there for two whole days. I only came out when my partner’s sister pulled up with my son.”
> 
> After a long conversation with her sister-in-law, Cassy realised that not only had she been in the car for almost 48 hours, but also that she didn’t even own a mobile phone. Cassy had been experiencing a drug-induced psychosis, and in fact, as a former dealer, she has seen more than her fair share of people having psychotic episodes.
> 
> “There was one girl who came over and started plucking out all her eyebrow hairs. At first her eyebrows looked pretty good, but she just couldn’t stop. When she had not a single eyebrow hair left, she started on her hairline.”
> 
> ***
> 
> I put these three stories together to begin to illustrate the link between crystal meth and what we might call, at its simplest, imagination. In broad terms, this refers to the ability to form new images and sensations in the mind that are not perceived through the five senses.
> 
> What Bernard, Jack, and Cassy describe is neither a daydream, nor mild paranoia — instead, these experiences are all encompassing and self-generating, and produce complicated narratives and/or visions within a state that often blends, and then sometimes confuses, metaphor for reality.
> 
> I call this state the Vortex: powerful, self-perpetuating, highly graphic, highly detailed, highly imaginative, rolling-stream images and ideas that flow in your mind whether you like it or not.
> 
> They can be used for creative purposes; alternatively, one can get stuck in the “movie”, or fall into error, thereby taking them literally and entering what modern medicine would describe as a psychotic break.
> 
> The Vortex can be an irresistible force, often offering a visual narrative that is far more exciting than the here and now, and sometimes far more exciting than what some users will otherwise do in their entire lives. When I met Bernard, I hadn’t experienced the Vortex but I had experienced psychosis in the form of delusion.
> 
> In my experience, the Vortex — at least in the early days of my crystal meth use and abuse — followed the “up” of crystal meth use, the “Fantasia”; it usually occurred when I was alone. The images and ideas are far more vivid than Fantasia, so vivid that you almost can’t do anything other than experience them. They don’t just float in the background like they do in Fantasia, and they are often hard to articulate, especially during the experience.
> 
> The Vortex is a highly individualised and usually compulsive experience; fantasies rage through your head without the slightest bit of effort — but often these fantasies are not about yourself, your fears, or your desires, although they can be.
> 
> ***
> 
> There is often a waking, lucid-dream-like feeling to the Vortex, and not long after moving into my mate Smithy’s house, I entered this strange new world.
> 
> On one of the first nights at Smithy’s during which I took crystal meth, I remember he was entertaining three guests in his bedroom. He had music playing loudly, and I could hear them talking over the top of it.
> 
> I had the lamp on, and I was typing away at old notes from my rehab days, trying to pull together an article. I was typing away effortlessly, rhythmically, quickly, and without judgment. Soon there were 1000 words on the screen, then 2000, and then, as two hours passed in a few heartbeats, I had 4000 words written.
> 
> I had a break to make a cup of tea. As I was standing in the kitchen, leaning against the bench, I started seeing very vivid images of people I had once met at mardi gras. They were living in an alternate dimension that looked like rural Queensland centuries ago.
> 
> A few minutes later and I had written up these images as best as I could, but I was struggling to keep up with them as they joined together, becoming more like a movie.
> 
> As the night passed, I would either be trying to write these images down, though often struggling to articulate the detail, or I would become so enraptured with them that I would just stop and sit on the couch to enjoy the show.
> 
> People would appear in elaborate, original costumes; the valley and surrounds created themselves, conversations began, and plots thickened.
> 
> This was my first experience of the Vortex, and I loved it. When I started to become conscious of what was happening, though, I got into a bit of a panic. I began to see this process as a kind of creative ecstasy that could yield very positive results; but then it seemed that the more I willed it, the more I wanted it, the more I brought my ego into it, the less vivid and self-generating it became.
> 
> To return to the night in question, though — at around four in the morning, I became aware that Smithy’s guests had left. This occurred to me because Smithy was hovering around me, pinching his crotch. He was hovering like ... let’s say, a cat that had just swallowed a bird, or a kid about to ask their parents for money.
> 
> Smithy had a tendency to mumble when he was on crystal meth, though it was nonetheless clear to me that he, too, was having wildly vivid fantasies of his own.
> 
> At this early stage of me living in the house, though, he seemed hesitant to give away the detail of his visions; it was almost as if he were giving me bits and pieces of what he was thinking to either get me to fill in the gaps or to get me interested.
> 
> Eventually, these hyper-sexed images of his broke into my already dwindling creative stream, and in turn started another self-perpetuating, perhaps even clearer, image stream that I struggled to switch off — a rolling movie of crazy, hot, sex.
> 
> The Vortex, it seemed, had grown a libido, and the images even had a Fantasia-like quality, featuring me performing as a sexual champion with various lost and unrequited lovers.
> 
> After a short time, I moved into my bedroom and started masturbating to this self-generating porn that seemed as if it had been made just for me, with all the people I liked best, performing the most erotic acts I could imagine.
> 
> I found these images totally captivating, “even better than the real thing”. In the “real thing”, people weren’t at my beck and call; the actual world, with its limited opportunities, rules, and actual other human beings was always going to run a distant second place to a magical alternate reality where I was the star and nearly anything — and everything — was possible.
> 
> So there I was under the blanket; the light was on, and I was pulling and pulling, and I didn’t want these movies to stop, and I kept pulling, but I couldn’t seem to ejaculate. So I kept going, and then I saw, from under the plastic blind in my tiny bedroom with nothing in it but my bed, that it was starting to get light outside.
> 
> I remember thinking that it must have been at least an hour that I had been masturbating because it had become day. No matter how hard I tried, though, I couldn’t ejaculate. The “movies” just kept getting better, and I couldn’t stop watching them: for one thing, it felt as if I wasn’t actually in control of them or of anything I was doing. And, naturally, I was also enjoying being there.
> 
> I think it’s fairly well recognised that sexual fantasy can express more than just sexual desire, and that the things we fantasise about are not necessarily those we want to do in real life. But I found the sexual fantasies I experienced in the Vortex to be especially morally complicated; they presented me simultaneously as who I wanted to be, and who I would never, ever want to be.
> 
> And yet the more unpleasant and unclean the fantasies became, the more exciting they seemed. When I finally finished, I pulled the blanket off myself; my hair and face were as wet as if I’d just got out of the shower, and it seemed as if the daylight had been part of the Vortex: it was clearly still dark outside.
> 
> So I got up and walked into the kitchen, where Smithy looked at me in surprise.
> 
> “Where have you been?” he said. “What time is it?” I asked.
> 
> “It’s about 8.45.”
> 
> “8.45 at night?”
> 
> “Yep — where you have been all day?”
> 
> “All day?”
> 
> “Yep, you were gone for ages,” Smithy said.
> 
> “What day is it?”
> 
> “It’s Sunday night. Have you been in that bedroom all day?” Smithy asked.
> 
> Yes, I had. I had been masturbating for sixteen hours non-stop, and it felt as if I had been in there for less than an hour.
> 
> ***
> 
> Twenty years ago, Rebecca McKetin did a PhD on whether repeated amphetamine use could cause psychosis in lab rats.
> 
> At the time, this was considered a fringe topic in Australia. Today, McKetin is an internationally renowned expert on the links between crystal meth use and psychotic meltdowns.
> 
> In her long-term study, McKetin found that methamphetamine users are five times more likely to show symptoms of psychosis than non-users.
> 
> The study also showed that the greater the dose, the greater the risk of psychosis. The risk of psychosis also increased with the severity of dependence, and dependent methamphetamine users were a particularly high-risk group for psychosis even after adjusting for a history of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
> 
> The study also found that other factors often associated with regular meth use, such as lack of sleep, a history of trauma, and the concurrent use of alcohol and cannabis, also increased the odds of psychosis.
> 
> ***
> 
> After that first weekend in the Vortex at Smithy’s, I was determined to make the most of these self-generating images. I thought the best way to handle this was to use in low doses, sit myself down at a computer as soon as I had a dose, and concentrate on putting energy into creative ideas.
> 
> Poetry, songs, more ideas for novels followed.
> 
> Songs? Yes — while my dad is a musician, and I used to sing as a young teenager, I have never played an instrument, played in a band, or done anything remotely musical as an adult. Yet here I was, writing and performing songs — even if they weren’t exactly worth listening to.
> 
> What happened next is evidence of my increasingly delusional state.
> 
> One of the reasons I began writing music was that I had met some professional musicians when I was in Sydney who were exceptionally kind and who had invited me to a few events. During a conversation with one of them — a well-known performer from London — at an after-party, he told me that I had a made a “boring choice” to become a lawyer when I obviously enjoyed doing creative things, and he asked me if I ever felt like writing music.
> 
> When I was high on crystal meth, I would daydream about these events, and eventually decided that these musicians had deliberately sought me out because they believed me to be an extraordinary talent who could be a professional musician, and that they had started me on something called “The Journey”.
> 
> I even believed that, at times, the performer from London was sending me lyrics for songs via telepathy.
> 
> At other times, these delusions would darken, and I believed that they had invited me to the events in order to pretend that they wanted me to become a professional musician, so I would make a fool of myself on stage, and they would get revenge on me for a long list of other nasty things I had, in turn, done to other people throughout my life.
> 
> One day I started having invasive thoughts about things people had said on Facebook that I didn’t understand. The more I thought about these references, the more it seemed like everyone, collectively, was making fun of me.
> 
> At the time I was also freelance writing, so I thought I would go over to a friend’s and check the computer to see if my article had been published. I googled my name, and some key words from the article, and nothing came up — instead, one of the first hits to come up was a blog written by an American musician of the same name. When I clicked on this blog, which was showcasing this other Luke Williams’ new music, it struck me how poorly written and self-absorbed it was.
> 
> I immediately thought that everyone was making fun of me and had invented this satirical blog to send me up.
> 
> Because I found it so incredibly clichéd and poorly expressed, I decided that it must be a parody. A parody of me! And, for some reason, I linked this back to my failed attempt at doing a show at Triple J — that somehow the people behind this were people who I used to work with at the station, who were making fun of me.
> 
> And when I went back to my Facebook feed, it looked like all my triple j ex-colleagues were making coded allusions to me, and how lame I was, in their status updates.
> 
> I contacted a trusted friend, who was able to talk me down from my delusion, and soothe me, at least momentarily.



I dunno what to make of this, it's from a news site yet clearly an ad. But now I'm wondering what kinda crystal meth have they been doing... Causes while i wouldn't call meth my drug of choice and i haven't done nearly as much meth as i have opioids or benzos etc, but i sure haven't experienced any adventures on meth like they're talking about, unless you consider annoying your boyfriend by endlessly talking about some subject on my mind at 50 words a second constantly branching off topic into hour long subtopics before getting back to where I started making the whole thing take hours in an almost entirely one sided conversation until he just shuts me up by kissing me and.... giving me another outlet for my energy that he'll find much less boring, an adventure.


----------



## poledriver

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/730962-Life-as-a-Crystal-Meth-Addict


----------



## poledriver

*Senior judge declares war on drugs has been lost in WA*






A meth epidemic fuelled by mine workers rolling with cash and Chinese drug cartels has led to Western Australia becoming a "world leader" in ice use.

A senior WA judge warned the war on drugs has been lost due to the inability of authorities to stem the supply of ice.

While handing down a sentence to a crystal meth dealer Beau Darran Udell on Tuesday, District Court Judge Philip McCann labelled the state's ice epidemic a "national and international disgrace".

He said Chinese drug cartels targeted the booming WA economy and imported ice "by the tonne", according to The West Australian.

"We are the world leaders. It is a national disgrace. It’s an international disgrace," he said.

"That horse bolted years ago when WA’s rich, booming economy allowed it to become the preferred market of the international drug gangs."






Judge McCann's comments were based on figures featured in the 2013 national drug strategy household survey.

The survey found 3.8 percent of people aged over 13 in WA had used methamphetamine during the previous year, with the percentage of people using it in the form of crystal meth or ice rising from 43.9 to 78.2 percent - well above national comparisons.

However, WA Health Department data suggests the problem has worsened since the 2013 survey.

" We can no longer do anything to stop the predatory importing of the drug by Chinese criminal gangs and their Australian affiliates," Judge McCann said.

"The damage now seems to have almost irreparably been done."

Judge McCann sentenced Udell to four years in jail.

The court heard Udell's ice habit began to spiral out of control in about 2013.

He had been dealing ice out of Mandurah's Atrium Hotel when caught.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...drugs-has-been-lost-in-wa#FRmGLj7QhO17fwio.99


----------



## poledriver

* Gold Coast men charged after cross-border 'ice' raids*



> wo men from the Gold Coast are among seven people arrested after a series of coordinated drug raids across Queensland and New South Wales.
> 
> Detectives seized drugs and more than $100,000 after raiding 18 properties across central and northern NSW and the Gold Coast yesterday as part of Strike Force Yellowbox.
> 
> The two Queensland men arrested, aged 29 and 45, are due to be extradited from the Gold Coast to NSW.
> 
> They have been charged with supply prohibited drug of a large commercial quantity and knowingly direct activities of a criminal group.
> 
> Police said the arrests were the result of long-running investigations targeting a large-scale drug supply syndicate distributing methamphetamines.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-18/gold-coast-men-charged-in-cross-border-'ice'-raids/7424084


----------



## poledriver

*'Ice' scourge: Regional drug courts touted as possible answer in Warrnambool drug fight*

One of south-west Victoria's top policemen says regional drug courts could be the key to breaking the cycle of drug use and incarceration.

Delegates from Victoria Police, the Australian Drug Foundation and drug practitioners descended on Warrnambool last week, to forge a new approach to tackling the 'ice' epidemic.

Data from Victoria's Police Association has revealed 80 per cent of criminal cases in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court are related to ice use.

The project manager of the Great South Coast Ice Action Plan and Warrnambool Senior Sergeant, Steve Thompson, said users needed to be diverted away from the criminal justice system.

"There's a lot of issues around that, around funding, the model we take, the infrastructure that is required but certainly speaking on behalf of police across the Great South Coast, we would welcome any opportunity to be involved in any sort of front-running, proactive programs like drug courts," he said.

Senior Sergeant Thompson conceded the region's approach to ice was not working.

He said enforcement alone was not the answer.

"The reality is that, with other agencies and organisations, we haven't made great in-roads into the problem," he said.



> "The problem is still there, it's as real for us now as it ever was and with ice, in a lot of ways, it's probably worse and more in the spotlight than it's ever been."


- Senior Sergeant Steve Thompson

"So what I think our focus should be going forward is diverting people away from the criminal justice system."

As part of the initiative, six local government areas from across the south-west will have 100 days to develop their own ice prevention plans.

The facilitator of the Great South Coast Ice Action Plan, David Stewart, said he hoped it would lead to a more coordinated, regional approach.

"Part of the screening is to make sure there's a difference between what's well intended and what's effective, so we're informing them as much as they can so they can go and test that," he said.

More focus urged on socio-economic conditions

Former ice addict Michael said any approach must put a greater focus on the socio-economic conditions that led to drug use.

"In terms of preventing it now, it would be going back and looking at it, personally for me, when I was 12 years old and I had all of this anxiety and disconnection and 'uncomfortability' in the world," he said.

"If there was more of an open forum for me to talk about it and less of a stigma around young kids in mental health, it could of worked out differently for me and I think that's where we need to look at."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-...-looks-for-new-approach-to-fight-drug/7437336


----------



## poledriver

*Ice users turning to GHB fuels resurgence on Gold Coast: Police*

There has been a resurgence in the use of the date rape drug GHB on the Gold Coast, Queensland police say.

Officers from Taskforce Maxima have recently made a number of significant seizures of the drug gamma hydroxybutyrate - also known as liquid fantasy.

In April a raid at Southport netted 16 litres, along with counterfeit money and loaded guns.

The raid took an estimated 5,300 hits of the drug, worth $100,000, off the street.

Taskforce Maxima Detective Superintendent Mick Niland said ice users were turning to the downer to help them come down and sleep.

"Ice users are using GHB to come down off ice where they haven't slept for three or four days," he said.

Hits of fantasy, sold in fish-shaped soy sauce containers, sell for about $20.

"Some of the suppliers and traffickers are utilising the little soy sauce containers that they call 'fishies'," Superintendent Niland said.

"A user would probably only use one to three millimetres and it's a fine line between experiencing what they call a euphoric experience to going into unconsciousness."

'We haven't been good at holding perpetrators accountable'

GHB is a colourless, odourless drug that looks like water and is commonly used in sexual assaults.

 Dealers are using soy sauce squeeze packs or 'fishies' to traffic GHB on the Gold Coast.

PHOTO: Queensland police say dealers are using 'fishies' to traffic GHB on the Gold Coast. (ABC News: Ashleigh Stevenson)





Gold Coast Centre Against Sexual Violence director Di McLeod said the recent resurgence was concerning.

"GHB has been a problem that's waxed and waned over the years, certainly in the 14 years that we've been involved in looking at drink spiking and sexual assault," she said.

"The more drugs that are available the more likely they are to be used in these kinds of ways."

Ms McLeod said it was important that perpetrators of sexual assault were held accountable.

"I think women have been very vigilant in watching their drinks and looking out for each other," Ms McLeod said.

"But what we haven't been good at is holding the perpetrators accountable.

"We need to be saying very clearly if you use drugs and alcohol to get sex then there's a name for you and that's rapist.

"You're committing a crime because you're taking away a person's right to consent."


----------



## poledriver

*Man who killed a 22-year-old woman and stuffed her body in a wheelie bin knew how to 'play the system' and was high on ice when he murdered her despite being on parole for other serious crimes*



> Sarah Cafferkey, 22, was stabbed to death in a Melbourne unit in 2012
> Double murderer Steven James Hunter was high on ice when he killed her
> Hunter served 13 years for murdering another woman in 1986
> He killed Ms Cafferkey just 11 days after parole ended for other offences
> A Victorian coroner said on Wednesday Hunter had 'played the system'



Double murderer Steven James Hunter 'played the system' and was under the influence of ice when he killed a 22-year-old and stuffed her body in a wheelie bin, according to a Victorian coroner.
Law student Sarah Cafferkey and Hunter would often meet up to use drugs and drink alcohol, but after an argument in 2012, the convicted killer stabbed and bashed the young woman to death at his Bacchus Marsh unit in Melbourne.
Hunter, who previously served 13 years for killing another woman in 1986, killed Ms Cafferkey just 11 days after his parole ended for assault and kidnapping offences.






'Because of his unchanged attitude towards violence, in particular violence against women, Hunter posed a real risk to the community, both when he commenced his parole and at the end of his parole period,' Victorian coroner Judge Ian Gray said on Wednesday.
'In the interests of community safety, this fact should have been drawn to the attention of the [Adult Parole Board].' 

The APB was not made aware of a report, written while Hunter was on parole, that made it clear he needed substantial further intervention.
There was little time between the May 2012 report, after Hunter failed to complete a group program, and the end of his parole on October 30. But no attempt was made to intervene.
'It was only a brief window of opportunity but should have been taken,' Judge Gray said.  
'Hunter was able to play the system'. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ce-murdered-Bacchus-Marsh-Melbourne-unit.html


----------



## poledriver

*Experts Agree that the War on Ice is Lost, But Will Governments Shift Focus?*



> A Western Australian Judge has declared the State has lost its war on drugs, as suppliers are undeterred by heavy penalties and increased enforcement measures.
> 
> During a District Court sentencing hearing, Judge Philip McCann called the ‘ice epidemic’ “a national and international disgrace,” blaming the continuing flow of the drug on Chinese drug cartels.
> 
> He conceded that drug experts are correct to say it is impossible to stop supply into the State by “criminal gangs in Asia”, who he believes targeted the growing drug market created by the WA mining boom.
> 
> Drug Use in Western Australia
> 
> The 2013 national drug survey found that 3.8% of Western Australians aged over 13 had used methamphetamine during the previous year, significantly higher than the national average of 2.1%. The percentage using the crystalised version, or ice, rose from 43.9 to 78.2% between 2012 to 2013 – also well-above the rise in other jurisdictions.
> 
> The Judge added that WA Health Department data suggests the problem has worsened since the 2013 survey.
> 
> “We can no longer do anything to stop the predatory importing of the drug by Chinese criminal gangs and their Australian affiliates,” he said, suggesting that increased penalties and the targeting of offenders has done little to stem the problem.
> 
> “The damage now seems to have almost irreparably been done. The opportunities to do something about this were lost some years ago.”
> 
> State Response
> 
> Last year, the WA government established dedicated methamphetamine taskforces, conducting the biggest drug operation in the State’s history. Police Minister Liza Harvey said “Meth Transport Teams” were aiming to stop the flow of the drug from Asia.
> 
> The expensive initiative appears to achieved little, other than wasting taxpayer money and further demonising and alienating low-level users.
> 
> Government Initiatives
> 
> In last week’s State Budget, WA Treasurer Mike Nahan took the positive step of unveiling a $15 million boost to the Mental Health Commission, designed to target methamphetamine use. But at the same time, he set aside an additional $5.5 million for roadside drug testing.
> 
> Late last year, the Federal government committed to a $300 million strategy aimed at implementing recommendations by the National Ice Taskforce. Much of the money will be going to ‘primary health networks’ such as hospitals and medical centres, in order to treat users and assist them to overcome addiction.
> 
> And while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has conceded that “we cannot arrest our way to success,” the Federal Government’s continues invest the lion’s share of resources into punitive measures rather than prevention and diversion.
> 
> Prevention is Better than a ‘Cure’
> 
> Justice Minister Michael Keenan has acknowledged that police are struggling to control supply, suggesting more should be done to educate and reduce demand. “If we are going to break the drug dealer’s model, we need to smash demand,” he said.
> 
> Reducing demand requires adequate funding to services which address the factors leading to addiction in the first place, including those which help improve socio-economic status and mental health. Spending on housing, employment support and mental health services has been shown by initiatives like justice reinvestment to decrease demand, reduce crime and enhance social cohesion and economic productivity.
> 
> The UN Office 2013 World Drug Report says that for every dollar spent on prevention, there is a benefit of four to seven dollars to the economy overall. Such investments can reduce healthcare and enforcement costs, while enhancing productivity.
> 
> Professor Nick Crofts of The Nossal Institute for Global Health was recently commissioned to report on the problem of methamphetamine use. “We interviewed something like 50 senior police, senior magistrates, senior politicians, senior public servants,” he said. “Every one of them, unanimously, said, ‘You are absolutely right and we totally agree with you, we need to move away from prohibition, we need more social policy, and you will never catch me saying that in public’.”
> 
> It is hoped State and Federal governments act upon that “unanimous” view, and move away from the current punitive model.



https://sydneydruglawyers.com.au/bl...ice-is-lost-but-will-governments-shift-focus/


----------



## poledriver

*Up to 200kg of meth seized after foreign boat intercepted off WA's Mid West coast*

A number of people are facing charges over what is alleged to be one of Western Australia's biggest drug seizures, linked to a suspicious boat that was intercepted off Geraldton in the Mid West.

Deputy commissioner Gary Dreibergs said 200kg of methamphetamine had been seized, the equivalent of 2 million individual hits on the streets, valued at $200 million.

He said 14 people would be charged over "the biggest methamphetamine seizure in WA this year".

"It is evident that this seizure is part of a well-funded, highly-organised, sophisticated overseas criminal organisation," he said.

"Without the outstanding joint work of all Australian law enforcement agencies, this result would not have been achieved."

The details of the case and those charged had been the subject of strict suppression orders issued by the Perth Magistrates Court in closed hearings over the past few days.

The investigation into the alleged drug smuggling operation started when the foreign boat was intercepted earlier this month and escorted to the Geraldton Fishermen's Wharf, 400 kilometres north of Perth.

The vessel was inspected for several days as firefighters wearing protective gear removed containers suspected to have been used to hold chemicals.

The operation involved officers from WA Police, the Australian Federal Police (AFP), and Australian Border Force.

Eight Chinese crew were later taken into immigration detention by the AFP as they "did not have valid visas to enter Australia".

Police then raided homes across Perth and arrested a number of people.

All three agencies have refused to make any comment until the planned media conference.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-27/meth-seized-after-arrest-of-geraldton-boat-crew/7450716


----------



## poledriver

^ more on that case -



> Media Release: Drug importation syndicate smashed, drugs worth $200 million seized
> Release Date: Friday, May 27 2016, 11:36 AM
> 
> This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Western Australia Police, Australian Crime Commission and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre.
> 
> A Western Australia Joint Organised Crime Task Force operation has resulted in drug importation charges being laid against 14 people and the seizure of approximately 200 kilograms of methamphetamine worth approximately $200 million.
> 
> The operation commenced on the 27th of April following the detection by Australian Border Force of a suspect commercial fishing boat off the Western Australia coast near Geraldton.
> 
> Subsequent investigations led officers to a number of locations across Perth. Search warrants executed at an address in East Cannington saw approximately 150 kilograms of methylamphetamine seized while additional warrant activity at an Embleton house resulted in approximately 50 kilograms of methylamphetamine seized.
> 
> This is the biggest methylamphetamine seizure in Western Australian this year, and the biggest since the seizure of more than 320 kilograms of methylamphetamine in September 2015.
> 
> It will be alleged in court that the people charged today were part of an organized criminal syndicate that facilitated the transport of the drugs from the fishing boat to Western Australia via small watercraft.
> 
> Six Malaysian nationals aged between 24 and 54-years-old and eight Chinese nationals aged between 37 and 56-years-old have been charged with commercial drug importation offences. The eight Chinese nationals were the crew of the commercial fishing boat.
> 
> Australian Federal Police acting Assistant Commissioner David Stewart said this result is a testament to the dedication and tenacity of the five partners in the taskforce.
> 
> “Since its establishment in April 2015, the WA JOCTF has now charged 43 people with drug and other offences. And with this most recent seizure, more than 275 kilograms of illicit substances have been removed from Perth’s and Australia’s streets.”
> 
> “The globalisation of crime has become so complex that the law enforcement response requires a high degree of sophistication and collaboration in order to combat transnational crime networks. Leveraging the capability of each agency is a powerful force multiply that delivers a significant impact on these criminal enterprises and protects Australians from harm,” acting Assistant Commissioner Stewart said.
> 
> WA Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Dreibergs said this quantity of methylamphetamine could cause immense harm in Western Australia as it equated to more than two million individual hits.
> 
> “It is the job of WA Police and its partner agencies to tackle the supply of this highly addictive drug in our community,” Deputy Commissioner Dreibergs said.
> 
> “The criminal syndicates that profit from the misery caused by ‘ice’ are firmly in our sights. We have achieved unprecedented success targeting the supply of this drug through strong relationships with our law enforcement partners combined with our local reach.”
> 
> Australian Border Force Regional Commander WA Rod O’Donnell said during the operation, in addition to the ABF’s embedded officers at the JOCTF, its assets played a crucial role in providing surveillance of the vessel as it moved down the Western Australian coastline.
> 
> “This once again demonstrates the ABF’s significant maritime capability and presence in our northern waters, and the crucial role the ABF plays in preventing criminal syndicates from using our maritime borders to import drugs into Australia,” Commander O’Donnell said.
> 
> Australian Crime Commission CEO Chris Dawson said this 200 kilograms seizure could have resulted in approximately two million street deals of methylamphetamine with an estimated street value of $200 million.
> 
> “The Australian Crime Commission has assessed that methylamphetamine poses—by far—the greatest threat to the Australian public of all illicit drug types, and by a significant margin,” Mr Dawson said.
> 
> “These shipments of illicit drugs would have devastated countless individuals, families and communities.”
> 
> Peter Clark, Deputy CEO of Australia’s financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC, said his organisation is working closely with partners in law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle criminal syndicates.
> 
> “We are committed to tracking the money trail of these criminal networks that pose a threat to our national security and our economy,” Mr Clark said.
> 
> The WA JOCTF is a team of specialists from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Western Australia Police (WAPOL), Australian Crime Commission (ACC), Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC).
> 
> The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.



http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/news/afp/2016/may/media-release-drug-importation-syndicate-smashed-drugs-worth-$200-million-seized


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force

2 hrs ·  · World News

Police have charged two men after $76,000 of the drug ‘ice’ was seized in the state’s Far West.

About 10am yesterday (Friday 27 May 2016), police stopped a vehicle on Iodine Street, Broken Hill.

As a result of the vehicle stop, police attended a motel on Argent Street, searching a room and allegedly locating 76 grams of the drug ‘ice’, with a potential street value of $76,000.

Two men from South Australia, both aged 38, were arrested at the location.

The two men were taken to Broken Hill Police Station where they were both charged with supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug.

They were refused bail to appear at Broken Hill Local Court today (Saturday 28 May 2016).


----------



## poledriver

*SA police officer tests positive to meth*








> South Australian police officer has been suspended with pay after testing positive to methamphetamine.
> 
> The officer, who was from an operational area, was assessed under the first targeted workplace drug tests conducted by South Australia Police.
> 
> It's expected the officer will face the Police Disciplinary Tribunal at a later date, SAPOL said in a statement on Monday.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...er-tests-positive-to-meth#EiMUu544z7Uk3Lg7.99


----------



## poledriver

Australian Federal Police

2 hrs ·  · World News

Did you catch this over the weekend?

After a three-month operation, we arrested four people and seized 140 kilos of meth in Sydney’s West.

These drugs have a street value of around $80 MILLION dollars, in what we believe was an attempt by West African and Mexican organised crime syndicates to try and reach the Australian community.

Take a look at behind the scenes footage of some of the arrests, successfully disrupting an international criminal operation.

Together with Australian Border Force, we will continue to protect the community from the scourge of drugs.


----------



## poledriver

*Drugs seized in Sydney with street value of $80 million*






Four men in Sydney have been arrested over a shipment of 140 kilograms of methylamphetamine that authorities say was an operation driven by Mexican and West African organised crime.

The drugs were seized during a joint operation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Border Force (ABF).

AFP Commander Chris Sheehan said the drugs, which have a street value of about $80 million, were first intercepted by ABF officers at Port Botany in March.

"Two sea cargo containers from Mexico were intercepted in Sydney and searched," he said.

"Each of those [containers] contained diesel generators which contained methylamphetamine."

Regional Commander for the ABF Tim Fitzgerald said the generators were used in an attempt to go undetected by X-ray machines.

"The generators, being large mechanical items, were used to conceal the narcotics in an attempt to defeat the X-ray that we have in place at our container examination facility," he said.

Under Operation Fuchia, the AFP then monitored the delivery of the importation to a house in Rossmore in Sydney's south-west.

Commander Sheehan said three people were arrested in Sydney and charged last night with drug importation offences.






A fourth person was arrested in Melbourne in connection with the importation and he was expected to be charged later today.

The arrests followed raids on six properties including Rossmore, Quakers Hill, St Marys, Parramatta and Rooty Hill in Sydney's west and south-west.

Commander Sheehan said the haul was connected to a global syndicate.

"This is a case of Mexican organised crime cooperating with West African organised crime," he said.

"Supplying commercial scale quantities to the Australian community.

"From an AFP perspective the cooperation between these two global organised crime units is unusual."

While Commander Fitzgerald added: "They have gone to great lengths in an attempt to defeat our activities at the border."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-04/drugs-seized-in-sydney-worth-more-than-$80-million/7477760


----------



## FlittyKitty

Great thread, thank you. I'm Aussie based and the Ice scourge is heart breaking. I work with addicts, have never tried it myself and I always hear them say the same thing...How evil it is. I've had a couple of very prominent surprising names of users and possible suppliers told to me too....it is indeed a dirty dirty murky world. Our Government is fighting it but it is one tough battle......


----------



## poledriver

*'Ice' scourge: Shepparton residents urged to 'Dob in a Dealer' in bid to quell drug use*

Shepparton has been identified as a priority region in Australia for police to help tackle the effects of the drug 'ice'.

Crime Stoppers has this month launched its Shepparton 'Dob in a Dealer' campaign to help authorities crack down on the manufacture and supply of ice in the city.

The campaign has previously been run in the region and helped police arrest more perpetrators involved in dealing and making the prohibited substance.

Shepparton has been identified by authorities as one of 17 Victorian regions battling with the effects of the illegal drug.

Crime Stoppers' spokesman Chris Plumridge said the drug was a scourge on regional communities.

"Not only does it ruin people's lives but it ruins [the lives of] people's families ... and also the lives of people in the community because drugs in themselves are a crime but then lead to other crimes ... crimes against property and people," he said.

"So in order to help keep people safe in your local community it really is very important all the community gets behind the Dob in a Dealer campaign."

He said the campaign was effective in helping police tackle the drug problems that had emerged in many regional communities.

"We think it's been really, really effective," he said.

"We've seen an increase in almost all information reports relating to drugs and methylamphetamine in those local communities.

"We've visited Wangaratta, Mildura, Ballarat and Bendigo and there's still a few locations coming up as well that we are really keen to get to and spread the message."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-08/shepparton-residents-urged-to-help-quell-'ice'-use/7489024


----------



## geekedupmaiden

It sounds like bath salt trips to me...


----------



## poledriver

What does?


----------



## poledriver

*Man charged with importing 11kg of ephedrine in plastic plates*








> Australian Border Force (ABF) investigators have charged a 30-year-old Strathfield man with importing 11kg of ephedrine concealed in plastic plates.
> 
> On 9 June 2016, ABF officers targeted a parcel from China addressed to a residence in Strathfield, NSW.
> 
> The officers examined the parcels of plastic plates which were found to have concealments of powder within each plate. Initial testing of the substance was positive for ephedrine.
> 
> Following further investigation and warrant activity, the man was charged with intentionally importing prohibited tier 1 goods, contrary to Section 233BAA(4) of the Customs Act 1901, which carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and or a fine not exceeding $180,000 or both.
> 
> Acting ABF Commander Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Craig Palmer, said that stopping the importation of ephedrine into Australia was an important step in reducing the local manufacture of methamphetamine.
> 
> “The ABF seizes kilograms of precursor drugs like these in the mail, in cargo, and at airports every week,” A/g Commander Palmer said.
> 
> “By stopping these substances at the border, we’re disrupting the local manufacture of methamphetamine and depriving criminal syndicates of a product to sell.”
> 
> Ephedrine is used as a precursor agent in the manufacture of illegal amphetamine substances, such as ice.
> 
> The man is scheduled to appear before Parramatta Local Court today.



http://newsroom.border.gov.au/relea...importing-11kg-of-ephedrine-in-plastic-plates


----------



## poledriver

*Four men charged with drug offences in Perth*











This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police, Western Australia Police, New South Wales Police, and the Australian Crime Commission.

Four men have been charged in Perth with drug-related offences following the seizure of 21.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, reducing the supply of illicit drugs to the Australian community.

The operation – a collaboration between the AFP-led National Anti-Gangs Squad (NAGS), the Australian Crime Commission, Western Australia Police and NSW Police Force – targeted an Asian organised crime syndicate allegedly trafficking drugs from Sydney to Perth.

As a result of investigations stemming from Australian Crime Commission intelligence, police will allege the crime group sent two separate packages, containing a combined weight of five kilograms of methamphetamine, through a transport company from Sydney to Perth.

On 14 June 2016 police conducted a controlled delivery of the consignments in Western Australia.

NAGS WA, Australian Crime Commission Perth Office and the Western Australia Police Gang Crime Squad then executed a search warrant at an address in Woodlands, WA, locating the drug packages and equipment consistent with commercial drug distribution. Further search warrants were executed in the Perth suburbs of Burswood, Balga and Belmont, where smaller quantities of methamphetamine and $19,000 cash were seized.

A 38-year-old man from Mount Pritchard NSW and a 38-year-old man from Balga WA were arrested in a car park following the WA warrants. Both were charged with attempted possession of prohibited drugs with intent to supply under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1981 WA. Two further men, aged 39 and 42 from Woodlands WA, were arrested and also charged with the same offence, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment.

All four men were refused bail and appeared in Perth Magistrates Court yesterday (15 June 2016).

As part of the same operation, NAGS NSW, NSW Police Force’s Chemical Operations Team and the Cabramatta Local Area Command executed a search warrant at a Mount Pritchard address in Sydney, locating 13 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately $20,000. A second Mount Pritchard search warrant at a separate address uncovered a clandestine drug laboratory with 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine seized.

The operation demonstrates the coordinated approach between Commonwealth and State agencies across jurisdictions to target crime groups and criminal networks at the source.

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/media-release-four-men-charged-drug-offences-perth


----------



## poledriver

*Why Ben Cousins' drug addiction is no longer a laughing matter to people *

Let's make this clear from the start: fallen AFL star Ben Cousins is a full-blown drug addict.

This isn't some sycophantic homage by a West Coast tragic to a former favourite son of the club.

Cousins has been battling the demons of addiction in full view of the public.

The media, including myself, have feasted on his crippling ice-addiction, his stints in rehab and his bizarre erratic behaviour, which again spilled into the public domain on Sunday after Cousins was spotted directing traffic in Como.






Despite the public outcry against the media for "dining out on his misery", it will continue to report on Cousins because the fading footy star's drug-fuelled antics are a matter of public interest.

When it was first revealed the former West Coast Eagles and Richmond champion's drug addiction was spiralling out-of-control, there was little or no public sympathy for the Brownlow medallist.

In fact, people were relentless and brutal when attacking Cousins on social media for his partying ways.

But after his last peculiar public performance, the narrative towards the 37-year-old has taken a dramatic turn.

It's as if people have taken a collective sigh and realised the one-time pin-up boy is just another drug statistic.

Hundreds of people posted on WAtoday's Facebook page saying they now felt nothing but sadness for Cousins.

People wanted him to get help and get well.

He is just one of the thousands of other people around Australia whose lives and those of their families are getting ripped apart by the ice epidemic.

He is an addict.

According to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey of 2013, two per cent of Australians used methamphetamine or "ice" in the previous 12 months.

More than 15 per cent of those people used it daily or weekly, compared to 9.3 per cent in 2010.

In May, the Federal Government went on a $9 million, six-week ad campaign blitz showing the dangers and realities of the drug.

And the Barnett government has promised almost $15 million to combat Perth's meth crisis.

Steve Allsop from the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University said the long-term effects of ice on the body were devastating.

And he said the major problem with ice addiction, is that it rarely involves just one drug.

"This is not a new phenomena – people will often use other stimulants and opiates and then take other substances so they can sleep," he told WAtoday.

"But the impacts of using drugs like alcohol can be long-term and permanent brain damage.

"And with ice, people don't tend to eat, so people are vulnerable to illness and cardiovascular disease."

Dr Allsop said even after someone was clean for months, there was still the high risk of relapse because of sleep deprivation.

"What happens is some people might not sleep for two or three or four nights, so it starts to affect their mental and physical well-being," he said.

"So they might start to feel depressed or anxious, so that's when they relapse."

Professor Allsop said one of the major problems treating meth addicts was the lack of "standardised medication".

"If you are an alcoholic there is medication; if you are a heroin addict there is medication, but if you are a meth addict there is no accepted or authorised medication at the moment," he said.

http://www.watoday.com.au/comment/w...aughing-matter-to-people-20160627-gpszj2.html


----------



## slimvictor

What's so bad about directing traffic?  

(Sorry, I shouldn't make light of what must be a bad addiction...)


----------



## poledriver

Incase anyone wonts to know a bit more about Ben and his drug addiction(s).


----------



## mister

poledriver said:


> Incase anyone wonts to know a bit more about Ben and his drug addiction(s).



Quite an eye opening watch, was sad, funny and scary.

I hope it can get it together


----------



## poledriver

*Drug experts lobby to open a drug inhalation room in Sydney so addicts can smoke*






A RADICAL idea to create an “ice room” in Sydney could be the key to improving Australia’s ice epidemic.

Author of Breaking the Ice, Matt Noffs, and Australian drug expert Dr Alex Wodak want to create a medically supervised room for ice smokers to get high in Sydney.
The experts told ABC’s 7.30 on Wednesday night drug users needed somewhere to get high that was safer for both them and the community.

The idea has been researched, with the experts visiting a drug consumption room in Bern in Switzerland, which has been there for 30 years.
7.30 reports Dr Wodak believed a medically supervised smoking room would also make it easier to get addicts into treatment.
The experts believed Australia had a 1980s mindset while the rest of the world was moving on.

“We need inhalation rooms in Australia for the same reason the Europeans do,” Dr Wodak told 7.30.
There’s also a drug inhalation room in Frankfurt in Germany, which is full of clients taking cocaine and heroin under supervision.

Mr Noffs told 7.30 when he walked into one of the drug consumption rooms in Europe, he felt the idea was commonplace and now, with the help of Dr Wodak, is looking to bring one to Australia.

Noffs is aiming to get police on side and former Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Palmer acknowledged more needed to be done.
“There is a wide recognition among law enforcement colleagues, including young officers as well as more experienced ones, the current arrangements aren’t achieving the outcomes we would like to achieve,” Mr Palmer told 7.30.
“In many ways, it is badly broken.”

Mr Noffs and Dr Wodak think Sydney’s west could benefit from an ice inhalation room and thought Liverpool could be the place to establish it.
But Liverpool Chamber of Commerce president Harry Hunt was concerned about the proposal.

“Having an ice room in Liverpool is going to project an image of Liverpool as the drug capital of the southwest. We don’t want that sort of image,” he told 7.30.
The ice room has been controversial but experts believe the injection room set up in Kings Cross, which led to a drop in the number of people dying from heroin, was proof the radical plan could work.
The Kings Cross injection room has also been supervising addicts who inject ice, not inhale, and addictions expert Dr Robert Graham said staff never encountered a violent episode or aggression they couldn’t talk down.

The NSW Government however told 7.30 it would not back plans for an ice inhalation room but Mr Noffs and Dr Wodak plan to move ahead with it anyway.
When asked if they would do it even if they were going to get arrested, Dr Wodak said they preferred if authorities gave them permission, but if they didn't, they would still like to go ahead.
7.30 asked ice addicts if they would use an ice inhalation room if it were established and many said no.

“If anything, I would be hidden away smoking it in my own little place, you know, away from everybody,” one said.
Another addict said people weren’t going to put their hands up to travel to a supervised place to smoke ice.
“That is never going to happen,” he said.

While it’s a controversial idea, Mr Noffs said they wanted to be realistic.
“If we know someone will be dependent on a drug, you would rather them inhale than inject,” he told 7.30.

http://www.news.com.au/entertainmen...e/news-story/5dc8024030259ddfd0848187612c62b1


----------



## poledriver

*Victorian drug seizure: Eight charged after police uncover $275m worth of ice*






Eight people have been charged after 275 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth hundreds of millions of dollars was uncovered in three shipping containers delivered to an industrial estate in Melbourne's outer-east.

The drugs were found under the floorboards of the containers sent to the estate in Bayswater last week.

They had a street value of $275 million, police said, adding that the haul was the biggest seizure of ice in the state this year.

The operation involved officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria Police.

Police said the accused men, including a Malaysian citizen, were all aged between 24 and 34 and were charged with drug importation and trafficking offences.

More to come.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-04/eight-charged-meth-drugs-seizure-victoria/7566572

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$1 million per kilo of ice hey? Suuure.


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force

1 hr · 

Police have charged a man with several drug offences after four kilograms of ice was seized in the State’s Southern Tablelands as part of the CATCH program.

Just before 2am this morning (Monday 4 July 2016), officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol detected a white Honda Accord travelling above the sign posted limit along the Hume Highway, Goulburn.

Police spoke to a 21-year-old man and a 22-year-old man before conducting a search of the vehicle and allegedly locating four kilograms of ‘ice’ and $3700 in cash.

Detectives attached to The Hume Local Area Command attended the location and commenced an investigation.

Detective Inspector Chad Gillies from The Hume Local Area Command said this was another example of the close working relationship between the local command and Traffic and Highway Patrol.

“The teamwork between the two units has resulted in a significant amount of drugs to be taken off the street.”

“Our detectives are currently investigating this incident and keen to hear from anyone that may have information relating to our ongoing investigation," Inspector Gillies said.

Assistant Commissioner John Hartley of the state's Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said the arrest was proof that CATCH training continues to rid ICE and other drugs off our roads.

"Those that use our highways to commit crime can expect this sort of a response from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command officers by way of intercept, search and arrest, and local detectives in subsequent investigation and prosecution."

"Since the inception of the CATCH program, over $110 million dollars worth of drugs, guns, cash, stolen goods, and other contraband has been taken off our roads,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.

A 22-year-old man was arrested and taken to Goulburn Police Station where he was charged with possess prohibited drug, supply prohibited drug commercial quantity and goods in custody.

He was bail refused to appear at Goulburn Local Court today (Monday 4 July 2016).

The 21-year-old man is currently assisting police with their inquiries.


----------



## poledriver

*100 police in ice raids across Sydney*

MORE than 100 police officers have been involved in busting an alleged drug syndicate in Sydney.

They descended on six locations across northwest and southwest Sydney on Friday night, arresting a dozen people allegedly involved in an organised group selling and distributing methamphetamine. All 12 were to face Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.

During the raids, tactical, riot and dog squads also seized cash and drugs.

Acting Superintendent Leanne McCusker said the street value of the drugs would be “in the millions”.

More than 100 police, named Strike Force Glenwari, had been investigating the syndicate since February.

“This strike force demonstrates that drug supply is a problem across Sydney and police will continue to investigate drugs across the Sydney area,” Acting Superintendent McCusker told reporters on Saturday.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne.../news-story/783946e1bf4496d0848b946fbb544dc1?


----------



## poledriver

*My drug addiction: From IT consultant to ice addict and back*



> 36-year-old Jarrod was just like any other professional before he became addicted to ice. He had a well-paying job, a great life partying on weekends with mates, a loving wife and a child. So what went wrong?



The well-mannered, former IT-consultant, Jarrod shifts in his seat, seconds before he raises his voice to speak. “I’m a former ice addict”, the 36-year-old proclaims. “I’ve been two and a half years clean.”

These are not words you expect uttered from the calm man sitting across from you in the room. After all, Jarrod appears to be the antithesis of those angry, skin-picking actors, throwing chairs across hospital emergency rooms in the government’s anti-ice television ads.

“I have good parents – they are still together and two great siblings. I went to a private school, am well-educated and a professional…But I know people from all walks of life who are ice addicts. I also know people from all walks of life who aren’t ice addicts.”

According to a new study, based on a survey of 1,000 Australian adults by Maidstone Consulting, almost seven per cent of Australians have ‘trialled’ crystal meth (ice) and amphetamines. That means they’ve dabbled in the drug for up to two months. In comparison, the research - commissioned by The Cabin - shows that only 2.5 per cent of the population ends up as an ice or amphetamines user.

“Ice, for me, just ticked all the boxes,” Jarrod explains. “For the people who have a tendency to be addicted, they will find ‘that thing’ that ticks the boxes for them and then they are done. They don’t stop.”

Jarrod had an ice addiction for around two years. Before that, he took recreational drugs – speed, cocaine and ecstasy – to party with mates on Friday and Saturday nights. He also had a prescription medication addiction in his 20s, which he managed to shake off without help.

“But my addiction with ice started when I was introduced to it by someone at work when I had a lot of work to do. Ice allowed me to function at a higher level for a lot longer. I’d do seven, eight days on the trot with no sleep and very little food. My brain ran a bit faster. It meant I could make more money. It was a performance booster really.”

The husband and father soon became a daily user. He started to get paranoia and his work productivity declined. The stigma attached with ice meant Jarrod couldn’t tell anyone about his addiction. So he kept it hidden from his family who thought he was living with mental illness.

“In the last three months of my addiction, I just fell. I lost my contract on the day my grandfather also passed away. It was the perfect storm. I lost my job, split up with my partner, became estranged from all of my family and lost my social network. I pretty much just lived and breathed to go and score on a daily basis.”

Jarrod also scored money by doing favours for dealers. “Imagine being able to go through life without a conscience, without guilt, without remorse, and feel nothing. Well once you get to that point of daily dependence on ice, you shut down those parts of your brain… You can function and be an unscrupulous human being and do whatever you want. And it doesn’t matter.”



> “For the people who have a tendency to be addicted, they will find ‘that thing’ that ticks the boxes for them and then they are done. They don’t stop.”



Jarrod’s ice addiction all came to a head when he experienced hallucinations during his constant state of psychosis and went to the police to report that he was being followed.

“The police didn’t know if I was on substances or if I had a mental health issues but they let me leave. I went to my separated wife’s house. They had already called her. She asked me what was going on. I broke down and told her.”

He spent the night in a psychiatric ward before confessing his addiction to his whole family. One week later, he travelled to Thailand for a six-week course of rehabilitation with the private clinic, The Cabin. And, he hasn’t used illicit drugs since.

Registered psychologist and clinical director of The Cabin in Sydney, Cameron Brown says he often treats ice addicts from higher socio-economic groups, like Jarrod, who have a preceding tendency towards addiction exacerbated by mental health illness, stress, depression or financial difficulties.

“We get a wide range of demographics here, from a shift worker in heavy industries to people using it to stay awake to do professional work,” Brown says.

But, he believes, not enough addicts in need of help seek treatment because they don’t identify with the stereotype of what a user should look like.

“People don’t identify as those violent people in the TV ads so they don’t think they’ve got a problem.”

Research shows that ice users can become violent during periods of psychosis, usually brought on by frequent high-doses of ice, but not every user will be violent or be violent all the time. A Sydney-based study, conducted in 2005, also shows that around 27 per cent of methamphetamine users (including those on ice) were hostile during psychosis.

“Ice users think ‘I look like a successful person’ [before they recognise they are an addict]. The problem has to be so bad for them to feel like they need treatment…. But addicts are just sick people trying to get good, not bad people trying to get good.”



> “I’ll be very open with my daughter about it. Because there are so many heredity links to addiction, it’s knowledge that she really needs to have."



Now in recovery, Jarrod is a full-time stay at home dad and a drugs and alcohol counselor in training.

“These days my life is pretty good,” says Jarrod. “But there are some significant downsides to being a recovering addict. The dating game, to say the least, is a nightmare. How do you bring up [your addiction] especially because of the stigma attached to being an ice addict? People do think of those [violent men] on the TV ads as soon as you tell them.”

The one person he will tell, he says, is his three and a half year old daughter when she grows up.

“I’ll be very open with my daughter about it. Because there are so many heredity links to addiction, it’s knowledge that she really needs to have.

“Yes she may use drugs like most people –the statistics are there. But if she needs it, I don’t want her to be too proud to ask for help if it’s getting out of hand. That’s what I will try and pass onto her.”

https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/life/...g-addiction-it-consultant-ice-addict-and-back


----------



## poledriver

*'You chose drugs over your Dad': Queensland police officer pens open letter about meth*






A Queensland police officer has penned an emotional open letter about the illicit drug methamphetamine, recounting the moment an addict chose drugs over their own father. 

The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has shared the letter written by Senior Constable Martin and titled "Dear meth, you are not welcome here".

In it, Snr Cst. Martin recounts his experience with a meth addict and their father.

He explains that the addict's father had tried to help them beat their addiction for the past 25 years, but recently decided to stop offering support after he was strangled by his own child.  

"You clasped your hands around his throat and squeezed, and although you stopped before physical damage was done, he decided in that moment, he will not dance for you anymore," Snr Cst. Martin wrote. 

"Last night the demon won, and you chose drugs over your Dad."






QPS added a warning at the end of the letter, urging people not to ever use or try methamphetamine, which is also known as meth, ice and crystal meth.

"If you think you can try meth once, just to see what it’s like, you’re very naive. You haven’t thought it through; you couldn’t have. Addicts often lose family, friends, careers, homes… hope," it read. 

"Illicit drugs affect all corners of our community; don’t think it’s someone else’s problem."

If you are concerned about your own or someone else's drug use, phone the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on 1800 177 833.

Senior Constable Martin's full letter is below: 

Dear meth,

You are an insidious, noxious waste of time and energy. You are not wanted, nor were you ever invited. You are not welcome here. You creep into homes and wreak havoc on families. You weave a tangled thread of violence and transgression through the fabric of our society. You are the knot in the noose.

You are methamphetamine, ice, crystal, whatever you want to call yourself, and you will never be welcome here.

An open letter to an addict I dealt with recently.

You won’t remember us, but today we watched as your strong, proud father reluctantly broke down, conceding defeat after a 25 year battle he waged for you; with you.

He took you in when you were drug-addled, paranoid, and so unnaturally euphoric you couldn’t sleep at all for days and days on end. Then, as you slept it off, he constantly checked on you, sometimes continuously for several days, to make sure you were still breathing.

He helplessly watched as medical staff de-fibrillated your lifeless body, resuscitated you and brought you back. More than once.

He listened to you scream behind closed doors as your body crashed, and you writhed as the cravings hit and withdrawals took hold.

He let you bathe repeatedly to wash away the stench of chemicals that seeped from your pores, and you scrubbed, clawing, to rid yourself of the bugs you believed were under your skin.

And when he finally lay down to rest his weary mind and body, you stole from him, and crept out to feed your demon again.

It’s a cycle, a ‘dance’ that you’ve both performed over and over for 25 years. His, a dance of unconditional love for you; yours, a dance of habit.

25 years…

But last night was different. You clasped your hands around his throat and squeezed, and although you stopped before physical damage was done, he decided in that moment, he will not dance for you anymore.

Last night the demon won, and you chose drugs over your Dad.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...life-destroying-drug-meth#o7qozAtwebzZjtEK.99


----------



## poledriver

*Young mother who was 'driving under the influence of crystal meth when she crashed causing her daughter to be thrown from the car' is charged over the two-year-old's death*



> Valencia Marie Skipper charged over death of 2-year-old daughter Saphire
> Charged with causing her death while driving under the influence of meth
> Saphire died on January 13 in a car crash near Hastings, New Zealand



A 21-year-old mother has been charged with the death of her daughter while driving under the influence of methamphetamine.
Police have charged Valencia Marie Skipper from Hastings, New Zealand with causing the death of her two-year-old daughter Saphire Te Aroha Skipper-Hira while under the influence of the drug.
Saphire died on January 13 after she was thrown from a rolling car in a violent crash on the Hawke’s Bay expressway, near Hastings, Stuff reported.






There was a child restraint in the back of the vehicle but police said they are looking at the possibility that the toddler was not restrained at the time.
The Nissan Primera appeared to have crossed to the other side of the road and rolled into a ditch, the publication reported.
Ambulance crews tried to resuscitate Saphire, but she died at the scene.

Valencia Marie Skipper and her daughter’s aunt, who was also in the car, were taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital with moderate injuries.
Ms Skipper was initially scheduled to appear in Hastings District Court on Monday, but her first appearance has been postponed until next month, the publication reported. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-crystal-meth-New-Zealand.html#ixzz4E9AdvSG3


----------



## poledriver

*Review launched into death of man turned away from NSW mental health facility*

A review has been launched into the death of a NSW man after he was turned away from a mental health facility.

Joshua Nixon, 28, was a father-of-three who was troubled by drug use, anxiety and depression.

When he admitted he needed help, his father Robert took him to Orange's mental health facility, at the Bloomfield Hospital, on April 17. 

Mr Nixon told 9NEWS a staff member told the father and son to go home.

"She asked us what we were after and I proceeded to tell her that, you know, I’m here with my son – he's on ice, he's suffering from depression, he's drinking lots of alcohol, he's suicidal," he said.

"They turned my son away because of the long weekend.

"We were both like stunned mullets; didn't know what to say.

"It’s a week you got to try and get – I got to try and get my son through a week."

Joshua took his own life the night before he was due to go back to hospital, Mr Nixon said.

"My wife called me and said… he's gone," he said.

"As a dad I did everything possible that I could do, and so why is my son dead?"

Mr Nixon said his family was distraught, and Joshua was the second child they had lost to suicide.

New South Wales' Mental Health Minister Pru Goward has ordered a review into Joshua's case.

"We need to understand what happened and what should have happened before we can make changes," she said.

Readers who are seeking assistance can phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 224 636.

http://www.9news.com.au/health/2016...sw-mental-health-facility#J7ETedfWWQ3VZ5JJ.99


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## poledriver

*Former AFL player manager Angie Papadopoulos charged over $1m ice haul*

A former manager of high-profile AFL players in Perth has been charged with drug offences after allegedly being caught with almost 1 kilogram of ice.

Angie Papadopoulos, who once guided the careers of several West Coast Eagles players, has been charged with possession of methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply.

It is alleged Papadopoulos, 57, and another man were found with the drugs, valued at almost $1 million, when police stopped their vehicle on the Mitchell Freeway on Saturday.

Police have alleged they also found $5,000 in the vehicle.

The men were remanded in custody when they appeared in court on Monday.

However it is understood Mr Papadopoulos is planning to make an application for bail when he reappears in court later this week.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-...ngie-papadopoulos-facing-drug-charges/7588614


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## poledriver

> Methamphetamines seized
> Posted Sat at 10:57am
> 
> Drugs seized during police raids across Sydney's west.


----------



## poledriver

Man and woman charged and 2kg ‘ice’ seized – SCC Drug Squad
Updated 34 minutes ago
A man and woman have been charged and another man is under police guard in hospital following an investigation into large-scale ‘ice’ supply in Sydney’s south-west.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Drug Squad established Strike Force Golder in February 2016 to investigate the supply of ‘ice’ (methylamphetamine) in the Macarthur region.

Following extensive investigations, a 38-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman were arrested by strike force detectives at a car park in Ambarvale about 10am today (Thursday 14 July 2016).

During a search of the pair, officers located and seized 2kg of ‘ice’. 

The pair was taken to Campbelltown Police Station.

The 38-year-old man was charged with supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity, supply prohibited drug commercial quantity, and two counts supply prohibited drug.

The 48-year-old woman was charged with supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity.

Both were refused bail to appear at Campbelltown Local Court tomorrow (Friday 15 July 2016).

Shortly after the arrests, police executed three search warrants – two at homes in Ambarvale and one at a home in Rosemeadow – where they located and seized cash, ‘ice’, and heroin.

Detectives also arrested a 37-year-old man at Liverpool Hospital, who was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity.

He remains under police guard while being treated for an unrelated health condition, and is expected to have a bedside hearing tomorrow.

Inquiries are continuing.


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## Jabberwocky




----------



## Hiltoniano

Lol... What the hell^


----------



## slimvictor

noonoo said:


>



"E.T Fuck Hole" (to be said in a raspy E.T. imitation voice, sounding like "E.T. Phone Home")


----------



## poledriver




----------



## poledriver

*Suspect on the run and another faces court after police seize four kilograms of methamphetamine*






Police have seized four kilograms of methamphetamine and charged a man with drug offences after a joint investigation into drug trafficking in South Australia.

About 12:30am on Wednesday, police searched a car on the South Eastern Freeway after a tip-off from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ASIC).

No drugs were found during a roadside search of the SUV and its two occupants were released, although the car was retained by police.

A more comprehensive search of the car later found the drugs hidden inside a sophisticated hydrologic compartment.

A New South Wales man from Cabramatta, Leo Trinh, 24, was arrested at Adelaide airport.

A second suspect of a similar age fled to Sydney and remains on the run from police.

Mr Trinh faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, charged with drug trafficking, and did not apply for bail.

He is due back in court on September 20.

SAPOL officers from its Serious and Organised Crime Branch have been working with ASIC to investigate the transportation of illegal drugs into the state.

Detective superintendent Craig Patterson from SA said the seized methamphetamine was estimated to be worth $4 million.

"This seizure has stopped 40,000 street deals being sold into the South Australian community," he said.
ACIC SA operations state manager Mario Armiento said methamphetamine posed by far the "greatest threat to the Australian public of all illicit drug types, and by a significant margin".

"More than 60 per cent of Australia's highest risk, serious and organised crime targets are involved in the market," he said.

"The profitability and success of serious and organised crime comes at a cost for individuals, families, the community, government and ultimately to all Australians."

Police said enquires were ongoing and further arrests and charges were expected.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-...r-police-seize-four-kilograms-of-meth/7630134


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## poledriver

*Broker working for ANZ jailed for stealing almost $300,000*



> A bank worker who stole almost $300,000 by using fake names to apply for loans has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail.
> 
> Danyelle Lea Twine, also known as Danyelle Pye, pleaded guilty to using false names and documents to successfully apply for 11 loans while working as a broker for the ANZ Bank in Cairns during 2012 and 2013.
> 
> The District Court heard the mother of two was on an involuntary treatment order for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia at the time, but still managed to have a $1,000-a-day methylamphetamine habit which was funded by her offending.
> 
> Judge Dean Morzone said the community mental health service was inadequate and underfunded, despite the best efforts of staff.
> 
> "She was unsupervised to maintain illicit substance abuse while under an involuntary treatment order which is quite bizarre," he said.
> 
> "The offending was intricate, calculated, sophisticated and determined.
> 
> "Despite your mental illness you knew what you were doing was wrong and unlawful … but your judgement was impaired by your drug addiction and mental state."
> 
> Twine was sentenced to four-and-a half-years jail but the judge set a December parole date because of concerns prison could adversely affect her psychiatric conditions.
> 
> "The risk of aggravation of your condition is serious but one that can be managed," he said.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-14/danyelle-twine-broker-for-anz-jailed-for-stealing/7628924


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## Jabberwocky

*Melbourne woman killed over $50: court*






A Victorian woman fatally stabbed an ice dealer to punish her for stealing $50, a jury has heard.

Alicia Schiller has pleaded not guilty to murdering Tyrelle Evertsen-Mostert on November 9, 2014 at the house they shared in Norlane.

The jury was told during the opening of her Supreme Court trial that Schiller repeatedly stabbed Ms Evertsen-Mostert to punish her for stealing $50 from her.

However, the crown said Ms Evertsen-Mostert, an ice dealer, had "borrowed" the cash to buy ice which she would on-sell, and would return the money later.

Prosecutor Mark Rochford QC said in the lead up to the killing the 26-year-old Schiller had been drinking, talking angrily about her missing money, was seen with knives and heard saying: "I don't care if she took it or not. I'll gut her".

Mr Rochford said the accused planned to confront Ms Evertsen-Mostert with the knife as punishment, before going on to stab her numerous times.

"It is the Crown case that Ms Schiller intended to kill her at that time when she attacked her with this knife or do her really serious injury. That was her intention," Mr Rochford said on Thursday.

But defence counsel Scott Johns said while Schiller was an ice user, she was not a murderer.

"There was a fight. Things got out of hand. She did use a knife," he said.

Mr Johns said the incident unfolded in the "heat of the moment" and Schiller did not mean to kill or cause really serious injury to her housemate.

"Alicia Schiller is drug affected, upset, paranoid probably, finds herself in the middle, she lashes out," Mr Johns said.

"It is a fluid, dynamic, scary situation.

"We say there will be no proof of intent to kill or cause really serious injury and evidence of an argument, struggle."

Mr Johns urged jurors not to let any prejudices they have about ice users or dealers affect their judgment.

The trial before Justice Jane Dixon resumes Friday.


Source: http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/07/14/17/59/vic-woman-killed-over-50-court#Ri13z625ocRC3Xk0.99


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## poledriver

*Talking Point: Tasmania needs ice inhalation centre to help people overcome adiction*

ICE is an issue for some Tasmanians. This newspaper reported last Wednesday findings from the latest Illicit Drug Reporting System report which found that the number of people arrested for either using or selling the drug increased from 72 in 2013-14 to 383 in 2014-15.

The report found that the majority, 266, of those arrested were drug users, while 117 were dealers, according to the Mercury Crime Editor David Killick.

MORE: SPIKE IN METHAMPHETAMINE ARRESTS

The hysteria around the form of methamphetamine known as ice is just that – an over-reaction. In fact the numbers quoted by Killick are hardly earth shattering.

Ice is not an inherently violent drug. Recently at a seminar sponsored by the Australian Law Students Association – which held its annual conference in Hobart – all speakers, which included this columnist, the Law Society president Matt Verney and a very senior Tasmania Police officer, rejected the stereotype of violent, drug-crazed ice addict. However ice is a drug which can cause harm to users, their families and communities. So let’s deal with the issue in a rational, evidence-based way.

The number one priority is to stop focusing heavily on law enforcement. Even Ken Lay, a former Victoria police commissioner and head of a national taskforce on ice, has said you cannot arrest your way out of this issue.

MORE: A COMPLEX PROBLEM WITH NO SINGLE ANSWER

One of the most sensible solutions is to do what we have done with heroin – establishing safe places where people can take ice and be supported through treatment for their addiction. The Kings Cross Medically Supervised Injection Centre, established by former New South Wales premier Bob Carr in 2001 and which was given permanent status in 2010, has been a stunning success.

Ask the residents of inner eastern Sydney and they, along with police, will tell you crime rates have dropped sharply and those who are treated at the facility have a habit of not returning to heroin.

One of the pioneers of the Kings Cross centre was Dr Alex Wodak, the leading addiction specialist in Australia. Dr Wodak and Matt Noffs, who comes from a family in Sydney that has helped the most disadvantaged and at risk people in the community for generations, are now looking to establish an ice inhalation centre in Sydney. This columnist has invited them to discuss the establishment of a centre in Tasmania.

In Germany and Switzerland drug inhalation rooms are commonplace.

Recently ABC-TV’s 7.30 program spoke with Dr Ingo Ilja Michaels of the German Ministry of Health who said that in his country on the issue of drug inhalation facilities there is “no controversy, no debate, it’s just supported by all parties because they have been a part of reducing public nuisance, reducing deaths, reducing problems with the neighbourhood”.

Perhaps the Greens spokeswoman on the issue, Rosalie Woodruff, could talk to her Green counterparts in Germany rather than doing, as she did last week, whip up misplaced fear about ice use. And the ALP ought to talk to Bob Carr, who is strongly supportive of an ice inhalation facility in Sydney.

Ice is a drug which can cause harm to users, their families and communities. So let’s deal with the issue in a rational, evidence-based way.

Mick Palmer, a former Federal Police commissioner, supports Wodak and Noffs. He told the 7.30 program on July 7: “There’s a wide recognition among law enforcement colleagues ... that the current arrangements we have in place aren’t achieving the outcomes we would like to achieve, that in many ways it is badly broken.”

Let us put to bed the myth that is peddled by ill-informed (some deliberately so) opponents of drug injecting or inhalation facilities. That myth runs something like this: if you set up such centres you encourage “undesirable” types into the neighbourhood and reduce safety for citizens.

Well let’s now deal with the facts. There is simply no evidence that such a state of affairs exists anywhere such centres operate. In fact the opposite is true. People dealing with drug addiction and who go to such centres are motivated to get better. Go to Kings Cross any day or night of the week and walk around the drug facility there – you see the well-heeled and the backpackers mixing and mingling. The centre and its clients are so discreet you need to have the place pointed out.

The beauty of an ice inhalation room is, as Wodak says, patients can use clean equipment and health professionals at the centre can offer recovery treatment. Users can have a shower, get fed, talk about mental health issues and generally the community benefits through reduced overdoses and crime.

So who opposes this mainstream medical idea? Zealots who believe in abstinence, weak and reactionary politicians and of course the worst group of the lot – those who actually think there can be a drug free world. You know, the same people who think the earth is flat.

Lawyer Greg Barns was an adviser to NSW Liberal premier Nick Greiner and the Howard government. Disendorsed as the Liberal candidate for Denison in 2002, he joined the Democrats. In 2013, he was Wikileaks Party adviser.

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/o...n/news-story/fe45ad2da883d3374fd02718624326ba


----------



## poledriver

*Media Release: Man charged with importing 5kg of crystal meth*

A 20-year-old Chinese national appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday (Tuesday, 19 July) charged with allegedly importing crystal methamphetamine (Ice) through the international air mail stream.

Taskforce Icarus officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Victoria Police and Australian Border Force (ABF) commenced a joint agency operation into these detections late last month (June 2016).

ABF officers at the Melbourne Gateway Facility identified five suspicious consignments which, upon examination, contained a combined weight of 5280 grams of Ice. Each consignment contained over one kilogram of Ice concealed within dried cuttlefish.

The total street value of the five consignments is estimated to be $5.28 million.

On Friday (15 July), officers from the AFP, Victoria Police and ABF arrested a man at a Burwood address and subsequently executed a search warrant at the man’s Brunswick East residence. Officers seized a 2012 Mercedes Benz coupe under confiscated assets legislation.

He was charged with:

Five counts of importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.1(1) of Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
Three counts of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, namely methamphetamine, which was unlawfully imported, contrary to section 307.5(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
One count of possessing a drug of dependence, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 73 of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act (Vic).
The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.Task Force Icarus is a joint agency initiative that targets those who seek to use the international mail and air cargo systems for criminal activity.

Australia’s law enforcement agencies need the community’s ongoing assistance to minimise the harm caused by drugs, and urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to submit at confidential crime report at www.crimestoppers.com.au.

Note: The estimated street value of this seizure has been calculated according to the national median drug price for the specific drug as listed in the latest Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Illicit Drug Data Report (URL). The final total is expressed as if the seizure would have been broken up at its current level of purity and sold at the end of the supply chain in individual street dosage units.


https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/m...elease-man-charged-importing-5kg-crystal-meth


----------



## poledriver




----------



## Jabberwocky

*Three charged over $45m ice bust in Sydney*






A Sydney driver who was busted talking on his mobile phone has unwittingly led police to nearly $45 million worth of ice.

Police say they pulled the 26-year-old man over in the Haymarket on Friday after they spotted him using his phone while behind the wheel, only to find three kilograms of methamphetamine, or ice, in his car.

That led them to stop a 30-year-old man carrying a suitcase along Canberra Street in St Johns Park, in the city's west, on Saturday afternoon, and seize 10 kilograms of ice from him.

Four hours later, police swooped on a home in the same street, where they arrested a 21-year-old man and seized $1.4 million cash.

Another search warrant was executed at a home on Ann Street, Marrickville, where police say they found almost 77.6 kilograms of ice.

The total quantity of ice seized is said to have a potential street value of almost $45 million.

The 30-year-old man and the 21-year-old are in custody and will face Parramatta Local Court later on Sunday over proceeds of crime and drug possession charges.

The 26-year-old man has already appeared in court and is expected to remain behind bars until he reappears in Central Local Court on Thursday.


Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/bre...y/news-story/7d58ff7a73a5faadf3df798d19206b0b


----------



## poledriver

> A man using a mobile phone while driving has led to the seizure of almost 90kg of methylamphetamine (ICE) which has an estimated potential street value of almost $45 million.
> Officers attached to the Redfern Region Enforcement Squad (RES) stopped a 26-year-old man in Thomas Street, Haymarket, on Friday (22 July 2016), when he was seen using his mobile phone.
> Police allege 3kg of ICE – which has an estimated potential street value of $1.2 million – was found in the car.
> 
> Following further investigations, Redfern RES officers stopped a man carrying a suitcase on Canberra Street, St Johns Park, about 4.30pm yesterday (Saturday 23 July 2016).
> Police searched the 30-year-old man and allegedly seized 10kg of ICE. The man was arrested and taken to Fairfield Police Station.
> Just before 8pm, police executed a search warrant at a home on Canberra Street, St Johns Park, and seized $1.4 million cash.
> A 21-year-old man was arrested at the property and taken to Fairfield Police Station.
> 
> Following inquiries, another search warrant was executed at a home on Ann Street, Marrickville, where police allegedly located and seized almost 77.6kg of ICE.
> Police have now charged these two men.
> 
> The 30-year-old man has been charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug – large commercial quantity, and deal in proceeds of crime.
> The 21-year-old man has been charged with knowingly dealing in the proceeds of crime, and possess a prohibited drug.
> Both men were refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court today (Sunday 24 July 2016).
> 
> The 26-year-old man, who was arrested on Friday, was yesterday refused bail and remanded to appear in Central Local Court this Thursday (28 July 2016).


----------



## poledriver

So I go back one page in this thread and read -



> A Western Australia Joint Organised Crime Task Force operation has resulted in drug importation charges being laid against 14 people and the seizure of approximately *200 kilograms of methamphetamine worth approximately $200 million*.



And on the above bust it says -



> *90kg of methylamphetamine* (ICE) which has an estimated potential street value of almost *$45 million*.



So I am wondering is a kilo of ice worth $1 million, or is it now worth half a million per kilo?

How do they come up with these overly bloated prices? Pull a number out of a hat?

Anyone wont to have a guess at how much a kilo of ice would cost to make? Jack shit would be my guess.


----------



## Jabberwocky

On another note who the hell goes walking down the road with a suitcase of ice. Whoever got busted is obviously a runner for someone bigger. I mean seriously a 21 year old has over a mil at home?


----------



## poledriver

*Police continue to warn about the use of illicit drugs as two boys taken to hospital - Lake Haven*



> Police are continuing to warn the community about the dangers of using illicit drugs following an incident on the state’s Central Coast.
> 
> About 12pm on Sunday 24 July 2016, two boys aged 10 and 11 were taken to Wyong Hospital suffering what is believed to be the effects of an illicit drug, after being located by a witness near a skate park at Lake Haven.
> 
> The pair underwent drug testing and doctors were able to detect traces of ‘ice’ in their system. They were treated for hallucinations before being discharged about 6pm.
> 
> Officers attached to Tuggerah Lakes Local Area Command are investigating the incident.
> 
> Police urge young people to be aware of dangers of using illicit drugs and the harm they can do.
> 
> Liaison officers work closely with schools throughout the state to educate young people that
> 
> all drugs are dangerous; you never know how the drugs will affect you and there is never a guarantee as to what you are taking.



http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/l...vdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGNTU5MDMuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ==


----------



## poledriver

*Boys hospitalised after allegedly taking ice*

Two young boys have been hospitalised after an incident at Lake Haven yesterday, where it is believed they were under the influence of "ice". 

At around midday yesterday, (Sunday 24 July 2016) two boys, aged 10 and 11, were taken to Wyong Hospital suffering what is believed to be the effects of an illicit drug, after being located by a witness near a skate park at Lake Haven.

It has now been reported that the boys admitted to hospital staff that they had smoked cannabis after finding it at one of their homes.

After undergoing drug testing and detecting traces of ice in their system, it has been reported that staff came to the conclusion that the cannabis was laced with ice.

They were treated for hallucinations before being discharged.

Officers attached to Tuggerah Lakes Local Area Command are investigating the incident.

Police urge young people to be aware of dangers of using illicit drugs and the harm they can do.

Liaison officers work closely with schools throughout the state to educate young people that all drugs are dangerous; you never know how the drugs will affect you and there is never a guarantee as to what you are taking.

http://www.nswcentralcoastnews.com.au/local/boys-hospitalised-after-taking-ice


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## poledriver

> it has been reported that staff came to the conclusion that the cannabis was laced with ice.



Wtf?


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> Wtf?



They call it snow cones. Some people do it with heroin as well. I had a mate who reckons he tried it once.


----------



## poledriver

oh yeah, maybe.


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Drug gang dealt 2kg of ice, police will allege after seven raids*

POKER machines, a replica pistol and $30,000 hidden in cereal boxes were seized as police dismantled an alleged ice-dealing syndicate in NSW’s Southern Highlands.

Strike Force Trinculo officers charged 12 people following seven raids across Western Sydney and the Southern Highlands on Tuesday.

Police started investigating the group in March, which had alleged links to the Finks and Lone Wolf bikie gangs.





Tana Pelelei and Nartarsha Fay.





Mother of two Charlee Lloyd.

Police allege the group dealt nearly 2kg of ice, netting hundreds of thousands of dollars.

One of the alleged queen-pins of the group was mother of two Charlee Lloyd.

Police allege she was the mastermind of the syndicate dealing vast quantities of ice each month and using a child to ply her trade.

She is charged with large commercial drug supply, directing a criminal grip, recruiting a child to carry out a criminal activity and running four drug premises.






She was one of five people arrested in two Moss Vale raids including a 17-year-old boy, Jordan Andrwas, 18, and another alleged key player Brad Bennett, 50.

Bennett is facing 28 charges, including 22 counts of drug supply and running a drug premises.

During the raids at Mount Annan, Edmondson Park, Ambravale, Bowral and Moss Vale, ice, two poker machines, a replica pistol, $30,000 cash stuffed in cereal boxes and Pringle cans and stolen property were found.

Liverpool father Tana Pelelei, 21, and his pregnant partner Nartasha Fay, 22, were arrested at Edmondson Park.

They are accused of supplying the drugs to Lloyd to sell in the Southern Highlands. They are both charged with large commercial drug supply and conducting a drug premises among a raft of charges.

During a successful bail application for Ms Fay on Wednesday Liverpool Local Court heard she and Pelelei were allegedly involved in 21 drug deals with undercover officers totalling $130,000 of ice.

There were CCTV cameras at the couple’s home to monitor the alleged drug deals with the vision tapped over daily, the court heard.

The court also heard the pair were part of a “sophisticated operation of supply” which involved the sale of nearly 2kg of ice.

Magistrate Janet Wahlquist granted Fay bail on the grounds of her high-risk pregnancy and her limited role in the allegations. Her conditions stipulate she cannot contact Pelelei, who did not apply for bail.






Police lodged a detention application to be heard in the Supreme Court by Monday which means Ms Fay will remain in custody until it is heard.

Of nine people who appeared at Goulburn Local Court only one was granted bail.

Hume Acting Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis said more arrests were expected.

“The detectives have worked tirelessly to achieve the results, including the large number of arrests, and we will continue to investigate the supply, distribution, cultivation and manufacture of prohibited drugs,” he said.

“These arrests send a strong message to the community and to anyone involved in this type of activity, that it won’t be tolerated.”


Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...s/news-story/f0d6d830b5646ccacbaac8e0d7ed39ee


----------



## Jabberwocky

Here's one for you Polediver. Also to the Americans and foreigners who read this, yes there is a place like this in Australia where they dress up like this. They're called lads and ladets.


----------



## poledriver

haha yeah I follow jimmy the junkie on fb...

Lads and lasses :D

Eshay Adlay


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> haha yeah I follow jimmy the junkie on fb...
> 
> Lads and lasses :D
> 
> Eshay Adlay



Eshays bra lol. 

Fucken lads, I had one who tried to roll me for a bottle of coke one night. He just comes up to me randomly and goes to me give me a sip of your coke. I'm like wtf? After I said no, he tried to get his mates to bash me. There used to be a group of em who would hang out at the bus stop in my area but they're not there any more. They're probably in jail lol. I think the trend has become less popular. 

On another note here's a funny english lad "Devvo". This song always makes me laugh:


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## strity1994

I wonder what the police do with all the seized drugs. I mean, you can't just throw that all shit down the garbage. Generally, a small sample of the batch is sent to a chemist to verify the substance, which is then used to prosecute the perpetrators. 

All those kilograms of ice.


----------



## poledriver

Yeah they test all the seized drugs for purity etc and then as far as they tell us they destroy the rest (lol).


----------



## poledriver




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## poledriver




----------



## poledriver

Latest Media Releases

The Hume LAC thank community for their support during 'Dob in a Dealer' campaign

Wednesday, 03 August 2016 02:23:11 PM

Police from The Hume Local Area Command (LAC) have thanked the community for their ongoing support during the recent ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign.

The Commonwealth-funded campaign is currently being conducted in States and Territories across Australia.

While members of the public are urged to report any prohibited-drug activity via Crime Stoppers; ‘Dob in a Dealer’ is targeting the manufacture, supply and use of ‘ice’ (crystal methylamphetamine) in the community.

‘Dob in a Dealer’ was promoted across The Hume Local Area Command between Monday 20 June 2016 and Sunday 3 July 2016.

Police and Crime Stoppers conducted intensive community-engagement activities at locations across the command, encouraging members of the public to report information about prohibited drugs.

During the two weeks of the campaign, Crime Stoppers received a number of Information Reports from the community relating to possible drug activity in the local area.

The Hume Local Area Commander, Acting Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis, thanked the community for getting behind the ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign.

“We received a number of Information Reports via Crime Stoppers about suspected drug activity in our command, which will now be the subject of further police inquiries,” A/Supt Koutsoufis said.

“It was great to see a positive response from the public over the course of the campaign. We know that stemming the scourge of illicit drugs is a whole-of-community issue and we need to work together to tackle this problem effectively.

“Recently, The Hume LAC arrested almost 50 people, over a week-long period during Strike Force Trinculo, who police will allege were involved in the supply of ‘ice’ in the Southern Highlands,” A/Supt Koutsoufis said.

“Large amounts of cash, prohibited drugs and stolen property were also seized during the operation after a number of search warrants were executed across the region.

“I can assure the community that we will continue to target drug crime and if you are manufacturing or dealing drugs in the local area – you will be caught and dealt with accordingly,” A/Supt Koutsoufis said.

“I’d also like to remind the community to familiarise themselves with the signs of a drug house; things like blacked out windows, diverted electricity and vehicles coming and going at odd hours often indicate the property may be being used for illegal drug manufacturing,” A/Supt Koutsoufis said.

“Never forget the important role you can play in helping us track down and arrest those involved in manufacturing and distributing ‘ice’ across our neighbourhoods – your phone call could make an enormous difference.”

“While the campaign has come to a close in The Hume LAC, the issue of illegal drugs has not – and we urge the community to continue reporting drug-dealing or drug-manufacturing activity to Crime Stoppers,” Mr Price said.

"We're calling on members of the public to step up and stamp out 'ice' in their community – together we can affect real change.

“Calls made to Crime Stoppers are directed to a state-wide call centre and they’re completely confidential. You do not have to identify yourself and you will not be compelled to participate for a court case,” Mr Price said.

“Most importantly, every piece of information you provide can help solve crimes and reduce drug supply – so if you know something, say something.”

In NSW, the ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign is being held in 21 metropolitan and regional local area commands over a six-month period between March and September 2016.

The campaign runs in each command for two weeks, during which local officers and Crime Stoppers representatives host a number of activities to inform local residents of how they can take part and show their support.

Please find below a schedule of the Local Area Commands involved in the campaign, including their proposed start dates. This schedule is subject to change.

‘Dob in a Dealer’ Community Engagement Calendar

14 March 2016: Redfern

21 March 2016: Orana

28 March 2016: Sydney City

11 April 2016: Castlereagh

11 April 2016: Liverpool

26 April 2016: Campbelltown

2 May 2016: Barwon

9 May 2016: Wollongong

23 May 2016: Richmond

30 May 2016: Shoalhaven

13 June2016: Tweed/Byron

20 June 2016: The Hume

4 July 2016: Coffs/Clarence

13 July 2016: Albury

18 July 2016: Mid North Coast

1 August2016: Wagga Wagga

8 August 2016: Oxley

22 August 2016: Griffith

29 August 2016: Newcastle City

12 September 2016: Canobolas

19 September 2016: Blacktown


----------



## poledriver

> AFP National Media ‏@AFPmedia  4 minutes ago
> Two charged with allegedly importing 154kgs meth in timber logs





> A plot to smuggle $115 million worth of the drug ice into Australia inside timber logs is believed to be the work of an international crime syndicate.
> 
> Two men from Sydney and Melbourne have been arrested following a sting operation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australia Border Force (ABF).
> 
> The drugs, weighing 154 kilograms, were shipped to Sydney from Africa inside 14 logs which were part of a consignment of 121 logs that landed in June.
> 
> Border force officials on Thursday revealed when they checked the container they noticed the timber was sawn lengthways, hollowed out, filled with drugs and then nailed and glued back together.
> 
> The drugs were removed from the logs which were then put back together so federal police officers could follow the consignment on its journey, by road, to a Sunshine factory in Melbourne and parkland near an apartment building in Keilor Park.
> 
> A 64-year-old Sydney man and a Melbourne man, 20, were arrested on Wednesday in simultaneous raids and charged with importing and possessing drugs.
> 
> The Melbourne man, Sadiki Sibomana, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court for a brief filing hearing on Thursday charged with attempting to import and possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug between April 4 and August 3.
> 
> AFP commander John Beveridge said both men were known to police and at least one of them had been monitored in the lead-up to the raids.
> 
> He also declared more arrests were likely as the investigation continued.
> 
> "Ice is a terrible drug, to me, it's probably worse than when we had the heroin epidemic, ice does harm to the community," Mr Beveridge told reporters in Melbourne.
> 
> "I think if this gets through, as well as the seizure a couple of weeks ago of 270kg, it would cause great harm to the community of Australia including Victoria."
> 
> ABF commander James Watson said criminal syndicates risked being caught.
> 
> "We've got very good intelligence, very good technology and we've got people that are looking out there every day. And as this syndicate was uncovered - we will find others," he said.
> 
> The Sydney man is being extradited to Melbourne to face court on Friday.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...muggled-in-logs-into-aust#4p7RwOfxrDAgDmMc.99


----------



## Jabberwocky

Bet you that 20 year old will be well looked after when he gets out, if he doesn't rat.


----------



## poledriver

Police execute search warrants; arrest 10 over alleged 'ice' supply.

Police have arrested 10 people following a number of search warrants in Sydney’s inner-west this morning as part of Operation Boyla.

Operation Boyla, comprising officers from Liechhardt Local Area Command, was established in February to target the alleged supply of ‘ice’.

About 7am (Thursday 11 August 2016), local police – with assistance from specialist units including Operational Support Group (OSG), Redfern and Surry Hills Region Enforcement Squads and the Dog Unit, executed six search warrants in Camperdown, Liechhardt and Rosebery.

While searching the properties, police allegedly located amounts of ‘ice’, cannabis and heroin, ammunition, cash and property suspected of being stolen, all of which has been seized and will undergo further forensic examination.

A total of 10 people were arrested during the operation, including:

A 69-year-old man was arrested following a search warrant at a unit block on Pyrmont Bridge Road at Camperdown.

Four other men – aged 25, 42, 56 and 31 – as well as three women aged 21, 42, and 48, were also arrested within other units in the same Camperdown complex.

In addition, a 57-year-old man was arrested after a search warrant was executed at an apartment block on Beeson Street, Leichhardt.

A 31-year-old woman was also arrested, following the search of her Dunning Avenue, Rosebery, home. She was later charged with supply prohibited drug (three counts), possess prohibited drug (three counts), deal with property suspected of being proceeds of crime, and possession of equipment for administering drugs.

Those arrested are expected to face numerous drug-related charges. Further information will be released, when available.

Leichhardt Local Area Commander, Detective Superintendent Paul Pisanos, reassured the community police will continue to target those who brings dangerous drugs into our neighbourhoods.

“Today’s search warrants are the result of months of hard work, and cooperation from members of the public, to track down those who are distributing ‘ice’ in our local community,” Det Supt Pisanos said.

“This insidious drug is ravaging lives right across NSW and unfortunately its impact has been felt here; however, this sort of criminal activity will not be tolerated.

“The money-hungry criminals who manufacture and distribute ‘ice’ have zero concern for those using this drug or the wider community affected by its spread,” Det Supt Pisanos said.

“Today’s operation included targeting properties within public housing complexes. These are home to some of the most vulnerable in our community; people who’ve been placed in emergency housing as a result of domestic and family violence, loss of income or health concerns.

“They deserve a safe and secure home, like everyone does, and that’s why we will continue to seek out those who are selling drugs from these properties and posing serious risk to the residents around them,” Det Supt Pisanos said.

“I’d also like to urge the community, if you know something about the manufacture or distribution of ‘ice’ in your neighbourhood, to please come forward.

“A simple phone call to Crime Stoppers could make an enormous difference, no matter how small the piece of information may seem. You can also remain anonymous if you wish.”

Operation Boyla comes as the state-wide ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign – targeting criminals who are manufacturing and suppling ‘ice’ – continues across NSW.

The campaign – funded by the Commonwealth Government – is currently being held in 21 Local Area Commands (LACs) across the state.

It runs in each LAC for two weeks, during which police and Crime Stoppers conduct community-engagement activities designed to educate the public on the dangers of illicit drugs and how they can show their support for the campaign.

It also aims to highlight the important role members of the public have in helping police shut down drug-manufacturing syndicates and arresting drug suppliers.


----------



## poledriver




----------



## poledriver

*Ice accused faces court after allegedly taking $4500 taxi ride while on the run*



> A member of an alleged Sydney ice-dealing syndicate who allegedly spent three weeks on the run after taking a $4500 taxi ride from Sydney to Melbourne has refused to appear in court.
> 
> Ho Ming Sze didn't apply for bail when his matter was briefly mentioned at Parramatta Bail Court this afternoon.
> 
> His bail was formally refused and he will remain in custody ahead of an appearance at Central Local Court on Wednesday.
> 
> The 28-year-old Chinese national is alleged to be the fourth member of a criminal cabal which was busted open during a routine traffic stop in Haymarket last month.
> 
> Police pulled over a man for talking on the phone on July 22, allegedly finding 3kg of ice stashed in his car.
> 
> The arrest set off a series of raids across Marrickville and St Johns Park which netted almost 90kg of methylamphetamine, equivalent to 900,000 street deals, or approximately $45 million.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...after-expensive-taxi-ride#7IlgROESWPwLZBzo.99


----------



## poledriver

The 28-year-old Chinese national is alleged to be the fourth member of a criminal *cabal* .....

Unusual word. I had to look it up. -



> A cabal is a group of people united in some close design together, usually to promote their private views or interests in an ideology, state, or other community, often by intrigue, usually unbeknown to persons outside their group.


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> The 28-year-old Chinese national is alleged to be the fourth member of a criminal *cabal* .....
> 
> Unusual word. I had to look it up. -



These journo's are getting worse by the day. You just need to go on to DailyMail to see that quality no longer matters


----------



## poledriver

*Fourth man charged over alleged involvement in multi-million dollar ice syndicate*

A fourth man has been charged over his alleged involvement in a multi-million-dollar ice syndicate that was uncovered last month when police pulled over a man for talking on his mobile phone.

Police have seized almost 90 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $45 million in connection with the investigation.

Officers have alleged the 28-year-old Chinese national travelled from Sydney to Melbourne in a taxi journey that cost $4,500, after three other men were arrested last month.

The latest arrest was made in Melbourne and the man was extradited back to Sydney today.

He has been charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and refused bail.

He is due face Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.

*Ice worth $1.2m 'found in car'*

The alleged syndicate was uncovered when police stopped a man who was using his mobile phone while driving in Sydney last month.

After searching his car, police said they found more than 3 kilograms of ice, with an estimated street value of $1.2 million.

Further investigations led to the discovery of more than $45 million worth of ice and several drug related charges being laid against the men.

Police said at the time they had uncovered "an organised crime drug network" and the seizures would have a significant affect on the availability of drugs in some areas.

"The fact that over $45 million worth of drugs have been seized, that equates to 900,000 street deals has been prevented from hitting the streets ... that's a significant impact on this network," Superintendent Danny Doherty said last month.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-12/fourth-man-charged-over-alleged-ice-sydicate/7730932


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Adam Henry pleads guilty to supplying more than half a kilogram of ice*






The son of one of Australia's most notorious underworld figures is facing 20 years in jail after he pleaded guilty to supplying more than half a kilogram of ice. 

Adam Henry, 34, appeared in Newcastle Local Court via audio visual link from jail on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime. 

Henry is the son Graham "Abo" Henry, a notorious figure during the Sydney underworld days of the 1970s and 1980s and a close associate of convicted killer and armed robber Arthur "Neddy" Smith.

Henry, who gave police an address at Warners Bay, admitted to supplying 690 grams of methylamphetamine, or ice, in Newcastle between May and when he was arrested in August last year. 

He also admitted to dealing with $22,250 in cash, which was the proceeds of crime, court documents state.

Henry was a high-ranking member of a drug syndicate flooding the Hunter with ice before it was smashed by detectives attached to Strike Force Rupas. 

Police were patrolling in Rutherford and Aberglasslyn just before midnight on August 21 last year when they spotted a black Holden Cruze speeding along Richard Road at Rutherford. 

Police stopped the vehicle on Aberglasslyn Road and found Henry in the front passenger seat. 

When police asked to see ID, they noticed Henry's hands were shaking and he would not look at them. 

Police ordered Henry out of the car and began a search, locating a black backpack, which was pushed halfway under the front seat, a police statement said.

Inside the backpack was a grey plastic shopping bag.

Inside that was a small plastic resealable bag marked "13 grams", which police said contained 15 grams of ice, as well as two plastic freezer bags, containing 85.4 grams and 141.5 grams of ice, police said.

Under the shopping bag was another plastic freezer bag, which contained 28.9 grams of ice.

Police also found $3000 in cash in the bag and another $1750 in Henry's shoulder bag. 

Henry initially denied any knowledge of the backpack or the drugs and refused to be interviewed by police.

He will appear in Newcastle District Court on September 15 to set a sentence date. 

The threshold for supplying a commercial quantity of ice is 250 grams. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail.

A number of back-up and related charges against Henry were also committed to the District Court, including four counts of possession of ice and knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group. 

Accused syndicate kingpin Beau Lawton did not appear in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday. 

He has been charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, which carries a maximum of life in jail. 

Other high-ranking syndicate members Paul Colvin and Chris Wells are before Newcastle District Court awaiting trial on serious drug supply charges. 


Source: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/adam-henr...n-half-a-kilogram-of-ice-20160818-gqva9s.html


----------



## poledriver

*Canberra man who sold methamphetamine to undercover police officer jailed*



> A Canberra man has been sentenced to two years' jail for selling drugs to an undercover police officer.
> 
> Matthew James Massey, 40, originally pleaded not guilty to selling more than seven grams of high-grade methamphetamine to the undercover officer when he first appeared in court in 2014.
> 
> But he changed that to guilty earlier this year, only days before his trial was to begin in the ACT Supreme Court.
> 
> Massey was caught trafficking the drugs to the police officer at the beginning of 2013, but was not arrested for the crime until 18 months later because of the ongoing investigation into other drug dealers.
> 
> Today Justice Richard Refshauge said in his sentence that he acknowledged Massey was not selling the drugs for greed or financial gain, but to fuel his drug addiction
> 
> Justice Refshauge acknowledged Massey's turbulent and disrupted childhood as one of the contributing factors towards his drug abuse and offending behaviour.
> 
> The court heard that Massey's parents had both abused drugs and alcohol around him from a young age and that he had witnessed his father abuse his mother on a number of occasions.
> 
> Justice Refshauge found Massey had a long history of drug and alcohol abuse which started when he was 10 years old, when he would sneak beer and cannabis from his parents.
> 
> Over the decades the use of drugs increased, as did their strength, with Massey beginning to use speed and methamphetamine.
> 
> Massey diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia: court told
> 
> As well as his drug addiction, the court was told that Massey had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and was receiving medication for both.
> 
> It also heard that Massey had tried to commit suicide a number of times.
> 
> Justice Refshauge said while his personal experiences did not justify or excuse his offending behaviour, they "[were] relevant to his subsequent offending".
> 
> When he was nine, he moved to the ACT to live with his grandparents which he enjoyed as they taught him "discipline and manners".
> 
> Massey not original drug supplier: Refshauge
> 
> In his sentence, Justice Refshauge also acknowledged that Massey was a user-dealer and not the original supplier of the drugs.
> 
> Justice Refshauge said it was clear from the covertly recorded evidence that Massey was dealing the drug on behalf of someone else.
> 
> Justice Refshauge sentenced him to two years and one month in jail.
> 
> Massey will be eligible for parole in March next year.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-...o-undercover-police-sentenced-to-jail/7772832


----------



## poledriver

*Two foreign men sentenced over record $300m Perth ice haul*

Two foreign men arrested after the largest-ever seizure of methylamphetamine in Western Australia have been jailed.

Chin Yeung Ng and Jian Tat Ng were among four men charged after police discovered 321 kilograms of the drug ice, worth an estimated $300 million, at various locations in Perth in September last year.

Chin Yeung, from Hong Kong, was found in a city hotel room with almost five kilograms of the drug and $385,000 in cash.

Jian Tat, from Malaysia, was arrested at an apartment in East Perth in possession of around 40 grams of methylamphetamine.

The District court was told Chin Yeung had been recruited by an international drug syndicate to "warehouse" the drugs at the East Perth apartment which he shared with Jian Tat.

Jian Tat was not involved in the syndicate but he had agreed to let Chin Yeung store a small amount in a cupboard in his room.

Judge Anthony Derrick rejected Jian Tat's claim that he did not understand by storing the drug he was committing a crime, but he said his culpability was "significantly less" than Chin Yeung's.

Judge Derrick said while Chin Yeung had to "some extent" been used as a "pawn" by the drug dealing syndicate, he had played an important role.

"You were a crucial conduit between the suppliers and the purchasers," the judge said.

Judge Derrick sentenced Chin Yeung to 12 years jail.

He will have to serve 10 years before he can be released.

Jian Tat was sentenced to two-and-a-half years, and with time already served he could be released in December this year, although he is expected to be immediately deported.

Two other men charged over the seizure are yet to be dealt with by the courts.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-22/record-300m-perth-ice-seizure-two-men-senctenced/7772082


----------



## poledriver

*Kempsey ice bust: Three men charged over NSW methylamphetamine haul*






Three men are facing court over the alleged commercial supply of methylamphetamine, or ice, on the New South Wales mid north coast.

About 11am on Thursday two men, aged 26 and 34, were arrested at a business in West Kempsey.

Police allege drugs, mobile phones and electronic storage devices were found on the premises and seized.

Search warrants were then executed at three other locations in Kempsey.

NSW Police alleged they seized drugs, ammunition, documentation, mobile phones, an electronic storage device and about $50,000 cash.

A 37-year-old man was also arrested at a home in Bankstown, where it is alleged mobile phones, clothing and a large amount of mail were seized.

All three men were charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of methylamphetamine and participating in a criminal group.

The 26-year-old and 34-year-old man were refused bail and scheduled to appear at Port Macquarie Local Court today.

The 37-year-old man was also refused bail and will appear at Bankstown Local Court today.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-19/kempsey-ice-bust-three-men-charged-methylamphetamine/7765440


----------



## poledriver

> Drugs seized as part of Operation Addenine
> Police have seized around $43,000 worth of illegal drugs as part of Operation Addenine.
> 
> Supplied: SAPOL


----------



## poledriver

*AFP sells boat linked to $200m Geraldton drug bust*






A boat linked to a $200 million drug bust in Western Australia has been sold.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) is remaining tight-lipped about the sale, confirming only that the boat and tender sold for under $30,000 to separate Australian buyers.

The boat was escorted to Geraldton in May during a high-profile investigation that led to the seizure of about 200 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from China.

The bust was described by police as one of the state's biggest drug seizures.

Eight Chinese nationals and six Malaysians are accused of involvement in the drug operation.

The rundown vessel used to traffic the drugs was placed on public auction online by the AFP.

It is not known what the proceeds of the sale will be spent on.

However, in a statement an AFP spokeswoman said that in previous cases funds from confiscated assets had been used for crime prevention, intervention or diversion programs, or other law enforcement initiatives.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-16/geraldton-drug-boat-sold-at-auction/7746936


----------



## Hiltoniano

Breaking news: drugs ok! Some guy had some.! I Es wanted  to smoke I it kush


----------



## poledriver

lol, what?!


----------



## poledriver

*Jamie Gao murder: Rogerson and McNamara should be jailed for life, prosecutor says*

The notorious corrupt former detective Roger Rogerson and his co-accused Glen McNamara should be jailed for life for the murder of drug dealer Jamie Gao, a Sydney court has been told.

Rogerson and McNamara are facing a sentencing hearing today, after being found guilty of murdering Sydney man Mr Gao during a drug deal at a Padstow storage facility on May 20, 2014.

Rogerson, 75, and McNamara, 57, pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Gao and dumping his body in waters off Cronulla the next day.

New South Wales Crown prosecutor Christopher Maxwell QC told the hearing in the NSW Supreme Court, life sentences have been applied in the past for contract killings.

"They together executed a young drug dealer for their financial gain. The contract killing is a category for which a life sentence can be given and has been given by this court over the years," he said.

"There is no distinction between killing for payment ... or killing for the purpose of financial gain, which is what this was about.

"This was a killing to enable both offenders to obtain the drug ... colloquially known as ice ... a drug that results in much crime itself.
"The attitude that both accused had towards the deceased after the murder amounted to a completely cold, calculated, lack of feeling, which was all about making him disappear."

Mr Maxwell said the pair had used their "experience and training for the complete antithesis of what was intended".

"There is nothing to suggest they would..not be a danger to society."

How two detectives were caught out

How did the two former detectives bungle their crime so badly, leaving a trail of evidence on CCTV?
Mr Maxwell told the judge the offence was made even more serious because of their intention to "obtain and distribute a drug that is a scourge of our society".

The crown said the both men were part of a joint criminal enterprise and a great deal of thought was put into it.

"There is nothing ludicrously incompetent about this," he said.

"There's a boldness in Mr Rogerson's attitude."

He told the judge they planned to make sure Mr Gao's body would disappear.

"They did everything to make that happen."

Differing accounts of Gao's death heard during trial

During the trial, both men denied pulling the trigger and instead pointed the blame at each other.

McNamara's defence told the trial it was Rogerson who shot and killed Mr Gao before threatening McNamara and his family, forcing him to help dispose of the body.

Rogerson claimed the 20-year-old was killed during a struggle with McNamara and the student was dead on the floor when he entered the shed.

The trial was told by prosecutors both had given "far-fetched and unbelievable" versions of what happened.

Mr Gao told his cousin Justin Gao he was going to be involved in a massive drug deal with a man called 'Glen' that was going to make him rich.

He held a number of meetings with McNamara in the months before his death — McNamara claimed these meetings were for a book he was writing about Asian crime gangs.

This explanation was dismissed by prosecutors, who said McNamara and Rogerson were preparing for the killing.

Prosecutors told the court the crown did not have to prove which of the defendants killed Mr Gao, just that there was an agreement to kill or seriously injure the victim.

It took the jury just under a week to reach the verdicts.

Justice Geoffrey Bellew thanked them for their service and excused them from ever serving again, unless they wished to do so.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-...-rogerson-mcnamara-sydney-court-hears/7783608


----------



## poledriver

*Bandido bikie boss riding motorcycle while on ice, police allege*

The president of the newly-established Devonport chapter of the Bandidos motorcycle gang in Tasmania's north has been charged with riding a motorcycle under the influence of drugs.

Police allege the 28-year-old man was riding his motorcycle under the influence of methylamphetamine, or ice, on June 29.

They also allege he was riding an unregistered motorcycle without a licence.

Detective Sergeant Damien George said the charges followed extensive police investigations.

"As a result of the investigative process and the testing of the blood, that result was returned to us late last week and ultimately he was summonsed in respect of that matter," he said.

Detective Sergeant George said police were cracking down on bikies.

"Tasmania Police have some real concerns that this outlaw motorcycle gang is trying to establish a footprint in the north-west of the state so as a result of that we've closely monitored their activities," he said.

The man is due to appear in the Devonport Magistrates Court next month.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-25/bandido-bikie-boss-riding-while-ice-police-allege/7784580


----------



## poledriver

*Bikie gang's alleged boss asked to hand over $360,000 made in drug sales*

The Queensland Government has asked the Supreme Court to force the alleged boss of the outlaw Black Uhlans bikie gang to hand over $360,000 in alleged proceeds from drug sales.



> Key points:
> 
> David John Kurtzman was charged last year with drug trafficking
> Female passengers were allegedly employed to conceal drugs in their genitals



David John Kurtzman was charged last year with possession, supply and trafficking of dangerous drugs as part of a year-long operation dubbed Mike Variety.

Police say it resulted in more than 40 arrests and the shutdown of a major methylamphetamine ring in central Queensland.

Police alleged that two men from Mackay would buy the drugs from 57-year old Kurtzman at his Burleigh Bars business on the Gold Coast, and then drive to Mackay to sell them.

Supreme Court documents obtained by the ABC describe how female passengers would allegedly be employed to conceal the drugs in their genitals in a technique described as "banking".

The summary of a September 2014 telephone intercept tendered in the court by the state described one of the alleged arrangements involving one of the Mackay men.



> "[He] will pay Julie and make it worth her while but he will need her to 'hide some stuff in ya pussy'," the summary reads.





> "Julie could manage that, it's not the first time she has had to do it, as long as it's not eight tonnes [both laugh] — Julie agrees."



Investigators intercepted thousands of telephone calls, alleging that members of the drug ring used code words such as 'mackerel', 'reels', and 'fish and chips' to refer to illegal drugs.

A police affidavit alleges an undercover operative — identified as LEP 46 — bought amphetamines from one of the men from Mackay, who revealed to the officer "he had been sourcing drugs from his current supplier on the Gold Coast for 18 months".

Police alleged the supplier was Kurtzman.

Kurtzman, who police say is the head of the Black Uhlans in Queensland, has pleaded not guilty.

At the time of Kurtzman's arrest, his lawyer slammed the case as circumstantial, saying no methylamphetamine was uncovered when police raided two of his client's properties.

The Queensland Government has applied to the Supreme Court for Kurtzman to pay "a proceeds assessment order...of $360,000" under the Criminal Proceeds Confiscation Act 2002.

The state is also asking that he "pay interest on the value of the proceeds derived...from illegal activity".

The application will be heard next week.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-25/black-uhlans'-alleged-boss-to-pay-$360,000/7782098


----------



## poledriver

*Media release: Man charged for attempting to import 210kg of methamphetamine concealed in jeans*






This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force.

A 29-year-old man is appearing before Sydney Central Local Court today (Friday 19 August) after being charged for allegedly importing 210kg of methamphetamine, which has an estimated street value of $210 million.

Investigations commenced in June after an air freight consignment of 15 boxes arrived in Sydney from Taiwan, labelled as ‘women’s jeans’.

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers conducted an examination of the consignment after noticing anomalies within 12 of the boxes and found plastic bags containing a crystalline substance. A presumptive testing of the substance tested positive to the presence of methamphetamine.

The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and an investigation was initiated. Subsequent forensic examination of the consignment by AFP officers confirmed the substance to be methamphetamine with an approximate weight of 210 kilograms.

Following a two-month investigation, the AFP arrested a 29-year-old Bexley North man yesterday (18 August 2016).

He was charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 301.1(1) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

In July, the AFP also arrested a 24-year-old Blacktown man in relation to this investigation.

AFP Manager Crime Operations Roger Brown said this investigation stopped more than 2.1 million ‘hits’ of methamphetamine from reaching the community.

“This was a complex investigation resulting in the arrest of two alleged offenders, and it shows just how committed law enforcement agencies are to stopping these drugs from ending up in our community,” Commander Brown said.

ABF Regional Commander NSW Tim Fitzgerald said the ABF is resolute in its commitment to stemming the flow of this illegal and dangerous drug into the Australia.

“This seizure is yet another example of the ABF’s success in targeting large shipments of methamphetamine arriving in air and sea cargo,” Commander Fitzgerald said.

“A detection of this size by the ABF has a direct benefit to the community by stopping this evil product reaching the streets.”

The man is due to appear in Sydney Central Local Court today (Friday 19 August 2016). The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/m...arged-attempting-import-210kg-methamphetamine


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Tourist nabbed at Sydney airport with 3kg of the chemical used to make meth hidden in packet of a Vietnamese energy drink*

A passenger travelling from Vietnam to Sydney has been found with 3kg worth of pseudoephedrine hidden in their luggage.

Vietnamese breakfast drink sachets were used to conceal the drug.

The haul was discovered on Tuesday morning at Sydney Airport by the Australian Border Force. 






Pseudoephedrine a substance used to make meth, was discovered in Macfito sachets - a Vietnamese Nutritional Cereal that claims to provide energy.

The Australian Border Force seemed unimpressed with making the discovery tweeting the image and saying ' Not the way to start the day'.

Just one person has been arrested over the bust.

Three kilograms of pseudoephedrine is worth $300,000 and could make 3kg worth of meth, according to the Illicit Drug Data report 

Meth sells wholesale for $100,000 a kilo, according to the latest drug statistics. 

The bust comes just one day after a raid on a cruise ship in Sydney Harbour discovered 95kgs worth of cocaine resulting in the arrests of three Canadian nationals.  

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...th-hidden-packet-Vietnamese-energy-drink.html


*BONUS - AN INTERESTING READ ABOUT STATS ETC:* https://www.acic.gov.au/sites/g/fil...stimulants-acic-iddr-2014-15.pdf?v=1470179432


----------



## poledriver

*Mother charged after baby boy finds and eats 'ice' stash in NSW Illawarra *

A mother has been charged with abandoning a child after her 21-month-old toddler found her alleged stash of the drug ice and ate it. 

Despite digesting enough of the destructive drug to have fatal consequences, the little boy miraculously survived and is today in the care of the Department of Families and Community Services.






His mother, a 27-year-old from NSW's Illawarra region, called an ambulance in a panic on January 25 after finding her son having seizures in her bedroom. 

It is alleged the mother put her son down in her bedroom the night before while she stayed in the loungeroom. 

At some point during the night or morning, the baby boy discovered the drug ice in his mother's bedroom and ate it. 

Tests at Wollongong Hospital revealed the boy tested positive to having methamphetamine in his system and a red flag was raised with police. 

Medical staff determined he had digested a substantial amount of the drug that was likely to cause "serious injury or death". 

Child abuse squad detectives later searched the woman's Koonawarra home and allegedly found ice, cannabis, prescription drugs and a pipe. 

Eight months after the boy was hospitalised, his mother was issued with a court attendance notice for several offences on Wednesday.

She is due to face Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday on charges of abandoning or exposing a child under seven to cause danger of death, and drug possession. 

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/mother-ch...e-stash-in-nsw-illawarra-20160830-gr4fiv.html


----------



## poledriver

*The Meth Project: Ex-ice addicts teaching kids of seven how to dodge drugs*

FORMER ice addicts are visiting schools to tell children aged just seven years old about their experiences with crystal methamphetamine.
It’s a confronting program based on a US model called The Meth Project, in which ex-users describe what the drug that’s become the scourge of Australia can do to you.

The former junkies show kids aged from seven to 18 deep scars as they relate stories about attempting suicide, getting involved in violent crime and sex work and watching friends die.
It may sound extreme but the speakers say it’s a necessary step: because what they’re hearing back from the children is even more chilling.

Some sob in the talks because they have family members on ice, others say they’ve tried free “sample packs” dealers bring into schools or found it online. Some have even turned to selling their bodies for money.
Andrea Simmons, an ex-addict from the Gold Coast who has adapted the American plan, said she’d even seen “a 13-year-old kid die because of a drug deal” when the money wasn’t produced.
“I was able to detox her friend on my couch, because the wait for rehab is two to three months,” Ms Simmons told news.com.au.

“She was 17. But the 13-year-old I wasn’t able to fish out. She was murdered. The 17-year-old watched that happen.
“How does a 13-year-old get hooked on that product? The answer is, her parents gave it to her, sitting on the couch, they passed her a pipe.

“I’m sure that parent loved her, it’s just your brain is taken over by the drug.











*‘IT’S TAKING OVER THE BRAIN MUCH QUICKER’*

Ms Simmons knows that only too well. She tried ice for the first time at 40 when going through a difficult divorce, and soon abandoned her daughters and successful career to pursue a $500-a-day habit that almost killed her.
It’s a crisis that’s reflected across the nation. Australia is in the grip of an ice epidemic, which is destroying families and tearing communities apart.

More than 500,000 Australians aged 14 years and over have used ice in some form over the past year, according to the Australian Drug Foundation, and Ms Simmons says 27 children a day are trying it for the first time.
“The potency is 70 to 90 per cent, as opposed to five years ago when it was 15 to 17 per cent,” she said. “It’s taking over the brain much quicker. Kids are suiciding all over the place.”

Her organisation, Australian Anti Ice Campaign, has visited schools and held community forums across Queensland and she’s been contacted by educators desperate for the program to be rolled out in other states before it’s too late.
She’s submitted a document to the Federal Government and is working with health minister Sussan Ley and the Department of Education and Training while she waits for a response on how the scheme can be brought in nationwide.
In the meantime, she is relying on community and corporate support, with the program costing around $10 per child.






*‘MY KIDNEYS STILL BLEED’*

All AAIC speakers have been ice addicts, attended rehab for at least 12 months and are cleared to work with minors and trained in drug education. They supply information, cards with detox phone numbers children can leave out for parents and guides to the different street names for the drug, of which there are around 20.

With children as young as nine trying ice, Ms Simmons believes primary-age kids need this.
“They’re going to see it on the street,” she said. “Ice users can smoke from a light bulb. It can be melted down, shot up or mixed with water.
“If it’s scary, good. We’re just exposing the reality of ice. It’s that or lose their loved one.
“It saves kids’ lives.”

Her daughters, who were once furious with their mother because she had “lost the plot, now both work for the AAIC, one as a psychologist and the other as an accountant”.
“I should have been dead today,” said Ms Simmons. “I’ve been given a second chance.”
The Meth Project reduced ice use by 64 per cent in eight states over 10 years.

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...SF&utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=Facebook


----------



## poledriver

*Perth brothers jailed for more than 12 years for drug dealing business*








> Two Perth brothers who operated what has been described as a "significant" and "well-managed" drug dealing business have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms for supplying methylamphetamine.
> 
> Rabih and Ziad Jneid were charged after police discovered quantities of the drug during searches in Kewdale and Manning in January and March 2014.
> 
> Ziad Jneid, 40, admitted supplying almost two kilograms of the methylamphetamine to another, while his 42-year-old brother, Rabih, pleaded guilty to dealing in almost a kilogram of the drug.
> 
> The drugs had a purity of between 74 and 78 per cent.
> 
> The men had been scheduled to face a lengthy District Court trial, but instead pleaded guilty last week after negotiations between their lawyers and prosecutors.
> 
> Ziad Jneid was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years, while Rabih, who had a prior conviction for a similar offence, was given a 15-year term.
> 
> Judge Christopher Stevenson said the men's involvement in drug dealing was not isolated to the two charges they faced, but rather, were part of a "criminal enterprise" which "actively sought to distribute drugs into the community".
> 
> "You operated a drug dealing business on a very significant scale ... [and] you reaped significant financial rewards," Judge Stevenson said.
> 
> "Your willingness to commit the offences ... was for pure financial gain, pure and simple greed," he told the men.
> Judge Stevenson described the men as being "close to, or near the top of the chain of hierarchical distribution" of the drugs which he said they were able to source "with immediate availability".
> 
> Judge Stevenson also said the men had not shown any remorse, insight or contrition for what they had done.
> 
> However, he said he took into account the hardship their wives and families will suffer as a result of them serving long jail terms.
> 
> Ziad will have to serve 12-and-a-half years before being eligible for release while Rabih will spend at least 13 years behind bars.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-...o-lengthy-jail-terms-for-drug-dealing/7803054


----------



## poledriver

> Four men faced court in Perth on Friday, 26 August 2016 for their alleged role in the importation of around 45.6 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in timber logs.
> 
> A joint investigation involving the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Western Australia Police (WA Police) commenced in June after a sea cargo consignment containing timber logs arrived in Perth from Africa. An x-ray examination of the consignment by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers identified concealments within nine timber logs.
> 
> ABF referred the matter to police, and a forensic examination was conducted. A total of 106 secreted packages containing around 45.6kgs of methamphetamine were detected. This amount of methamphetamine has an approximate street value of $45.6 million.
> 
> In late June, a joint agency controlled operation commenced and the consignment was delivered to an address in Baldivis, Western Australia.
> 
> As a result of the operation, a 42-year-old man and a 54-year-old man were arrested and charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), by virtue of section 11.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
> 
> The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
> 
> Subsequent enquiries revealed a further two men were allegedly involved in the importation. In late July, search warrants were conducted in Western Australia and Victoria. A 33-year-old man was arrested in Western Australia, and a 29-year-old Nigerian man was arrested in Victoria, and then extradited to Western Australia.
> 
> Both men were charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
> 
> The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
> 
> The 42-year-old man is due to reappear in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 31 August 2016.  The 29-year-old, 33-year-old and 54-year-old men are due to reappear in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 16 November 2016.
> 
> AFP Commander Matt Rippon, State Manager WA, said close collaboration between border protection and law enforcement agencies across Australia was integral to the success of this operation.
> 
> “Strong relationships with our domestic and international partners are vital to identifying and disrupting importations of this extremely damaging drug,” Commander Rippon said.
> 
> “We are continuing to work together across jurisdictions and borders to break criminal networks, with our main priority being the safety of the community.”
> 
> ABF Regional Commander WA Rod O’Donnell said the AFP and ABF are resolute in their commitment to stemming the flow of this illegal and dangerous drug into Australia.
> 
> “This seizure is yet another example of the ABF’s success in targeting large shipments of methamphetamine arriving in air and sea cargo,” Commander O’Donnell said.
> 
> “A detection of this size and the subsequent Police operation has a direct benefit to the Australian community by stopping this product reaching the streets.”
> 
> WA Police State Crime Assistant Commissioner Michelle Fyfe said the seized drugs had the potential to cause immense harm in the Western Australian community.
> 
> “We are pleased that this significant quantity of methamphetamine has been seized before it could reach our streets,” Mrs Fyfe said.
> 
> Note: The estimated street value of this seizure has been calculated according to the median drug price for the specific drug as listed in the latest Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Illicit Drug Data Report (www.acic.gov.au ). The final total is expressed as if the seizure would have been broken up at its current level of purity and sold at the end of the supply chain in individual street dosage units.


----------



## poledriver

*New Zealand woman 'high on ice' paraded in front of media after Bali arrest*






A New Zealand woman was "high on ice", yelling and "talking a lot" when she was arrested at a Bali airport, local officials allege.

Myra Lynna William, 27, was hauled before reporters at Denpasar on Friday, two days after she was arrested getting off a flight from Melbourne to Denpasar.

"While she's in the immigration checking point, she behaved unnaturally, talking a lot, yelling and very impatient to get stamped," head of Denpasar Immigration office Yosep Renung Widodo told reporters.

When she was taken into a room to be checked down, he alleged a plastic pouch with a crystal substance fell to the ground.

Police allege forensic testing confirmed it was 0.43grams of crystal meth.

A urine test also allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine, marijuana and ecstasy, they say.

Ms William has been named a suspect, who police allege admitted consuming the drug ice before flying to Bali.

According to police she told them she had been taking drugs for eight years.

It is expected she will be charged with drug possession, which carries a penalty of four to 12 years in jail and a fine of up to 8 billion rupiah ($A800,000).


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/09/02/14/48/nzer-on-drug-charges-in-bali#bKmk3ssQkw0RQrGO.99


----------



## poledriver

*Airbnb tenants reportedly trash Sydney unit and leave crack pipe behind*



> A Sydney woman’s apartment has reportedly been trashed and ransacked by Airbnb guests who told her they had a sick child in hospital.
> 
> First-time Airbnb user Holly told The Sydney Morning Herald  that the guests turned her Rozelle apartment into a “junkie den”, and claimed they stole items and left bloodied towels and other mess behind.
> 
> Holly said the two tenants told her they had a sick child at the Sydney Children’s Hospital and needed a place to stay, and she agreed to rent her apartment to them for ten days.
> 
> She said she returned to find her unit trashed, with rotten fruit covering the walls, a crack pipe in a vase and many items missing.
> 
> "The place was  completely ransacked – and absolutely stank like chemicals. The smell we later found out from the police was either ice or heroin,” Holly said.
> 
> "There was random green liquid on a lot of walls and all over the floor.
> 
> “Two towels were left on the floor covered in blood.”
> 
> Holly said there was a large list of stolen items and estimated total damages to be more than $10,000.
> 
> Despite contacting Airbnb on a number of occasions, the accommodation hosting platform did not respond to Holly until Fairfax published her account.
> 
> The company has since offered Holly $2200 to help with clean-up costs and said they would “work with police”.
> 
> "We have a zero tolerance for this sort of behaviour and we'll work with police to make sure these guests are held accountable for their actions," an Airbnb spokesman said.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...d-leave-crack-pipe-behind#q5lYiOTFRCzxf24m.99


----------



## poledriver

*'70% are on ice... and the other 30% can't afford to buy it': Woman causes uproar after she accuses an entire town of being on meth*



> acebook post claimed 70% of people in Queensland's Nambour are on ice
> Crystal meth claims have sparked outrage among the 10,000 living there
> Hundreds have defended the town and slammed the statistics as rubbish
> Crime statistics reveal 60 drug offences occurred in last three month



A Facebook post that suggested 70 per cent of people living in a Queensland suburb took crystal meth has sparked outrage among those who live there.
The backlash started when a woman tried to convince her friend not to move to Nambour in south east Queensland because she claimed the drug use there was rife. 
'Don't do that - 70% of people there live on ice, and the other 30% can't afford to buy it,' the woman from Noosa was quoted as saying. 

The exchange, which was shared in a private Facebook post by a mother-of-two who defended the town, has sparked outrage with many slamming the alleged figures, the Sunshine Coast Daily reports. 
'To my friends that do live in Nambour, what are we missing out on? I can certainly afford 'ice' (if it's as cheap as media reports say), but alas prefer champagne and red wine. What about you? Long live the stereotype... NOT!' the woman wrote.
Her post prompted an outpouring of support from the town of 10,000 people. 

'So I don't live off ice and I'm not poor... where does that fit me in then seeing as I live in Nambour?' One woman wrote on Facebook. 
'Who cares what some stuck up white shoe shuffler from Noosa says,' another wrote.
'I'd love to know where the claimed statistics come from? It's not like it was a census question. You can't possibly make a claim like this unless someone has gone door to door and found out.'
Crime statistics from Queensland Police recorded there had been at least 60 drug-related offences - not specifically ice - in Nambour in the past three months. 


CONT: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...eensland-town-crystal-meth.html#ixzz4JMUK2xiM


----------



## poledriver

*Mother's terror as her knife-wielding, meth-fuelled ex-partner breaks into her home as she hides inside with her three children*

Chilling footage shows a man armed with knives and high on ice rampaging through his ex-partners home while she is barricaded in the bedroom with her children.
Sonia Gates said she had ‘expected to die’ after her ex-husband Daniel Frewin entered her home and began destroying the property, throwing chairs and attempting to kick down the bedroom door where she was hiding.
‘I was screaming, I was petrified,’ the mother-of-three told A Current Affair. 

Frewin manages to break open a security screen at the Banora Point home in New South Wales, 7News reports.
A distressing emergency call recording shows just how terrified Sonia and her three children were in the 2015 incident.
Barely able to breathe, Sonia tells the 000 operator that Frewin was destroying the house.
‘He’s coming in, he’s hitting the wall,’ she whispers.

Suddenly loud banging can be heard on the call and the children start screaming and crying as Frewen attempts to break down the door.
‘He’s got a knife,’ Sonia tells the operator.
The footage shows Frewin shirtless with a large kitchen knife in each hand, pacing through the property he has destroyed.
At other points in the footage he can be seen standing eerily still in the centre of the room and lighting up a cigarette before he is apprehended by police. 






Sonia left Frewin after years of violence and controlling behaviour and took out Apprehended Violence Order’s (AVO’s), but that didn’t stop her ex-partner from breaking into her home.
Sonia believes the terrifying video from that night helped her case against Frewin, who has been jailed for three years without parole.
‘Without that, he would be out and I would be dead.’
But Sonia still lives in fear for the day he is released. She has installed more security cameras and more exits from her home. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...c-violence-attack-NSW-home.html#ixzz4JX9AS2ZV


----------



## poledriver

*Apex teen jailed for three years for hitting and killing a mother while high on ice and driving a stolen BMW*

A teen Apex gang member has been sentenced to less than three years in prison for an ice-fueled car crash that killed a mother-of-two.
Amanda Matheson, 47, died in a Melbourne hospital last November, three days after the 16-year-old drove on to the wrong side of Governor Road in the Melbourne suburb of Mordialloc and slammed head on into her car.
The boy pleaded guilty to nine charges, including dangerous driving causing death, failing to assist at a serious accident, and car theft, The Herald Sun reports. 


Cont: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...other-ice-fueled-car-crash.html#ixzz4JcQaOyeu


----------



## poledriver

*Rehab Inc. - 4 corners ABC*

Rehab Inc: The high price parents pay to get their kids off ice.

"What parent is not going to say 'yes, I'll sell my house'? 'I'll give you my kidney to save my child's life.' They'll do anything." Addiction counsellor

Across Australia, there are parents risking everything to rescue their children from ice addiction.

"I've knocked on every door, I've been everywhere. I've chased my daughter for 6 months from house to house to house... I turned their water off, I turned their gas off, I pinched their power fuse. I smashed their windows, I've had enough." Father

To end this living nightmare, they'll seize on any chance to get help for their child.

"Why now? Five bullets through the front window and I've sh*t myself and that was when I straight away rang mum to say I'm coming home." Addict

But that chance of rehabilitation can come at an enormous cost.

"Most families don't have $30,000 sitting in the bank account just to put their child into a rehab centre. It's just not feasible." Mother

Publicly funded rehabilitation beds are in short supply and have waiting lists running into months. So instead, these families turn to private clinics. And they charge a fortune.

"Most of the people I see who have come through private rehabs have had their superannuation emptied. It's sort of a soft target." Financial counsellor

Parents are risking bankruptcy to get their child a place. They're encouraged to access their superannuation or to re-mortgage their homes in order to pay out tens of thousands of dollars to ensure their child gets in quickly. And the price is driven by demand, rather than the service provided.

"I think that often people would get the success that they require by simply attending these 12-step fellowships, free of charge, and get the same success rate." Addiction specialist

And the lack of regulation is shocking.

"I could start a rehab up tomorrow and hire staff who aren't suitably qualified and call it a rehab, and charge top dollar. With no questions asked." Addiction specialist

Even some private operators concede families risk being ripped off.

"There are way too many rogue operators in this field that can and will take advantage of people paying the money." Clinic operator

Rehab Inc, reported by Ben Knight and presented by Sarah Ferguson, *goes to air on Monday 12th September at 8.30pm EDT*. It is replayed on Tuesday 13th September at 10.00am and Wednesday 14th at 11pm. It can also be seen on ABC News 24 on Saturday at 8.00pm AEST, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners.

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2016/09/08/4535254.htm


----------



## Jabberwocky

NA Where people go to score


----------



## poledriver

*Ice and the high price parents are paying to get their children off it*

Across Australia, desperate parents are re-mortgaging homes, taking out loans, or pulling out their superannuation to rescue their children from ice addiction.



> Key points:
> 
> Shortage of public rehab centres mean families are driven to private centres
> Private clinics often charge tens of thousands of dollars
> Experts fear private clinics have 'no minimum standards'



For the Butters family of Bacchus Marsh, the choice was stark: come up with thousands of dollars to book their daughter into private rehab, or see her slide back into a cycle of addiction, which had seen her drifting from one dealer's house to another.

Tiarni Butters, 19, told Four Corners that it was a drive-by shooting that made her decide it was time to go back home to her parents and get off ice.

"There was five bullets through the front window. That's what made me switch on straight away that this is enough — like, I could have got shot right there and then. It's ridiculous," she said.

Four Corners spent the day with the Butters, filming as the biggest crisis of their lives came to a head.

For eight months, Tiarni had been moving between ice dealers' houses in Melbourne, having left her first full-time job as a dental nurse.

"Every day it was like a party … drugs were always there. There was always someone there, up to like 10 people at the one house," she said.
It was a total shock to her family. Her father Wayne stopped work to search for her; chasing leads gleaned from Facebook to the doors of drug houses across Melbourne.

"They have got steel doors. They don't have to answer them if they don't want to. I just put my hoodie over my head, knocked on the door … they must have thought it was just a drug deal, so the door opened," he said.

But Tiarni did not want to go with him.

"I would hide under a bed in case he came in and tried to find me. I didn't want him to see me like that," she said.

Wayne was horrified by what he saw in those houses.

"I have been in houses where there's been 14-year-old kids there. The house stinks. These kids stay in there for days and weeks, mate. You can't stand the smell," he said.

Soon, the dealers got to recognise Wayne's burly frame through the peephole and would not open the door.

"So I went back downstairs in a fit of rage and grabbed an axe from the car, and I axed the door down," he said.

"I did some horrible things to get my daughter out. They worked, but it exhausted me."
What would you pay to get your child into rehab?

Now the Butters have hit a brick wall. There are simply no places at public rehab clinics. The waiting lists at public rehab clinics are weeks, or months long.

Time is running out. Wayne has seen the pull ice has on users, and is worried Tiarni is about to disappear again.

"I can just see it, mate. She is itching to get out the door," he said.

"I haven't got another three months to fight drug dealers. It's just too hard."
With no public beds available, the only option is private rehab, but it is not cheap.

The standard cost for a three-month treatment is $30,000. The treatment they offer is not that different to a public rehab, but they can take a client in in a matter of days, rather than weeks or months.

For Wayne and wife Renee that is worth paying for, but they do not have $30,000.

The anxiety brings Wayne to tears.

"The last thing I want to do is sell my house," he said.

"We built it as a family. Took me two years. There's good times here, I don't want to tip it all away."

They have called in help from a volunteer community worker, who has spent the morning ringing around the private clinics trying to negotiate a reduced rate.

She has found one that will do it for half-price — $15,000. They will take Tiarni in tomorrow, but they want $5,000 up front today.

Wayne calls a mate to borrow the money. To pay him back — and to come up with the rest of the money — they will have to sell a car.

That night, the deal is done. Renee transfers the money. The Butters family have $139 left in their account, but Tiarni is in.

For the first time in a long time, Wayne and Renee can sleep in peace.

'We're in a system with no minimum standards'

It is a scene that is being played out over and over again across Australia. Parents are re-mortgaging homes, taking out loans, or pulling out their superannuation to get their kids into private rehab clinics.

Four Corners spoke with Garry Rothman, a financial counsellor at the non-profit rehab, Odyssey House.

"Most of the people I see who have come through private rehabs have had their superannuation emptied. It's sort of a soft target," he said.
Often, it will take more than one stint in rehab to get a user off ice. Some families have paid more than $60,000 for treatment, yet their child is still using.

The spread of ice has led to a surge in demand for rehab. Last year, there were more than 32,000 requests for treatment around Australia. That is almost double what it was five years before.

New, private rehabs are now opening up to meet demand. Those that are not connected to a private hospital or health fund fall into a grey area of regulation.

Essentially, when it comes to private rehabs, there are no specific rules or regulations governing what they do.

"I could start a rehab up tomorrow and hire staff who aren't suitably qualified, call it a rehab, and charge top dollar with no questions asked," said Ruben Ruolle, who heads the Drug and Alcohol unit at Western Health, a major public hospital network in Melbourne.

"There needs to be some sort of review on the organisations that aren't aligned with health providers [or] health fund providers, to become accountable."

Professor Dan Lubman, from the Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Centre, agrees.

"Unfortunately we're in a system where there are no minimum standards. That's a big concern for the community," he said.

"People often feel that if they pay for treatment, that means they're going to get something that's a lot better than what's offered in the public system.

"What's worrying is that there's no guarantee it's any better than what is offered in the public system. And often, I would say, is worse than what is offered in the public system."

Families who are not happy with the treatment they receive — or who try to get their money back — have nowhere to go to get a binding resolution to a dispute other than the courts.

Last year, the National Ice Taskforce recommended that the Federal Government develop a national framework, or set of guidelines, to cover the specialist drug treatment sector.

But that has not happened yet. And if, or when, it does, it's not clear if it would cover private rehabs.

Putting love over money

After four weeks in the clinic, Tiarni is doing well. Other clients have walked out, but she is sticking at it.

She tells Four Corners that if she had not got into rehab, and was still at home, she would probably be using again.

"I don't think it would have worked at all. I think I still would have been out there and just doing the stupid stuff," she said.

And that is what parents like Wayne are prepared to go to extreme lengths to pay for, and would do so again if needed.

"No matter how much money you have got, it's hard to get love back. So, I don't know. I prefer love over money … that's my opinion," he said.

Watch Rehab Inc on Four Corners tonight at 8:30pm on ABC 1.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-...t-their-kids-off-ice/7833434?WT.tsrc=Facebook


----------



## poledriver

*Hobart man who injected 16yo girl with ice avoids jail term*



> A Tasmanian man who injected a 16-year-old girl with the drug ice has avoided a jail term.
> 
> Glenn John Austen, 51, befriended the girl in Hobart's Franklin Square last year.
> 
> The Supreme Court heard the girl had stayed at Austen's New Town home several times.
> 
> Austen, a Jehovah's Witness, had been prescribed methadone for chronic pain issues and the court heard he had allowed the girl to take a tablet in February this year.
> 
> He had also bought ice at the girl's request, prepared it, and injected it into her arm at her request.
> 
> Austen turned himself into police a few hours later.
> 
> Justice Michael Brett accepted Austen had been naive and generous and an easy target for the girl and her companions, who were experienced drug users.
> 
> But he said the offence was aggravated by the age difference between Austen and the teenager.
> 
> 'Squandered opportunity' to help girl
> 
> "You were in a position of trust in respect to this girl," Justice Brett said.
> 
> "Clearly she was vulnerable without proper adult role models or support."
> 
> Justice Brett told Austen he had "squandered this opportunity" to give the girl the type of support she clearly needed.
> 
> The court heard Austen had been abusing alcohol and, following his divorce from his wife, had turned to his church for help.
> 
> But the church had expelled him, leaving him isolated and without his former network of friends.
> 
> He had gone to Alcoholics Anonymous for counselling but other members of the group had introduced him to ice and other illicit drugs.
> 
> The court heard that after the injecting incident, Austen had turned his life around and had successfully undergone counselling for his drug and alcohol issues.
> 
> Justice Brett sentence Austen to four months' jail wholly suspended for 12 months on the condition he maintain good behaviour and be on supervised probation.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-09/man-who-injected-girl-with-ice-avoids-jail-term/7832080


----------



## poledriver

*Perth Cloud 9 store owner pleads guilty to importing thousands of glass meth pipes*

The owner of Perth Cloud 9 retail stores has pleaded guilty to illegally importing thousands of glass methamphetamine pipes.

Pharmacist Hoang Nam Nguyen had been due to stand trial in the Perth Magistrates Court on six charges of importing prohibited imports, however at the start of proceedings today he pleaded guilty to three of the counts.

The remaining three charges were discontinued.

The court was told Nguyen imported more than 2,000 of the "ice pipes" from India and China in 2014.

The court heard Nguyen maintained he was not familiar with the way people smoked ice and he planned to sell them as kerosene lamps and candle and tobacco holders.

He was expected to make between $120,000 and $240,000 from their sale.

Nguyen will be sentenced later this year.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-...ty-to-importing-methamphetamine-pipes/7827832


----------



## poledriver

*Man arrested on yacht off WA's north coast pleads guilty to drug haul*






A man who was arrested on a yacht off Western Australia's north coast has pleaded guilty to charges arising from the seizure of more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Joshua Gaskell was arrested after police intercepted the yacht in August last year near the Montebello Islands, north-east of Barrow Island.

The drugs were seized after police searched a storage unit in the Perth suburb of Osborne Park.

Today in the District Court, Gaskell pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing drugs with intent to sell or supply.

He also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing two firearms and more than $600,000 in cash.

His lawyer, Sanella Naumovski, said her client entered the guilty pleas on the basis that he was a "safekeeper" of the drugs and cash.

However, prosecutor Laura Christian said given the quantity of the drugs involved, the state did not accept the proposition that Gaskell was only a "safekeeper" or "warehouser".

Gaskell will now face "a trial of the issues" before a District Court judge to determine on what basis he should be sentenced.

Gaskell appeared in court today via video link from Hakea prison and was again remanded in custody until his next appearance in December.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-08/wa-north-coast-meth-yacht-bust-guilty-plea-in-court/7826792


----------



## poledriver

*'In a fit of rage I grabbed an axe': How an ordinary dad stormed a dealer's den to rescue his daughter, 19, in the grip of Australia's meth crisis... and spent their life savings to get her off the drug*

The parents of a teenage girl who quit her job and moved in with her ice dealer have revealed that they paid $15,000 in a last-ditch attempt to get her off the toxic drug.
Tiarni Butters, 19, left her full-time job as a dental nurse and spent the next eight months living in filthy drug dens desperate to get her next hit of crystal meth.

In a report by ABC's Four Corners, parents Wayne and Renee revealed how their 'vivacious' and 'bubbly' little girl ended up living alongside addicts in Melbourne. 
Mr Butters believes his daughter was first introduced to crystal methamphetamine - known in Australia as 'ice' - during a friend's birthday party.

After getting a taste for the drug she was instantly hooked, spending the next eight months in a 'hellish' cycle of addiction that saw her leave home for weeks at a time to live with dealers.
Many of the derelict drug houses where Tiarni would stay had up to a dozen people living there, with some as young as 14, and all of them completely dependent on drugs.






Mr Butters described the extreme lengths he would go to rescue his daughter from the destructive lifestyle hidden inside the doors of the squalid drug homes.
'They have got steel doors. They don't have to answer them if they don't want to. I just put my hoodie over my head, knocked on the door… they must have thought it was just a drug deal, so the door opened,' he said.  

Eventually, the dealers wisened up and refused to open the door when they spotted Wayne's bulky frame.  
'So I went back downstairs in a fit of rage and grabbed an axe from the car, and I axed the door down,' he said.

But Tiarni, poisoned by the haze of ice, would rarely want to come home, often choosing to hide underneath a bed or refuse to leave.
When Tiarni did come home it would be late at night and often as she was coming down after an ice binge, Four Corners journalist Ben Knight said.

'She would come home from time to time, it would be late at night, she'd have the hoodie on, and she'd tell her parents to turn the lights down because it was too bright,' Mr Knight told Daily Mail Australia.
'Not knowing how long she'd be there or when they'd see her again, they'd sit up with her until the early hours of the morning.'

It wasn't until she was stuck in the middle of a drive-by shooting that Tiarni decided it was time to go home to her parents and try to kick the habit. 
'Why now? Five bullets through the front window and I've sh** myself and that was when I straight away rang mum to say I'm coming home,' she told Four Corners.

But the cost of private, long-term rehabilitation is excessive and vastly out of reach for most regular Australian families, costing upwards of $30,000 for a three month stint.
 Five bullets through the front window and I've sh** myself and that was when I rang mum to say I'm coming home

After landing a hugely discounted price of $15,000, on the condition that Tiarni arrive the next day, the Butters were able to send their daughter to a clinic. 
The family have just $139 left in their bank account, emptying their savings and borrowing from a friend to make the up-front payment of $5,000.
Tiarni has spent the past four weeks there and the family have noticed an enormous change already.

Mr Knight said they were feeling positive about the future and enjoying having glimpses of their little girl back.
'The family get to visit every Sunday ... after 30 days they can take her out for a few hours, they're really looking forward to that,' he said.

'She's beautiful, your typical vivacious, bubbly teenager, full of life - you would not have known that four weeks before she'd been in the grip of methamphetamine.'
Watch Rehab Inc on Four Corners tonight at 8:30pm on ABC 1. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...pent-life-savings-save-her.html#ixzz4K0NpTRia


----------



## poledriver

*Nine arrested in NSW and ACT in $100,000 ice bust*

Nine people have been arrested and $100,000 worth of methylamphetamine seized in a two-day operation run by a police strike force close to the ACT border.

The bust, led by Strike Force Lupo, began with the arrest of a 33-year-old man, arrested in Queanbeyan, NSW, on Wednesday, allegedly carrying four ounces of the drug ice worth approximately $30,000.

The man was later charged with 13 offences including eight counts of supply prohibited drug, two counts of supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis and three counts of possess prohibited drug.

He was refused bail and is set to appear in Queanbeyan Local Court on November 8.

On the same day police executed a search warrant at a home on Wattle Street, Queanbeyan where they allegedly discovered methylamphetamine, drug packaging, cannabis leaves and seeds.

Two men at the home, aged 21 and 22, were arrested and charged with weapon possession. Both men were granted bail and will appear in court on October 10. A 32-year-old also present at the home is facing a drug possession charge.

The execution of search warrants at four Queanbeyan homes and two in Jerrabomberra on Wednesday and Thursday allegedly led to the discovery of a compound bow, phones, scales, drugs including cannabis and methylamphetamine, a replica firearm and an extendable baton.

Two women, aged 27 and 33, and four other men aged 22, 25, 36 and 49, have been arrested in connection with the searches.

Police allege more than 400g of ice worth about $100,000 and various weapons were seized during the two-day operation.

Monaro Local Area Command Crime Manager, Detective Chief Inspector Neil Grey said the operation had so far been a success and would continue.

"This operation is ongoing, there’s still people yet to be arrested, but yesterday's and today's effort is a significant dint the drug trade in the Queanbeyan and ACT areas," he said.

"We will continue to target the supply, distribution, cultivation and manufacture of prohibited drugs to keep them off the streets."

Strike Force Lupo was set up in May 2016 by authorities at the Monaro Local Area Command to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs in Queanbeyan and the ACT.

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...over-100-000-worth-of-ice#iZrSHvK62ZvfIi8H.99


----------



## poledriver

*Penthouse to jailhouse... Model Simone Farrow jailed for smuggling ice into Australia*






A FORMER Penthouse Pet has been sentenced to a minimum six-and-a-half years in jail for helping smuggle the drug ice into Australia concealed in bath products.
A Sydney District Court judge today found Simone Farrow, 41, played a principal role in helping to smuggle methamphetamine into the country over a seven-and-a-half-month period before her arrest in October 2009.

She left Australia for the US after escaping a parcel bomb addressed to her, and used her time in California to pursue a career as a pop star and model under the name Simone Starr.
Prosecutors claimed she was a drug kingpin who posted top-quality meth to buyers in Australia and used staff from her music and modelling business to run the operation.






But Farrow claims she was duped by her employees, who took control of her bank accounts, email addresses and mobile phones without her knowledge to run the drug network.
They included her assistant Jessica Petit and Xander Rian, who killed himself in a Hollywood apartment after US investigators arranged to interview him before Farrow’s arrest in 2009.
Judge David Arnott said Farrow derived substantial income for her role, which involved communicating with customers, creating invoices for consignments and devising false names and addresses. When arrested she

had $45,000 in two NAB accounts and $US93,000 in a Citibank account, the court heard.
Farrow, the judge said, used her proceeds from the smuggling racket to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

“Whilst I’m not able to find that she was the principal behind the criminal enterprise, I find she played a principal role,” he said.
“She played an essential and important role in a significant (criminal) enterprise using her image as a model for a cover.”






Since her arrest seven years ago, Farrow has skipped bail twice and spent four years behind bars on remand.
She pleaded guilty to importing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug.

Judge Arnott took into account her sad childhood, which included sexual abuse at the hands of a stepfather, and her mother introducing her to prostitution at 17. Farrow will be eligible for parole in February 2019.

http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...a/news-story/35e7ce4757c45a696ee078e059f6d975

Edit - More on Simone's past, regarding when her and her then partner were parcel bombed -

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...k/news-story/4b0403d7f49bbc54549187b45ae0b40f


----------



## poledriver

*Sydney couple killed over 'drug dispute'*

A couple whose bodies were found wrapped in sheets almost a year apart were allegedly lured to a western Sydney home and beaten to death over a drug dispute, say police.

The body of Son Thanh Nguyen, 39, was discovered in Bankstown in April 2013, while the body of his girlfriend Thi Kim Lien Do, 35, was found in bushland in West Hoxton in January 2014.

A passerby found Mr Nguyen's body in a Bankstown street gutter, wrapped in a bed sheet and with his hands bound behind his back.

A 25-year-old man was arrested on Monday in Merrylands West and charged with two counts of murder, with police expecting to make more arrests.

Police says the pair was last seen together on April 10, 2013, was ambushed by an attacker, who bound and bashed them to death at a Canley Vale home.

Detective Superintendent Mick Willing told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday that Mr Nguyen was believed to have been methamphetamine cook, but could not confirm Ms Do's involvement.

"She well may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but certainly our information is that Mr Nguyen was involved in a dispute with a group which has led to his death over drugs," Supt Willing said.

He said police were also looking into links to other investigations, with more arrests expected.

"We will be making further arrests, I can confirm that straight away," he said.

Supt Willing said police were led to the site of Ms Do's body over the course of their investigation into Mr Nguyen's death.

The 25-year-old accused was refused bail and is expected to appear at Fairfield Local Court on Tuesday, facing two counts of murder.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...-murders-of-sydney-couple#ibCvfzkKk7uP210R.99


----------



## poledriver

*Mother of toddler who swallowed ice pleads not guilty in Wollongong court*



> A Wollongong mother has denied responsibility for her toddler ingesting the drug ice.
> 
> The 27-year-old woman from Koonawarra made her first court appearance on Wednesday after failing to turn up a fortnight ago, saying she was sick.
> 
> The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, came under investigation by detectives from the state's Child Abuse Squad earlier this year.
> 
> Her 21-month-old son was admitted to Wollongong Hospital in January with seizures.
> 
> Subsequent tests revealed he had consumed methylamphetamine, known as ice.
> 
> Police allege the toddler swallowed a quantity of the drug while he was alone in his mother's room.
> 
> They say the boy had slept in the room the previous evening.
> 
> According to NSW Police, methylamphetamine, cannabis, cathinone, buprenorphine and drug paraphernalia were found during a search of the home.
> 
> The mother pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis in Port Kembla Local Court.
> 
> She entered pleas of not guilty to charges of abandoning or exposing a child under the age of seven, causing danger of death and possessing several other prohibited drugs including methylamphetamine.
> 
> The mother declined to comment to the media outside the court and was driven away by friends in a waiting car.
> 
> She will face court again at a later date.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-14/mother-of-toddler-who-swallowed-ice-pleads-not-guilty/7844560


----------



## poledriver

*Pictured: Seven-months-pregnant woman, 24, who will have her baby behind bars after being jailed for selling $3000 of meth a week and kept a 'tick sheet' of customers who owed her*

A pregnant young woman will give birth behind bars after being convicted for dealing meth to the tune of a $3000 profit per week.
In the Bundaberg Supreme Court on Monday, Jessica Anne Robertson, whose baby is due in November, pleaded guilty to selling methamphetamine during a three-month period.
The 24-year-old dealt the drug to as many as 20 people and when her property was raided in September 2014, police found 5.9 grams of it, plus records of debts and payments, the News Mail reported.






Police also found a 'tick sheet' detailing transactions which showed she was waiting on payment of about $2300 by customers and owed suppliers about $4500. 
About 12,800 messages on her phone detailed drug transactions.
However, the quantity was acknowledged as 'street level'. 

The court heard how Robertson's life had began a downward spiral when she was about 18, after becoming friends with the wrong crowd.
She later lost her job as a real estate agent and began dealing in July 2014 to support her own habit.

A statement from her mother detailed how she'd physically changed, developing sores on her face and also estranged herself from her family, News Mail reported.
Judge Debra Mullins said: 'It must have been very difficult for her to describe her daughter as a junkie in order to rationalise your behaviour towards her while you were in the the throes of your addition to methamphetmine'. 
The court also heard she had checked in to a live-in rehabilitation clinic for three months and was committing to getting clean.

'Hopefully you will be able to use motherhood as another incentive to remain drug free,' Judge Mullins said. 
She was sentenced to three years, nine months prison, suspended after a year. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...thamphetamine-birth-prison.html#ixzz4KlQYLuiD


----------



## poledriver

*Byron Bay: the lost paradise*

The sun is an hour down and the winter evening chill setting in as men start moving into the bush near the empty Byron Bay Markets to set up camp.

Earlier, in the dying minutes of daylight, one had wandered the nearby Woolworths supermarket yelling he was short $25 for a bed. He raised the money, found a guy he knew and bought some warmth for another night of sleeping rough.






In Byron, ice is a pain reliever and a party drug.

Byron is certainly a party town for locals and tourists. Backpackers own the week but come the weekend, Brisbane arrives en masse courtesy a two-hour dash down the freeway. So much fun also draws the down and out. Some want something to get them through the night, or the day.

Mainly its alcohol, but ice, or crystal meth (methamphetamine), the so-called "poor man's cocaine", has also become the drug of choice for some. The media has been banging on about an "ice epidemic" roaring through NSW. It affects every level: affluent suburban teenagers, the urban poor, and rural towns with large Aboriginal populations and disappearing jobs. Communities across the state have been battling the problem for about three years.

The Richmond Local Area Command – including Byron Bay – takes in the stretch of coast running between Tweed Heads and Ballina across to the Great Divide and provides a glimpse of the difficulties faced by authorities trying to stop the ice trade.

Police statistics show the number of people caught in possession or using amphetamines in the Tweed-Richmond area has increase from a handful each month to dozens since the start of 2014. There have been 100 people busted for dealing or trafficking ice in the past two years.

Police say the purity of the drug being sold has also improved since 2014. It used to be that crime groups would buy broken down cold and flu tablets, extract the pseudoephedrine, turn it into meth oil and then into ice. It was a costly and time-intensive process that also required a level of expertise to carry out. Now the drug, or at least it's precursors, are sent from overseas crime gangs who have suddenly perceived Australia as a lucrative market. Despite record busts, organised crime manages to bring so much ice into Australia that ice's wholesale price has dropped significantly.

Two years ago, kilogram of ice would cost a crime group $220,000 a kilogram – now it can be bought for between $75,000 and $95,000. Unsurprisingly, as profits soared, price has not changed.

Ice used to be a cottage industry in Australia, but much is now being imported from China.

Lufeng, in China's Guandong provence, is a favourite port for drug smugglers. Locals call it the "city of ice". Large-scale drug busts in that area are not uncommon, with two or three tonne of ice seized at a time. But law enforcement agencies say it is failing to put a dent in production.

With China being Australia's largest trade partner, a law enforcement source says shipments of the drug are hard to detect among the volume of legitimate imports. "You don't need a corrupt worker down in the docks," the source says. "If you send 10 shipments of ice from China to Australia and only one gets through you are still making money." Mexican cartels, long known for the cocaine trade, have seen the profits made in Australia and have also begun exporting ice across the Pacific.

Demand has reached such levels, and the potential profits so high, that law enforcement are now seeing instances where overseas crime groups are sending ice to Australia even before they've found a buyer – so confident they can shift their product.

Overseas crime groups will generally deal with local bikie gangs and Australian Mr Bigs who will then on sell the drugs to mid-level dealers, who then supply low-level dealers.

"It would be pretty easy for someone to take a kilogram of ice to Byron, that would give about 1500 deals," a law enforcement source says. "That would supply that township for a whole month."

Northern NSW features in police drug and alcohol records – grog is a far greater problem – because they are frenetically busy keeping a lid on a party town.

But Byron created its own crown of thorns.

Established in the late 19th century as a port when the Big Scrub of the hinterland was cleared for diary and beef cattle, it dozed off after the Second World War until the 1960s brought surfers looking for waves. The Nimbin festival in 1973 gave it wider exposure down south and fused drugs and a laid-back lifestyle with tourism. When the freeway put it within two hours of Brisbane, Byron roared into life as a party town and overseas backpackers destination.

There is a tension between the law as it applies to drugs and Byron's trademark laissez faire, the inheritance of the Nimbin days and the herd of music festivals predicated on sex, drugs and rock and roll that have erupted since 1990. These days, police are torn between enforcing the law at the festivals or turning a blind eye.

Byron is now both a money spinner and a middle-class paradise, sporting middle-class house prices and rents replete with a surprising underbelly of poverty that informs drug usage beyond the hippy, music festival rager mind set.

They say the sun is the blanket of the poor, so perhaps it is little wonder that Byron Bay can also lay claim to being homeless central.

The last census found the Richmond Valley – stretching from Ballina to Tweed Heads – had about 500 homeless people and 211 of them were sleeping rough. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said only the Sydney inner-city area had more homeless sleeping rough.

Welfare and health workers say the homelessness is also exacerbated by Byron becoming a favoured destination for people coming off rehab programs who head to northern NSW to chill out.

Not long ago, their camps seemed everywhere around Byron: there were some 20, in the bush, along the railway track, the sand dunes. But tolerance gave way to "green" hegemony: complaints came in about environmental damage to the dunes and the fire risk. Council rangers (community enforcement officers) carried out sweeps and crown lands moved in with bulldozers and cleaned out everything.

Byron Bay Community Centre community services manager Cat Seddon says rough sleepers made up only a small proportion of the town's total homeless and many were sleeping in cars or in friend's garages or friend's couches, victims of rising rents or the absence of affordable housing.

She also said drug and alcohol usage was a symptom but the cause in Byron was often mental health issues and domestic violence, a situation made worse as the Baird government scrapped funding for some local community based programs. "The social fabric that protects most people from homelessness – family, affordable housing and access to government services – are not always readily available in Byron and it's easy for people to fall through the cracks," she says.

Maybe Byron's juxtaposition of the haves and the have nots makes it too delicious to resist pointing the finger but the story remains the same in other NSW towns as they try to come to grips with the rise of ice.

In Kyogle, they ran a local ice dealer out of town.

And on the edge of the Great Divide, the beef centre of Casino has been fighting a growing reputation for surrendering many of its young to ice.

Kevin Hogan, the National Party MP for Page, says the drug had been a real problem for the town but a crackdown had stopped petty crimes. However, Krystian Gruft, of The Buttery, a not for profit community based program specialising in the treatment of alcohol and other drug misuse located in the hills behind Byron, says the age of some Casino teenagers taking part in his outreach programs due to ice usage has fallen noticeably. "Whereas we used to see kids usually 15 or 16, we now see a few who are 14, maybe less," says Gruft, manager of The Buttery's outreach programs.

Hogan says the federal government had tipped $6 million towards tackling the use of ice on the north coast and the local primary health network is in the process of appointing people to provide rehab, family support and train local GPs how to treat ice users.

On October 13, the latest Baird government's "breaking the ice" forums will be staged in Byron. It aims to help build and strengthen community partnerships by bringing together local police, health services, youth services, Family Drug Support and local non-government drug and alcohol services.

Years ago, often acting on police advice, the media gave marijuana and heroin their own epidemic treatment. Users knew the disconnect between journalism and reality but ice its different: the addiction is immediate and debilitating. Many Australians know heroine addicts who functioned at work for years but ice addicts set like the sun.

Nicqui Yazdi, leader of the BUDDI Community Action Team, says government emphasis on controlling ice by police is to miss the point.

"Perhaps the best step forward is to recognise that ice is not necessarily a policing issue but rather a health issue and a social issue," she says.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/byron-bay-the-lost-paradice-20160922-grmhwi.html


----------



## consumer

poledriver said:


> *Byron Bay: the lost paradise*
> 
> The sun is an hour down and the winter evening chill setting in as men start moving into the bush near the empty Byron Bay Markets to set up camp.
> 
> Earlier, in the dying minutes of daylight, one had wandered the nearby Woolworths supermarket yelling he was short $25 for a bed. He raised the money, found a guy he knew and bought some warmth for another night of sleeping rough.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In Byron, ice is a pain reliever and a party drug.
> 
> Byron is certainly a party town for locals and tourists. Backpackers own the week but come the weekend, Brisbane arrives en masse courtesy a two-hour dash down the freeway. So much fun also draws the down and out. Some want something to get them through the night, or the day.
> 
> Mainly its alcohol, but ice, or crystal meth (methamphetamine), the so-called "poor man's cocaine", has also become the drug of choice for some. The media has been banging on about an "ice epidemic" roaring through NSW. It affects every level: affluent suburban teenagers, the urban poor, and rural towns with large Aboriginal populations and disappearing jobs. Communities across the state have been battling the problem for about three years.
> 
> The Richmond Local Area Command – including Byron Bay – takes in the stretch of coast running between Tweed Heads and Ballina across to the Great Divide and provides a glimpse of the difficulties faced by authorities trying to stop the ice trade.
> 
> Police statistics show the number of people caught in possession or using amphetamines in the Tweed-Richmond area has increase from a handful each month to dozens since the start of 2014. There have been 100 people busted for dealing or trafficking ice in the past two years.
> 
> Police say the purity of the drug being sold has also improved since 2014. It used to be that crime groups would buy broken down cold and flu tablets, extract the pseudoephedrine, turn it into meth oil and then into ice. It was a costly and time-intensive process that also required a level of expertise to carry out. Now the drug, or at least it's precursors, are sent from overseas crime gangs who have suddenly perceived Australia as a lucrative market. Despite record busts, organised crime manages to bring so much ice into Australia that ice's wholesale price has dropped significantly.
> 
> Two years ago, kilogram of ice would cost a crime group $220,000 a kilogram – now it can be bought for between $75,000 and $95,000. Unsurprisingly, as profits soared, price has not changed.
> 
> Ice used to be a cottage industry in Australia, but much is now being imported from China.
> 
> Lufeng, in China's Guandong provence, is a favourite port for drug smugglers. Locals call it the "city of ice". Large-scale drug busts in that area are not uncommon, with two or three tonne of ice seized at a time. But law enforcement agencies say it is failing to put a dent in production.
> 
> With China being Australia's largest trade partner, a law enforcement source says shipments of the drug are hard to detect among the volume of legitimate imports. "You don't need a corrupt worker down in the docks," the source says. "If you send 10 shipments of ice from China to Australia and only one gets through you are still making money." Mexican cartels, long known for the cocaine trade, have seen the profits made in Australia and have also begun exporting ice across the Pacific.
> 
> Demand has reached such levels, and the potential profits so high, that law enforcement are now seeing instances where overseas crime groups are sending ice to Australia even before they've found a buyer – so confident they can shift their product.
> 
> Overseas crime groups will generally deal with local bikie gangs and Australian Mr Bigs who will then on sell the drugs to mid-level dealers, who then supply low-level dealers.
> 
> "It would be pretty easy for someone to take a kilogram of ice to Byron, that would give about 1500 deals," a law enforcement source says. "That would supply that township for a whole month."
> 
> Northern NSW features in police drug and alcohol records – grog is a far greater problem – because they are frenetically busy keeping a lid on a party town.
> 
> But Byron created its own crown of thorns.
> 
> Established in the late 19th century as a port when the Big Scrub of the hinterland was cleared for diary and beef cattle, it dozed off after the Second World War until the 1960s brought surfers looking for waves. The Nimbin festival in 1973 gave it wider exposure down south and fused drugs and a laid-back lifestyle with tourism. When the freeway put it within two hours of Brisbane, Byron roared into life as a party town and overseas backpackers destination.
> 
> There is a tension between the law as it applies to drugs and Byron's trademark laissez faire, the inheritance of the Nimbin days and the herd of music festivals predicated on sex, drugs and rock and roll that have erupted since 1990. These days, police are torn between enforcing the law at the festivals or turning a blind eye.
> 
> Byron is now both a money spinner and a middle-class paradise, sporting middle-class house prices and rents replete with a surprising underbelly of poverty that informs drug usage beyond the hippy, music festival rager mind set.
> 
> They say the sun is the blanket of the poor, so perhaps it is little wonder that Byron Bay can also lay claim to being homeless central.
> 
> The last census found the Richmond Valley – stretching from Ballina to Tweed Heads – had about 500 homeless people and 211 of them were sleeping rough. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said only the Sydney inner-city area had more homeless sleeping rough.
> 
> Welfare and health workers say the homelessness is also exacerbated by Byron becoming a favoured destination for people coming off rehab programs who head to northern NSW to chill out.
> 
> Not long ago, their camps seemed everywhere around Byron: there were some 20, in the bush, along the railway track, the sand dunes. But tolerance gave way to "green" hegemony: complaints came in about environmental damage to the dunes and the fire risk. Council rangers (community enforcement officers) carried out sweeps and crown lands moved in with bulldozers and cleaned out everything.
> 
> Byron Bay Community Centre community services manager Cat Seddon says rough sleepers made up only a small proportion of the town's total homeless and many were sleeping in cars or in friend's garages or friend's couches, victims of rising rents or the absence of affordable housing.
> 
> She also said drug and alcohol usage was a symptom but the cause in Byron was often mental health issues and domestic violence, a situation made worse as the Baird government scrapped funding for some local community based programs. "The social fabric that protects most people from homelessness – family, affordable housing and access to government services – are not always readily available in Byron and it's easy for people to fall through the cracks," she says.
> 
> Maybe Byron's juxtaposition of the haves and the have nots makes it too delicious to resist pointing the finger but the story remains the same in other NSW towns as they try to come to grips with the rise of ice.
> 
> In Kyogle, they ran a local ice dealer out of town.
> 
> And on the edge of the Great Divide, the beef centre of Casino has been fighting a growing reputation for surrendering many of its young to ice.
> 
> Kevin Hogan, the National Party MP for Page, says the drug had been a real problem for the town but a crackdown had stopped petty crimes. However, Krystian Gruft, of The Buttery, a not for profit community based program specialising in the treatment of alcohol and other drug misuse located in the hills behind Byron, says the age of some Casino teenagers taking part in his outreach programs due to ice usage has fallen noticeably. "Whereas we used to see kids usually 15 or 16, we now see a few who are 14, maybe less," says Gruft, manager of The Buttery's outreach programs.
> 
> Hogan says the federal government had tipped $6 million towards tackling the use of ice on the north coast and the local primary health network is in the process of appointing people to provide rehab, family support and train local GPs how to treat ice users.
> 
> On October 13, the latest Baird government's "breaking the ice" forums will be staged in Byron. It aims to help build and strengthen community partnerships by bringing together local police, health services, youth services, Family Drug Support and local non-government drug and alcohol services.
> 
> Years ago, often acting on police advice, the media gave marijuana and heroin their own epidemic treatment. Users knew the disconnect between journalism and reality but ice its different: the addiction is immediate and debilitating. Many Australians know heroine addicts who functioned at work for years but ice addicts set like the sun.
> 
> Nicqui Yazdi, leader of the BUDDI Community Action Team, says government emphasis on controlling ice by police is to miss the point.
> 
> "Perhaps the best step forward is to recognise that ice is not necessarily a policing issue but rather a health issue and a social issue," she says.
> 
> http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/byron-bay-the-lost-paradice-20160922-grmhwi.html


I know the guy in the wheel chair. Been homeless for many years. He has lost his leg since i last saw him. Many of my friends say how bad ice has got in Byron. Its causing a lot of problems.


----------



## poledriver

Yeah I was up there about a month ago for a week. It's a beautiful area but there is obviously a lot of mental health issues, addiction issues and homelessness.

A pretty good article I thought.


----------



## consumer

I used to hang with the homeless. Have lunch with them. Knew them all from the bottlo. Great people actually. Definitely mental issues and addiction but big hearts.


----------



## poledriver

*Struggle Street’s Billie Jo Wilkie reveals her ice addiction and her year in prison with Harriet Wran*

STRUGGLE Street’s most notorious star Billie Jo Wilkie has revealed that she has just spent more than a year in prison and that she had a serious ice addiction.
Speaking exclusively with news.com.au, Billie Jo — who made world news when she smoked a marijuana bong on camera while eight months pregnant - says she was “smashed on ice” while filming the SBS reality show.
The series, which aired last year, focused on the lives of people living in the western Sydney suburb of Mt Druitt.

Wilkie and her partner Bob Quinn admitted they were both high on ice during filming of the show and had bought methamphetamines with welfare money freed up when SBS paid for their food and phones.
“Ice is bad s**t man,” Bob told news.com.au, “that time [filmed on Struggle Street] when I wouldn’t come to the door, I was pretty out of it that day.”
“You were smashed,” Billie Jo interjected. “SBS gave us a card to put Maccas on and our phones and that so, yeah, we were buying ice.

“It was disgusting. We were given money and taken out to do drug deals. They [SBS] took us out to get on.
“It was s**t.”
















“Yeah,” Bob agreed, “I fell into oblivion with drugs.”
The pair, who broke up under the pressure of having the spotlight shined upon their lives, are back together and struggling with their notoriety and lives since the show finished.
Desperate to escape the Mt Druitt area, and the squalor and social problems which SBS’s Struggle Street focused upon, the pair have nevertheless achieved a huge milestone.
Both have given up drugs, with Billie Jo admitting that if she hadn’t she “probably would have died”.

“It’s a terrible life being on ice,” Bob said. “It’s just misery. I still have a daily struggle and we have these c***s who still come around and say can we get some and we’ll spot you some for free, the mother f***ers.”
Bob gave up taking ice last Christmas and encouraged Billie Jo to do the same.

She had received a jail sentence for driving offences, after she was caught driving while disqualified four times, and twice in one day.

She was sent to prison for 13 months. The term was just 11 months less than the minimum former NSW premier Neville Wran’s daughter Harriet received for her role in the murder of ice dealer Daniel McNulty.
Billie Jo did her time in Kempsey prison on the Mid North Coast, Dillwynia Women’s Correctional Centre in western Sydney and at Silverwater.
She was sentenced just a month after SBS screened the Struggle Street promo which showed her sitting on a toilet while she was pregnant and smoking drugs with her mother, Carlene.
Her TV fame preceded her in the yard with the other women prisoners.

“I copped it in jail. They’d yell out ‘hey Struggle Street, there goes Struggle Street’,” Billie Jo said.
For the first half of her sentence she took drugs in prison including ice and “bupe”, or Buprenorphine a drug like methadone distributed to heroin addicts in prison.
“Every couple of months I was doing drugs in there,” she said.

“I thought if I am in here and I get out of here and I’m still using it will have all been for nothing, so six months before I was due out I stopped.

“I’ve seen [other female inmates] collect debts in there and I thought if I get out and I’m using I’m going to kill myself.”
Billie Jo said she spent time in Silverwater Prison with an inmate called Harriet, but she didn’t realise until she got out that it was Wran, who she said had been a model inmate inside.

Released three months ago, Wilkie is back living with Bob at Lethbridge Park, a neighbouring suburb of Mt Druitt.
The couple cannot go anywhere without being recognised, which they say they “hate”.

“We were tricked into doing it by SBS because they told us it was a documentary and then we have been bullied and degraded on air,” she said.
“Now we’re attacked online and just walking down the street everyone knows us.

“It doesn’t matter where we go, everyone knows us. I hate the attention all the time.”
Bob, who has spent time in hospital and has suffered serious family issues with his children, said he just “wanted to get out of this sh**hole”.

“I want to get out of public housing and start working again and rent. While I was in hospital there were squatters living in this house and they trashed the joint,” Bob said.
“Housing blames me. They hate me because of the show.
“I just want to get somewhere quieter, maybe down the coast, where we don’t have people knocking on the door through the night.”

Bob and Billie Jo said with hindsight they should never have agreed to go on Struggle Street, and anybody participating in future versions of the SBS series to “stay the f*** away”.
“Never again,” Bob said. “We were vulnerable. We were on the ice bad and they gave us money. It’s affected my family.”
The couple say they both suffer extreme lethargy since giving up ice.

“That the worst thing about being off the drug, you can’t walk five steps. Got no energy,” Billie Jo said. However, she has gained weight and her eyes, skin and hair are glowing.

Billie Jo, who comes from a troubled background, said the pressure of being degraded online made life difficult.
She has a horrific family history of neglect, death, abandonment and physical and mental illness.
She had a brother who died from drugs and a sister who died in 2014 from motor neurone disease.

“Mt Druitt is a s*** hole, it’s crap, don’t live here, but it’s got lovely people who’d do anything for you’” she said.
“But now, where do we go that no-one would know us?”

Billie Jo said among the online trolling she had received was a YouTube video entitled “If Bogans had a Dating Show” made by a man calling himself “The Bogan Bachelor”.
In the video he says “I’m looking for a sheila that likes the simple things in life”, and the screen cuts to the shot from Struggle Street of Billie Jo smoking the bong.
“I don’t even know him, but I’d like to find out and see if I can sue him,” she said.

Asked about allegations of drug-taking being encouraged during the show, SBS told news.com.au that “any claims that SBS was involved in alleged criminal activity are absolutely untrue”.
An SBS spokesman said: “Struggle Street was made with rigorous documentary production protocols and standards, and we continue to stand by the integrity of the series.

“As with all productions, duty of care to participants is paramount, and clear and informed consent obtained.
“The first series was broadly acknowledged as having a significant impact on the national conversation about social disadvantage, and the support needed to address the complex issues of poverty and hardship in Australia today.”

http://www.news.com.au/entertainmen...n/news-story/49e65d3f6c7edeb166033a35178defa8


----------



## poledriver

*The town that started national anti-ice drug campaign reports mixed results one year on*






A country community in New South Wales is uniting to fight the myths and stigma surrounding the drug ice, one year after it began a national campaign to dob in dealers.

Police said they were making inroads in tackling a methamphetamine problem in the central-west town of Wellington.

But the community responsible for starting what is now a national anti-drug campaign is battling the stigma of being linked to the so-called ice, or crystalline methamphetamine, epidemic.

"The issue is no worse in Wellington than in any other regional town," said Alison Conn, manager of Wellington Information and Neighbourhood Services, the town's multi-service centre.

"It's just that the community has stepped up and decided to do something about it."

*Wellington's story makes national headlines*

Like many regional centres, Wellington, a town with a population of about 5,000, five hours west of Sydney, is in dire need of resources to tackle the health and social consequences of the highly concentrated drug, as well as reduce its availability.

Last year concerned locals worked with police to set up a hotline to encourage friends and neighbours to anonymously give information about dealers, aiming to remove the stigma associated with "dobbing".

The operation has led to multiple arrests, ongoing investigations and a decreased supply in some areas, but resulting publicity has made solving the problem harder.

Wellington has been nicknamed the 'South Pole', and Channel Nine's A Current Affair said the drug had forced people "off the streets" and "in lockdown".

*Breaking down barriers*

The community this week refocused on the situation with a series of meetings involving community, health, and drug and alcohol representatives, as well as a public forum.

Workshop trainer and facilitator Annie Bleeker said one of the aims was to dispel the stigma and fears about the drug.

"We know on average it takes people five to 10 years to access treatment for this drug," she said.



> "If we continue to stigmatise that person, that's going to take even longer, and we know the earlier someone is in contact with treatment, they are far better in being able to respond and get well again.
> "What you have in smaller towns is it's more visible and many people know other people, so that can make it more difficult."



In NSW, the number of methamphetamine-related presentations to 56 public hospital emergency departments increased from 470 in 2009/10 to 4,771 in 2015/16.

Ms Bleeker, who has worked in the drug and alcohol sector since 1990, said a common misconception was the idea that ice use was ballooning.

She said the increase in emergency presentations was the result of a drastic increase in drug potency — from about 10 per cent purity in 2011 to an average potency close to 80 per cent by 2014.

Wellington senior sergeant Ross Gibson said ice was still "fairly accessible" in the town.

"More often than not, when we are called to an incident, whether it's to do with domestic violence or property theft, it can be linked back to a drug of sorts," he said.

"Alcohol plays a large part in the incidents we attend, as do drugs — that's the reality."

*Community calls for help*

At this week's public meeting, community members said drug dealers were openly operating in the town, and asked how police could keep up with the 24-7 trade when the local station closed overnight.

One resident said as soon as the station shut down, drug dealers opened up shop.

Sergeant Gibson said tackling drugs was an ongoing process, and while results so far were good, he called on the community to stay involved in the Dob in a Dealer campaign.

"It has led to the community participating and buying in to getting the drug out of our town, to targeting those drug suppliers and putting them before the court," he said.

But the community said it needed more police and health resources.

The State Government has allocated $4 million for non-government organisations to provide services in rural and regional NSW, including Wellington, but services will only operate part-time.

*Long term recovery from addiction*

Crystalline methamphetamine can trigger the brain to release up to 1,200 times the standard amount of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centres.

The corresponding lows can make it a difficult addiction to recover from, especially when it takes up to 18 months for the body's dopamine levels to balance out.

That often means in-house rehabilitation support is needed.

"We need more rehabilitation space in the central-west so we can get people in when they are ready and in a timely manner," Ms Conn said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-22/dob-in-a-deal-program-one-year-on/7865390


----------



## poledriver

*Police promise not to charge ice users — could this be the answer to Australia’s drug crisis?*






IT’S every ice addict’s worst fear.
They receive a text message, not from a dealer or their junkie mates, but from the police.
“Your number has communicated with this person” — and in those six words the text informs them their number had been uncovered in a raid on a drug dealer, who has now been locked up.
But then it said something even more shocking.

“Please be assured you will not be prosecuted.”
The text messages, sent by police in Auckland, New Zealand, are part of a groundbreaking campaign to try and end the scourge of methamphetamine that has Kiwis and Aussies hooked in greater numbers than most other developed countries.
The police text then gives recipients three options to call for assistance, a helpline, an alcohol and drug service, or the number of a detective if they wanted help from police themselves, reported Newshub.
Of the 140 people, 20 chose to speak with police directly for help, a surprising result that one Australian expert has branded “innovative” and “open-minded”.

The people who met Auckland police face-to-face included wealthy company executives. New Zealand police say the approach is more beneficial than charging each meth user, and also allows them to gather intelligence on their focus, the dealers and cooks who spread the drug throughout the community.

John Coyne, head of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s border protection program, told news.com.au it was crucial police in this country adopted innovative ways to combat the ice crisis because “law enforcement on its own isn’t going to solve it”.

At the heart of what police should be doing was “harm reduction”, Dr Coyne said. And that meant thinking outside the square.
“What you see in the New Zealand example is police being incredibly innovative and open minded and remind themselves it’s not just about banging up crooks for using drugs.”
With ice consumption at record levels in Australia, and violent crime being fuelled by the drug, finding ways of getting addicts off it — permanently — is needed.
“Policing in its roots is about keeping people safe and problem solving ... saying ‘there’s a problem in our community so lets deal with it’.”

The problem with that approach was that all too often police were judged by the arrests they made or the amount of drugs that were taken off the streets.
“I think the challenge for police commissioners, whether they are in Australia or New Zealand, or NSW or head of the AFP, is the performance measures that drive police are very much focused on hard and fast metrics,” Dr Coyne said.
“Have a read of the last few annual reports and they talk about the astounding increases in drug seizures, the number of arrests and successful prosecutions.”
The number of Australians using methamphetamine has tripled over the past five years, according to estimates by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

A study in the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre found there were 268,000 regular and dependent methamphetamine users in Australia. Most worrying was the sharp increase in users aged between 15-24.
Last year Dr Coyne co-wrote Methamphetamine: Focusing Australia’s National Ice Strategy on the Problem, not the Symptoms, which said strategies to tackle ice were needed that were innovative and disruptive.

“In this strategy, law enforcement isn’t focused on arrests, prosecutions, custodial offences or seizures, as none of those will have a guaranteed impact on the problem. The focus is on means to reduce the availability of drugs, the disruption of user behaviour and the integration of education and health initiatives.”

A number of people would say the approach was wrong because it sent the wrong message and could be viewed as “going soft’ on criminals and drug users, Dr Coyne said. But his view was sending users through the courts and giving them a criminal record was not always the best tool in the fight against meth addiction.

“Chances are in the court system drug users won’t get a custodial sentence, but it will give them a drug conviction and that won’t allow them to drag themselves out of the [drug] mire. It’s not going soft on drugs, it’s about attacking the actual problem here.”
In terms of harm reduction, he said each of the people who took the police’s offer of help would inevitably lead to far less drama later in life.
“Think of how many crimes they commit per week in order to feed their habit and then multiply it ... You’ve saved a whole heap of angst later on.”

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...SF&utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=Facebook


----------



## poledriver

*Party boy police officer admits using and selling METH – after he refused to take a drug test and quit the force the next day*



> Brendon Hanson pleads guilty to two counts of supplying banned drug
> Told judge he used meth to cope with depression, anxiety and stress
> Quit job after refusing to take a police drug test and is later arrested
> Awaits Monday morning sentencing by justice Stephen Hanley, SC



A former Australian police officer with a taste for parties will soon have little to celebrate.
Brendon William Hanson has pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying crystal meth.
The 29-year-old former special constable is out on bail and faces a tense weekend waiting to be sentenced in a western Sydney courtroom on Monday morning.

Hanson told a judge on Wednesday he used ice to cope with stress, anxiety and depression, Nine News reported.
Penrith District Court was told that Hanson, a special constable in the NSW Police force for almost a decade, declined to take a police drug test in August 2015.
He quit his job the next day. 

Detectives tapped his phone and followed his movements before arresting him in September last year, the court was told.
Police found more than 25 grams of methamphetamine and two replica pistols in his Sydney home.
In the year since his arrest, Hanson has been out on bail and undergone drug rehabilitation.

However, the court heard he was targeted as a former police officer during his treatment, Nine News reported.
Justice Stephen Hanley, SC, is due to sentence Hanson on Monday, October 10. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...n-awaits-sentence-supplying-crystal-meth.html


----------



## poledriver

*Ice-crazed car thief jailed for ‘astonishingly dangerous’ joyride*






A man who filmed himself driving a stolen car with his knees while smoking ice has been jailed.

Polair clocked Jake Robert Dixon, 24, travelling at 180km/h on April 17 for almost three hours before police used road spikes to stop the stolen vehicle, Queensland Times reports.

Dixon filmed part of the ordeal that started near the Sunshine Coast, before travelling to Brisbane and Ipswich.

At one point the 24-year-old recorded himself steering with his knees and smoking a “crack bong” in the wrong lane while manoeuvring past oncoming traffic.

“We would like to apologise to our mummies and daddies, if we do get caught at the end of the night, we got caught doing what we love mummy and daddy" a second person in the car could be heard saying off camera.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta, who sentenced Dixon to three years’ jail, said it was the worst case of reckless driving she has ever seen.

“It really is quite astonishingly dangerous, I actually can't think of a more serious case of dangerous driving," Ms Vasta said.

“Cars don't get any faster than 180kmh, you can't get more dangerous than driving the wrong way.”

Dixon has also been disqualified from holding a drivers licence for nine years.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...shingly-dangerous-driving#fOEp6KsJb50yp3kx.99


----------



## poledriver

*Vic ice killer to spend 17 years in jail*



> A homeless drug user who beat a stranger to death and dumped his body in a Melbourne creek will be deported after spending at least 17 years in jail.
> 
> Dion Laban couldn't remember the attack on Joel Desgranges and only admitted it when shown CCTV footage of the brutal murder.
> 
> The 32-year-old was walking behind Mr Desgranges, 59, through Sunshine on the morning of December 2 and they had a brief chat.
> 
> Laban, who was pulling a suitcase behind him, suddenly attacked the older man, punching, kicking and stomping on him.
> 
> He dragged Mr Desgranges' body to Kororoit Creek and continued to beat him with a branch.
> 
> Justice Elizabeth Hollingsworth said Laban was clearly affected by ice, but she was concerned about his history of using illicit drugs.
> 
> "I am somewhat guarded about your prospects for rehabilitation," Justice Hollingsworth said on Wednesday.
> 
> She said the likelihood of Laban reoffending is "inextricably linked to your drug use".
> 
> Laban's family are based in Australia but his visa was cancelled after the murder and he will be deported to New Zealand at the end of his sentence.
> 
> Mr Desgranges, originally from France, liked to walk in the mornings and usually met his friend at the train station before getting a coffee.
> 
> His friend was on holidays the day Mr Desgranges was murdered so they did not meet at the station that morning.
> 
> The friend has told the court he will forever feel guilty over what happened to his cheerful friend because Mr Desgranges might still be alive if he had not been on holiday and they had met that morning
> 
> Laban had been homeless and using ice for some time when he bumped into Mr Desgranges.
> 
> Justice Hollingsworth sentenced Laban to 21 years in jail, with a 17 year non-parole period.
> 
> She recommended he be given long term counselling to prepare himself for having to be sent back to New Zealand, away from his family, when his sentence is complete.
> 
> http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...es-jail-for-random-murder#5S7CDZTdKMteuBE2.99


----------



## poledriver

*Accused in shock guilty plea to rape and murder of French student Sophie Collombet*

BENJAMIN Milward has told his mother he deserves whatever is coming to him for the rape and murder of French student Sophie Collombet, as she warned of the dangers of the drug “ice”.

Two weeks before he was to stand trial, Milward yesterday pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court in Brisbane over the horrific attack on Ms Collombet as she walked home in March 2014.
The rare plea of guilty to a murder charge follows a swift but meticulous police investigation into a crime that provoked an outpouring of public grief and outrage.







> Sophie Collombet.



Quick-thinking detectives were on Milward’s doorstep just hours after Ms Collombet’s body was discovered in a rotunda near Kurilpa Bridge in South Brisbane.

Deciding to check the nearby Ozcare hostel a few blocks away, officers discovered Milward was missing after failing to return home by curfew on the night of the murder.
The hostel houses convicted sex offenders and others on parole, despite being located a short distance from one of the city’s busiest tourist and entertainment precincts.

Witnesses soon told police that Milward twice injected the drug ice on the day of the murder, and had been drinking in the rotunda where her body was found.
He had previously been jailed for a year for serious assault and had been convicted of a string of other offences, such as stealing and causing a public nuisance.

On the day of her murder, Ms Collombet, 21, a business student, had been at Griffith University and had declined a classmate’s offer of a lift home. Instead, she caught a bus to the Cultural Centre terminal and walked along the Brisbane River towards her apartment about 9pm. An area that might normally have been full of people was deserted because of a storm that brought heavy rain.

A jogger discovered her body the next morning.
She was naked and had been covered in newspapers and a jacket.

DNA recovered from under Ms Collombet’s fingernails was found to be 1.1 million times more likely to have come from Milward than not.
His mother Diane Milward yesterday said he had pleaded guilty ahead of his trial because he was “sorry about everything”.

“He knows he deserves whatever is coming to him,” Ms Milward told The Courier-Mail. “He’s done a horrible thing and he deserves to be punished for it.
“I know people probably won’t believe this, but he’s so remorseful and devastated by what’s happened and he’s ready to accept whatever happens.”
Ms Milward was continuing to support her son, visiting him in the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre every two weeks.

“Why did he do it? The drugs, absolutely,” she said.
A conviction for murder carries a mandatory life sentence, with a minimum non-parole period of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Dressed in an untucked long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Milward showed no emotion and spoke only when asked how he pleaded to charges of rape and murder. “Guilty,” he replied to each.
A man believed to be Ms Collombet’s 27-year-old brother sat in the public gallery but declined to comment.

Justice Ann Lyons said she would sentence Milward on October 26.

http://www.news.com.au/national/que...t/news-story/89f85cdf45ae1b9476e96e8d04eecda7


----------



## poledriver

*Rapper 360 says government anti-ice ads only entice addicts 'to go and score'*

Melbourne rapper Matthew James Colwell, better known as 360, has revealed his battle to recover from methamphetamine, commonly known as ice, has been the hardest of all his drug abuse over the years and watching Victorian government anti-ice television campaigns only makes him itch for more.

"Out of all the drugs out there, there is one that is leagues ahead of every other drug in every way and that is ICE. It's the MOST addictive by far," he posted recently to his Facebook page.

He went on to say "government funded anti-ice campaigns are f---ing terrible" because "they have zero idea that simply showing a picture of a pipe will have every addict itching".

"Even just looking at the glass pipe literally sets them off, it's THAT bad. I guarantee that there's people out there who saw that advertisement and it caused them to go and score," he wrote.

The campaign Colwell appears to be referring to an ad that ran in 2014 and featured the slogan What Are You Doing On Ice?, and depicted young people blowing smoke in cars and holding smoking implements in their bedrooms (not included on this article for obvious reasons).

Attempts to speak to Colwell were dismissed by his agent who said he wasn't speaking to media at the moment.

Melbourne community agency TaskForce, which offers services to people with drug, alcohol and disengagement issues, has experienced some of the fallout of anti-drug campaigns, particularly on the 2500 clients living across the southern suburbs from St Kilda to Frankston and across to Dandenong.

TaskForce CEO Raymond Blessing says most heavy ice users feel vilified by the government ads, and some have complained of wanting to use again after seeing the ads.






"Our front-line staff say that the advertising demonises users, creates stigma and some clients say it gives them cravings. So it most instances they just wipe it away. It certainly doesn't appear to have any positive aspect, it just seems to create more of an issue for them about initiating cravings or causing that kind of activity in their mind," he said. 

"To a degree it causes fear and apprehension in the community, it misdirects community views and it creates disproportionate government responses.

"From the feedback that I'm getting from the staff and from their indication of the thousands of clients we work with across the southern region of Melbourne, they don't see the campaign as successful. It seems to stimulate more interest in the drug than avoid it."

The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for the campaign, has pointed out that the ads have not screened since 2014. 

"The ads were specifically targeted at young Victorians, not people in treatment for ice issues," a department spokesman said in a statement. "They were developed with drug treatment experts and sector organisations, and were widely road tested on the target audience. 

"The campaign evaluation shows it successfully met its objective to raise awareness about the harms associated with the drug ice, and in particular, it's highly addictive nature."

Mr Blessing believes it is more effective to work with information in schools and peer leadership as intervention rather than a blanket campaign on television that can actually be harmful to those using or heavily impacted by drugs, who "are a life story unto themselves".

"I just find that people making outrageous statements [that] ice users are just a disaster and there's no hope for them, it's just so negative and we're talking here about people's sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. At TaskForce we're [instead] saying, 'how can we help my brother or my sister'?, and for me it's about effective recovery and having easy access to counselling and easy access to support."

Colwell has made no secret of his drug addiction after posting rap I'm Sorry to Facebook in January, which detailed the mental health and drug battle that caused him to postpone his Utopia tour last year. It includes the lyrics "I should be dead, maybe I got nine lives. Seven left, 'cause I've already died twice".

Colwell says in his most recent post that ice is "the only drug that I still get cravings for", despite the fact that his drug of choice are opiates, mostly "80mg oxycontin, sometimes heroin and a lot of the time codeine when i couldn't get the oxy", and he has never been a huge ice smoker and has been living drug free for two years.

"I used to idolise people like Anthony Kiedes and Motley Crue, etc and all I wanted to be was a rock star and live that life. I actually lived that life and it was so much fun, at the start. So though my poison was opiates i'd be down for anything and everything. Coke, MDMA, Benzos, acid, 'shrooms, DMT, speed and the monster itself meth," he wrote.

"... Coke in Australia is terrible and costs a fortune though where ice whilst expensive lasts days on end. I loved going on benders so I used to smoke it a LOT. It never reached an everyday thing for me though ... as long as i had my Xanax and Oxy there was no such thing as a comedown so I was always down for it if others were too."

He details his fears for the next generation of Australians, given that the "majority of the people I know who use the shit end up doing it so much and for so long that they never come back".

"Out of everyone I know who has tried to quit I think 90 per cent haven't been able to stay off it. I only know a few people who have fully cut it out of their lives but it took years of hard work and many relapses whilst losing a lot of friends and family in the process. It is the devil," he wrote.

"I really do love this country but the effect ice is having on it is very noticeable and scares the shit out of me.

"The fact that in most rural towns you can probably find ice easier than you can weed says something. I know some people have had to move to another country because it's everywhere here and if you're an addict it can be impossible to escape.

"When I was young people would pass around a joint at parties, maybe even a rolled up note for some coke or x to snort. These days people are passing around pipes."

Mr Blessing says TaskForce treats many more people for alcohol addiction than ice, which makes up a smaller percentage of the population. But even so, any campaign that demonises people who are "just looking for a way out and don't know the way out" should be re-examined.

"I know of individual circumstances where some of the finest people and families here in Melbourne have got a child who is 20 or 30 who has been into drugs for 10 years, and particularly into ice, and you look at that family and you think 'they have tried everything' and it's heartbreaking for them," he said.

"So dramatic ads on television aren't necessarily going to help them. What they want is where can they find that doctor or that service that'll be able to hopefully break that cycle. And there's no guarantee that it will ever be broken but they need encouragement to keep trying but also then we need to be able to promote the good stories, and the positive stories of people who actually have been able to overcome this cruel substance."

The federal health department's eight-year national drug campaign, Ice Destroys Lives, most recently televised ads (in 2015) showing ice addicts attacking their family and hospital staff. It acknowledged that the aim of the campaign was to create negative attitudes towards drugs, but they argued that it was effective in communicating to young people at risk, and their parents, the harm ice created and it was not "counterproductive amongst this audience".

"More than 90 per cent of both youth and parents who saw the campaign indicated that they had taken some sort of action, predominantly around reinforcing existing knowledge about ice," a Department of Health spokesperson said.

They went further to say that "concept testing of the user groups found that ice users exhibit high levels of familiarity with the drug, the circumstances in which it is taken and its effects.  In many cases users believe advertising about the harms of ice is a positive step for the government to take to target the population at large".

Its findings are published here.

A Victorian government spokesman said its Ice Action Plan does address "urgent issues to support families and provide treatment for users", while also protecting front-line workers and closing down manufacturers in a bid to make the community safer. 

"More than $100 million has now been committed to implement the plan, including an additional $57.6 million announced as part of the 2016-17 budget," he said.

Colwell has encouraged users to seek help, saying: "It's not something you can beat on your own. Don't be ashamed either, being open and admitting it is a huge deal and is respectable. It takes balls."

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainm...-addicts-to-go-and-score-20161011-grznlk.html


----------



## poledriver

*Former addict talks about ice 'demons' as St George comes together to take action*






A former ice addict has described how his life spiralled out of control when he began using and selling methamphetamine, as the community of St George bands together to ensure addicts get the resources needed to get their lives back on track.

Travis Johnson, from Moree just over the NSW border, visited the south-west Queensland community as part of Lifeline's True Grit program on Tuesday night to educate about 150 students and concerned community members determined to tackle the drug scourge.

Mr Johnson said he began experimenting with drugs when he was 12 years old and said his life spiralled out of control when he was using and selling methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as ice.

"It can be almost like living in a supernatural world — shadows move, you can hear voices, you can hear people speaking that you know aren't there," he said.

"I did feel like there were demons wanting me, targeting me ... wanting me to lose my mind and consume me.
"It can be quite scary but it doesn't seem to be enough to deter you from having it again."

He said if his parents were educated on the drug they could have helped with intervention earlier.

"I had no education around amphetamines — there was only scare campaigns," he said.

"There was no true education, so I said yes, blindly."
After a string of criminal convictions relating to selling and using ice, he was sentenced to rehabilitation 10 years ago.

"While I was in there I made the decision once I leave I want to start studying, I want to get into community welfare, I want to support the community. It helps me stay 100 per cent clean," he said.

'We need to wrap our arms around these people'

Program coordinator Kim Besley Scott said the education and awareness program would empower the community to take action and advocate for services needed.

"I don't think St George is the ice capital but the community needs to come together to look at how to rectify that problem," she said.
"We really need to consider what is it that's going to help this community needs to heal itself."

Mental Health occupational therapist Alex Donahue said the first step was getting people to self-acceptance.

"Sustained ice use is a self-harm behaviour; people don't hurt themselves for no reason," she said.

"We need to wrap our arms around these people and help them when they can't help themselves.
"We are not set up for that type of service provision so for somebody who is already going through a physiological and emotional trauma they then have that compounded by having to go to Toowoomba or Brisbane for services."

We're making progress on ice problem: local police

"When you're in a small community everything gets magnified as we are a close community," he said.

"We are no different to anywhere else but it does get blown up in proportion.
"We're making a dent on the ice problem within town and that's why we need that community base to continue their support with the local police."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-...lifeline-true-grit-program-queensland/7926462


----------



## poledriver

*HOW USING ICE CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER*



> Zachary had never used ice. But when his boyfriend introduced it to him at 19, his life changed forever.








When I first started using it, I had never really used drugs before. I had smoked a little bit of weed and drank alcohol, but nothing that has a Government-funded fear campaign to eradicate its use.

People always ask me why I decided to use ice in the first place.
In an attempt to make myself not seem pathetic, I usually say ‘I just wanted to try it’. But the truth is, I had a boyfriend named Clarke*, who I had no clue was an ice user when we first started dating.

I had never been around ice before and seeing the pipe scared the shit out of me at first.

He was a troubled man and as time went on, he would start to ‘borrow’ money off me even though he had a stable job and I was on the dole. He would call it borrowing but he never actually paid me back.

I had just the right level of low self worth to never question why he would always borrow money off me.

It wasn’t until a year into our relationship that I discovered he was an ice user. He would always disappear off the face of the planet. When we made plans to have a date or for me to stay at his place, he’d vanish for days on end.

“Is he cheating on me?” I’d worry. I didn’t really talk to my friends about my relationship issues because I was still newly out to my family and friends, who didn’t take it well. I just assumed they’d already dealt with me enough that year.

One night when Clarke and I were supposed to see each other, he disappeared again. I went out and got drunk with my friends instead of sitting at home, worrying about it.

And then he rang me while I was walking home from the bar.

He told me he was “smoking some stuff” with his friends and I assumed he meant he was smoking weed. I joked that it sounded like he was “smoking crack” and then there was a long silence.

Instead of getting mad, my 19-year-old self was curious.

I wanted to know what all the fuss was about so I asked him if I could try it.

This seems monumentally stupid to most people but this is also how I started smoking cigarettes. It didn’t even take peer pressure – I’ve always just been a curious person, and what better than to try new things with the guy you think you’re going to be with forever, right?

When I first saw the pipe, I had no clue how to use it. It was actually frightening for me, and gave me vivid flashbacks to my high school’s drug education program where they try to scare you with videos of ‘junkies’.

At first, he would hold the pipe and lighter – all I had to do was inhale and exhale. I watched the crystals melt into a fluid and then eventually begin turning into a vapour. He told me not to hold it in because the crystals would reform in my lungs and “fuck them up good”.

I exhaled the vapour and then I laughed. I had tried ice. I felt amazing.

I never was a popular person in high school – I was actually the fat kid. Even though I had lost all my weight and was seen as attractive by people now, I still felt like that fat kid.

But that fat kid died when ice was in my system and I didn’t think that way anymore. Suddenly I had self-esteem. Selfies became a big part of my routine.

My routine was pretty mundane until using ice. I wasn’t in university or working at the time, I was living at home with my parents and played Call of Duty in bed all day.

I was diagnosed with depression about three months before my first use because of my lack of motivation to do anything. I sometimes saw my friends but most of the time I couldn’t be bothered leaving the house.

That all changed. I became more talkative and outgoing when I used ice. I don’t know if it was just a delusion or if it was real, but I suddenly felt like someone with a razor sharp wit and snappy comebacks. That person I had always envied.

I was surrounded by pretty shitty friends at the time who would always talk negatively about everything and never did anything with their lives. They would always talk about going to TAFE or university, but never actually did it.

They also had a knack for making me feel like I couldn’t do anything either, so why bother trying?

We would just sit there and drink all the time and reminisce about things that happened in the past. We were 19 and already reminiscing about our lives, and that was acceptable to me.

Ice took that away and I realised how depressing and repetitive the “remember when” conversations were.

Suddenly I had motivation and enough self-esteem to defy what people said to me. I enrolled into university and said to myself that I would stop using ice before it started.

I eventually broke up with Clarke* when university was beginning but I also didn’t quit ice like I said I would. I now had to find my own supply of shard since we had been using his dealer to get it – and Grindr was more than happy to supply me with dealers.

It’s actually easier to find ice on Grindr than it is to find weed. I would meet up with guys about once a month or so when I wanted to use. I had told myself that if I only used once a month there was no problem and I was going just fine.

One night I met up with a guy who was having a party. I didn’t see any pipes around and then I was led into the kitchen. I quickly realised they were not smoking, they were shooting up.

Needles scared the shit out of me but what did I do? I got them to help me inject.

One of them was a doctor so I deemed it to be the safest opportunity to shoot up if I was ever going to.

It happened two more times after that and on the last time, while I was in a public bathroom with a guy from Grindr shooting me up, I looked at the moths hitting the caged light bulb and I said out loud without realising, “this is the last time. I can’t do this anymore”.

He laughed and under his breath said, “everybody says that.”

I haven’t used since.

Reflecting on my use, there was major self-esteem and self-worth issues.

My environment and social surroundings were not turbulent but they were problematic

I didn’t have a particularly bad childhood and both of my parents loved me a lot. When people would talk negatively about me I used to fight and take it on board, I would believe that I was a shit person.

Ice took that away. And it hasn’t returned either.

It might have just come with age – I had self destructive behaviour for sure, but I knew my limits and I am grateful.

*Clarke’s name has been changed to protect his identity.

http://www.starobserver.com.au/opinion/using-ice-changed-life-forever/153353


----------



## poledriver

*Brisbane mum finds 'meth' inside toy egg in her young son’s backpack*






A Brisbane mother has described her shock after finding what appeared to be methamphetamine stashed inside a toy egg in her six-year-old son’s backpack.

Mother-of-two Crystal Hill was cleaning her home last week when she found an orange plastic toy egg from a Kinder Surprise chocolate in her son’s backpack. Inside the egg was two clear pouches containing “chunky salt crystals”.

“I happened to be cleaning out his bag. It was a fluke that I even found it,” Ms Hill told 9news.com.au.

“The scary thing is, we were trying to remember the last time we went to the particular place where he found it and it’s got to be about a month ago. So, that stuff has been in our house all this time and I had no idea,” she said.

After Ms Hill discovered the substance, she and her husband sat their son, Jonah, down to ask him about it.

“Jonah has an amazing memory and recalled finding it in the gutter at a local second hand store (weeks ago),” she said.

“He was so freaked out, he just thought it was salt. 

"He takes things very internally and he is very sensitive. He knows how dangerous that was. We had taught them about needles and other things but we had not expected this.”

Ms Hill posted a photo of the toy egg and the pouches to her Facebook page to warn the community. The post has since been shared more than 700 times, 

“I had no idea we would find something like that ever in our house,” she said.

“We never anticipated this, so other people wouldn’t either. It’s freaked us out, our friends out, our neighbours out.

“He has an older sister who has Asperger’s and were lucky she didn’t come across this because she puts a lot of things in her mouth. 

“It’s so cruel, it just seems nasty.”

Ms Hill took the pouches to local police, who are now investigating.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...n-her-young-sons-backpack#0xAj606ZjEcbOEHd.99


----------



## poledriver

*Revealed: Seven out of 10 ice users are on the dole and almost half steal to feed their drug habit*



> 70 per cent of ice users arrested by police said they have been on welfare
> Survey of 1146 criminals conducted by Australian Institute of Criminology
> Report also found forty percent would steal to feed their drug habit
> Their main crimes of offenders arrested were robberies and drug dealing



New figures have revealed seven in 10 ice users arrested by police are on the dole.
A survey of 1,146 criminals done by the Australian Institute of Criminology also found 40 per cent of offenders would steal to support their drug habit.
Their main crimes were robberies and drug dealing, the Herald Sun reported.

We already know that too many Australians are addicted to ice. And it's a disturbing revelation that many are also on welfare,' Justice Minister Michael Keenan said.
Mr Keenan said the ice epidemic was why the government had promised to put $300 million towards stopping the issue.

The report found methamphetamine use of police detainees sky rocketed from 14 per cent in 2009 to 37 per cent in 2014.
It also concluded addictive drugs such as ice are now stronger and easier to get.
The study said it provided more evidence of the link between drug use and crime. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3848100/Seven-10-ice-users-welfare-new-reports-says.html


----------



## consumer

What is the bet the govt uses this as an excuse to bring in their welfare card you can only use to pay rent and buy food etc.


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> *Revealed: Seven out of 10 ice users are on the dole and almost half steal to feed their drug habit*
> 
> 
> 
> New figures have revealed seven in 10 ice users arrested by police are on the dole.
> A survey of 1,146 criminals done by the Australian Institute of Criminology also found 40 per cent of offenders would steal to support their drug habit.
> Their main crimes were robberies and drug dealing, the Herald Sun reported.
> 
> We already know that too many Australians are addicted to ice. And it's a disturbing revelation that many are also on welfare,' Justice Minister Michael Keenan said.
> Mr Keenan said the ice epidemic was why the government had promised to put $300 million towards stopping the issue.
> 
> The report found methamphetamine use of police detainees sky rocketed from 14 per cent in 2009 to 37 per cent in 2014.
> It also concluded addictive drugs such as ice are now stronger and easier to get.
> The study said it provided more evidence of the link between drug use and crime.
> 
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3848100/Seven-10-ice-users-welfare-new-reports-says.html



And one of those seven cunts stole my damn fucken mountain bike on new years.


----------



## poledriver

*Melbourne Chargers rugby player Michael Quinn’s meth habit ‘no excuse’ for attempts to sleep with six-year-old boy*






MELBOURNE rugby player Michael Quinn’s methamphetamine addiction was no excuse for deciding he would try to rape a six-year-old boy at what he thought was a Los Angeles sex party organised by paedophiles, prosecutors have told a US judge.

Quinn, 33, an IVF geneticist arrested in an undercover sting in May while on a US rugby trip, will be sentenced in a downtown LA court on October 31. Prosecutors have recommended Quinn be sentenced to 12 years’ jail and lifetime supervision when released.

“Despite the friendly, congenial mask defendant showed to the world, defendant lived a secret life online,” assistant US lawyer Joey Blanch wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed this week.
“He used the anonymity of the internet to share his secret sexual interest in children, searching out like-minded people and ultimately arranging to purchase a six-year-old boy he intended to sodomise.”

The court filing exposed publicly Quinn’s addiction to meth, the extent of his sexual lust for children, a blog he wrote about sexually abusing children and plans he was making to meet “like-minded pervs” in New York.
Quinn, who worked at a Melbourne IVF clinic and was in the US to play with the Melbourne Chargers rugby union team in the Bingham Cup in Nashville, was staying at a Hollywood Hills home he was renting with teammates on the first leg of the trip.

Quinn snuck away to the LA beachside hotel without his friends knowing and was arrested when he handed $US260 ($340) to an undercover agent posing as a pimp.
US authorities posing as paedophiles began communicating with Quinn in early May after he posted on a social networking site: “Aussie perv, heading to the US late May/June interested to meet others while I’m there. LA, Nashville, NYC”.
Authorities said they found child pornography on his phone and also seized a meth pipe.


Quinn has entered a guilty plea to a charge of travelling to the US with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
The US Probation Office has recommended a 10-year sentence.
“The government agrees with defendant that he is a drug user; however, there is simply no evidence that drug abuse contributed to his sexual interest in children or that it excuses or even explains his determined efforts to rape a six-year-old,” Ms Blanch wrote.

http://www.news.com.au/world/north-...y/news-story/23cc607eebc7a52d884a2fad12f4b531


----------



## poledriver

*'I couldn't have sex without it': Porn star reveals his battle with ice addiction after he was pressured into injecting the deadly drug at a sex party*



> Porn star Skippy Baxter has opened up about his crystal meth addiction
> The Australian man tried the drug more than two years ago at a sex party
> He immediately became hooked on the hard drug after the first hit
> The bodybuilder checked into a rehabilitation facility just four months ago
> The negative impact the drug had on his life has helped him to refrain
> Baxter also made it clear that he was never on ice while filming on set



A porn star has opened up about how his life spiralled out of control after becoming hooked on crystal methamphetamine for two years.
Skippy Baxter's world started to crumble after he tried the highly-addictive drug for the first time about two-and-a-half years ago at a sex party.

Speaking to Star Observer, the Melbourne-based porn star revealed the moment he was introduced to ice - something he knew nothing about.
The bodybuilder initially declined the offer but things took a serious turn for the worst when he was convinced into injecting the substance.






'They talked me into it – they said: "If you don't like it, you don't ever have to do it again, it's just a once off thing. Just see if you like it",' Baxter recalled. 
'It was probably the best experience I've ever had, it was incredible the feeling.'
The following day, he experienced his first 'horrific' comedown, during which he made a promise to himself not to touch the toxic drug again.

But the pressure from everyone constantly getting high around him led to his battle with ice addiction.
'Then it got to the point where I couldn't have sex without it. I never smoked, I only injected... Injecting got me really high and horny,' he said.
What had begun as a use for sexual encounters, swiftly became an addiction, and before long he was using ice every day as a means of escapism.

He kept his drug use under wraps from his loved ones - and he soon 'fell into a black hole' where he 'didn't really know how to get out of it'.
His harrowing ordeal with the illicit drug kicked in when his weight plummeted, he suffered paranoia - and pushed his family, friends and his partner away.

Up until that point, Baxter said he wanted to take his own life because he was struggling to cope with the feeling of being depressed all the time.
About four months ago, his parents found the help he desperately needed after contacting a rehabilitation facility where he was able to get on the road to recovery.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...veals-battle-ice-addiction.html#ixzz4NeoSsP9c


----------



## poledriver

*They're not 'cold hard bludgers': Ice users on welfare need support not shame*

Some sections of the media let the welfare bashing rip following a report that found 70 per cent of ice users arrested by police were receiving payments.

While it might rile you to think that your tax dollars are paying for drugs, calling ice users names such as "cold hard bludgers" is tantamount to blaming the mentally ill for being too unwell to work.

The welfare statistic was cherry picked from an Australian Institute of Criminology survey that actually sought to discover the motivation for ice users' crimes to help law enforcement and policymakers to better target resources.

It was merely one question within a table in the paper.

Rather than focusing on what those resources could achieve – such as shortening the up to six month wait to get into rehab in Victoria or the lack of harm-reduction services – the findings were selectively presented by other media outlets to blame users for being unable to work.

This view is backward. Just as we have begun to stop discriminating against people with mental illness, we must start to have compassion for people stuck in the vicious cycle of drug addiction.

This, I admit, is difficult to swallow. It now seems possible for most people to forgive a person too sad to get out of bed and go to work.

But the unhappy person who takes a drug to mask those unbearable feelings and finds themselves addicted, and who might then lie, rob or beg, is not. These people are understandably harder for some to find sympathy for.

If we truly want to reduce the number of people on ice, we need to understand and confront, rather than discriminate against and alarm.

Some media outlets failed to include in their reports that the 1146 people surveyed had been arrested by police. Their readers and viewers will now believe 70 per cent of all ice users are on welfare.

Contrary to what was implied in some reports, ice users were not found to be more violent than other drug users when committing crimes.

The findings were called "shocking", "alarming" and "disturbing". That more than four in 10 surveyed committed crimes to fund their habit was highlighted.

While crime statistics are highly valuable for directing funding, is it really that surprising that a high percentage of arrested ice users are on welfare and committing crimes for money?

Ice is highly addictive. It changes users' brains so their dopamine levels are no longer reproduced without taking more of the drug.

It also produces noradrenaline, which makes people anxious, paranoid and suspicious.

This can change their thinking and personality so they are no longer able to make the same decisions as they would before they started taking the drug.

It drives many of them to do whatever it takes to get more. It can also make it hard for them to hold down a job.

Long-term use is challenging for some to recover from and relapse is common, but people can and do.

Their families could have them back to the person they were before, if our federal and state governments provided adequate support.

Drug and alcohol experts frequently call for more access to treatment. Some say the slated $300 million federal funding, most of which is yet to be rolled out, is a "drop in the ocean" of what is needed to confront the problem nationally.

They also doubt it will go towards expanding insufficient public residential rehab beds, as private ones continue to be unregulated.

And if we are so concerned about ice users taking our taxes, why don't we listen to the experts advocating for businesses to provide better pathways into employment for jail leavers.

This alarmist coverage has got the social media warriors among us calling ice users "drug scum" and "parasites'.

Words that should be as outrageous as discriminating against the mentally ill or disabled.

Correct and responsible reporting would encourage more of us to see drug use as a health issue.

Most of all, it would be welcomed by the families aching for change for the sake of their loved ones.

_Chloe Booker is a reporter at The Age who has written about addiction and the Victorian drug and alcohol treatment sector._

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/th...e-need-support-not-shame-20161019-gs5qmu.html


----------



## poledriver

*Ice-addled parents stripped of eight kids — now fighting to keep baby nine*

A BLACKTOWN ice addict mother and her violent partner, who have had eight children taken away from them, are trying to keep their ninth newborn through a radical new child protection scheme that includes a fulltime care worker in their home.

Part of the services offered to the couple was also group therapy sessions before their baby boy was even born.

Their ninth child was one of the more than 2000 unborn babies across NSW each year now being identified as “at risk of significant harm” before birth.

Family and Community Services Minister Brad Hazzard said the “appalling” reality was some NSW parents “know more about dope than they do about the food necessary to keep their babies alive”.

He said there was “far too much domestic violence, far too much drugs, far too much alcohol” creating “recipes for disastrous lives for children”.

But simply taking these children from their parents was not the answer.

“There is absolutely no question that removing a baby from a mum is no guarantee that baby is going to have a positive future,” Mr Hazzard said. “Sadly, too many children in foster care end up with very negative lives.”

New figures obtained by The Daily Telegraph reveal 2227 unborn babies were classified as being “at significant risk of harm” in 2014/15.

Family and Community Services — which is reeling from the Girl X scandal where it was revealed a vulnerable 14-year-old girl was allegedly repeatedly raped in a group foster home by staff before then later dying from a drug overdose while in care at another facility — is trialling several new early intervention programs.

Mr Hazzard recently told The Daily Telegraph that he wanted to dramatically reduce the number of kids in out-of-home care.

A new “pregnancy family conference” joint scheme run by FACS and NSW Health identifies unborn babies at risk and then sets up meetings between authorities and the family that friends are permitted to attend.

Nine families have gone through the program so far, with seven children staying with their parents and two ending up in care.

“These are all families who have lost all their other children,” the newly appointed vulnerable families co-ordinator for Western Sydney Local Health District Kylie Hughes said.

Ms Hughes revealed the case of the Blacktown couple — who had lost eight children because of drugs, alcohol and domestic violence issues.

Yet they have retained custody of their newborn baby boy, who is now seven months old, and were “thriving” thanks to several pilot programs. “They were booked into Blacktown Hospital, which was our pilot site for the pregnancy family meetings so they attended and went through three pregnancy family meetings,” Ms Hughes said.

“They then moved into our MASH (Making a Safe Home) program.

“We actually put services in their house. We had someone in their house with them for 40 hours a week assisting them with their interactions with the baby (and) observing them and ensuring that there was no more violence.

“Now we’ve managed to reduce the number of services and they go out to visit the service and they have case management outside of the home.” Ms Hughes said early intervention and “hands on” support could make a difference, but it had to be funded properly.

Opposition FACS spokeswoman Tania Mihailuk said it was “heartbreaking” so many unborn babies were being classified as at risk.

“This minister must allocate prenatal case managers to every FACS district to ensure that necessary early intervention support is there to stop these babies from becoming just another tragic statistic,” she said.

“If there are innovative methods of providing the appropriate support, then why not roll it out to every FACS district? In the end it’s about funding case workers and given this government’s poor budget record, it’s clear their priorities are not on reducing the magnitude of babies that are at risk.”

Cont -

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...utm_source=DailyTelegraph&utm_medium=Facebook


----------



## poledriver

*Was Maddison murdered? Detectives suspect young mother's death was disguised to look like a suicide after she was found with her baby son just metres away*



> Maddison Murphy-West, 20, was found dead in her Melbourne unit in 2013
> Police initially thought it was suicide but now believe she was murdered
> Her boyfriend, then-24-year-old Troy Boothey, remains the main suspect
> An inquest into Maddison's death could finally reveal crucial details
> Maddison left behind a 20-month old son Noah, who is now four years old








An inquest into the mysterious death of a young mother who was found lifeless next to her two-year-old son could finally reveal details about her last moments alive.
Police found Maddison Murphy-West's dead body at her Pakenham unit, on the fringe of Melbourne, exactly three years ago on October 23, 2013.

Her violent meth-using boyfriend at the time, then-24-year-old Troy Boothey, told police he had found his 20-year-old partner-of-four years hanging from the door.
But homicide detectives believe that Maddison's body could have been disguised as self-harm, which is what her family have believed to be the case all along.
Police now believe Maddison was murdered - with the killer manipulating the scene to make it appear a suicide.

Mr Boothey, who went to jail a month after Maddison's death for a road-rage attack while on an ice-bender and is facing further jail time for a string of theft and drug offences, remains the main police suspect but has never been charged.
According to the Herald Sun, investigators involved in the three-year-old case have sent evidence to the Victoria State Coroner, which means the case could go before an inquest.

Maddison's mother Paula has long believed that Mr Boothey is the man responsible for killing her daughter and leaving her to raise Noah, who is now four years old.
She also suspects that a second person may have been involved in covering up her death, and hopes the inquest will bring out new information to freshen the case. 

Alarmingly, the young mother had been treated in hospital for an assault 13-months before her death and her family believe she was often in fear for her life.
Paula said that in 2012 marks were found on Maddison's neck but the young mother dismissed someone had tried to choke her and claimed it was ‘play-fighting’.

A family-run Facebook page named 'Justice For Maddy' has provided updates over the years as the Murphy-Wests search for answers.
'How can this filth ever do this to Maddy and live with it, why isn't he asking who killed Maddy himself?,' a post in July showing Noah at Maddison's grave reads.
'Why isn't he screaming from the rooftops that his innocent?'

'I know that if l was being accused of murder l wouldn't just shug my shoulders and say "l'v got things to do ya know".'
'We all know he did it! And it will be proven eventually!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Murphy-West-finally-solved.html#ixzz4NxMsCIQY


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> *Ice-addled parents stripped of eight kids — now fighting to keep baby nine*
> 
> A BLACKTOWN ice addict mother and her violent partner, who have had eight children taken away from them, are trying to keep their ninth newborn through a radical new child protection scheme that includes a fulltime care worker in their home.
> 
> Part of the services offered to the couple was also group therapy sessions before their baby boy was even born.
> 
> Their ninth child was one of the more than 2000 unborn babies across NSW each year now being identified as “at risk of significant harm” before birth.
> 
> Family and Community Services Minister Brad Hazzard said the “appalling” reality was some NSW parents “know more about dope than they do about the food necessary to keep their babies alive”.
> 
> He said there was “far too much domestic violence, far too much drugs, far too much alcohol” creating “recipes for disastrous lives for children”.
> 
> But simply taking these children from their parents was not the answer.
> 
> “There is absolutely no question that removing a baby from a mum is no guarantee that baby is going to have a positive future,” Mr Hazzard said. “Sadly, too many children in foster care end up with very negative lives.”
> 
> New figures obtained by The Daily Telegraph reveal 2227 unborn babies were classified as being “at significant risk of harm” in 2014/15.
> 
> Family and Community Services — which is reeling from the Girl X scandal where it was revealed a vulnerable 14-year-old girl was allegedly repeatedly raped in a group foster home by staff before then later dying from a drug overdose while in care at another facility — is trialling several new early intervention programs.
> 
> Mr Hazzard recently told The Daily Telegraph that he wanted to dramatically reduce the number of kids in out-of-home care.
> 
> A new “pregnancy family conference” joint scheme run by FACS and NSW Health identifies unborn babies at risk and then sets up meetings between authorities and the family that friends are permitted to attend.
> 
> Nine families have gone through the program so far, with seven children staying with their parents and two ending up in care.
> 
> “These are all families who have lost all their other children,” the newly appointed vulnerable families co-ordinator for Western Sydney Local Health District Kylie Hughes said.
> 
> Ms Hughes revealed the case of the Blacktown couple — who had lost eight children because of drugs, alcohol and domestic violence issues.
> 
> Yet they have retained custody of their newborn baby boy, who is now seven months old, and were “thriving” thanks to several pilot programs. “They were booked into Blacktown Hospital, which was our pilot site for the pregnancy family meetings so they attended and went through three pregnancy family meetings,” Ms Hughes said.
> 
> “They then moved into our MASH (Making a Safe Home) program.
> 
> “We actually put services in their house. We had someone in their house with them for 40 hours a week assisting them with their interactions with the baby (and) observing them and ensuring that there was no more violence.
> 
> “Now we’ve managed to reduce the number of services and they go out to visit the service and they have case management outside of the home.” Ms Hughes said early intervention and “hands on” support could make a difference, but it had to be funded properly.
> 
> Opposition FACS spokeswoman Tania Mihailuk said it was “heartbreaking” so many unborn babies were being classified as at risk.
> 
> “This minister must allocate prenatal case managers to every FACS district to ensure that necessary early intervention support is there to stop these babies from becoming just another tragic statistic,” she said.
> 
> “If there are innovative methods of providing the appropriate support, then why not roll it out to every FACS district? In the end it’s about funding case workers and given this government’s poor budget record, it’s clear their priorities are not on reducing the magnitude of babies that are at risk.”
> 
> Cont -
> 
> http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...utm_source=DailyTelegraph&utm_medium=Facebook



I can't understand why someone would want to have 9 kids  Especially if every time you have one it's taken away from you. 

I had some nutters who came from Brisbane living behind me and the first day they moved in their kid went missing and the police were searching for the child. The child couldn't tolerate the parents arguing so she was hiding downstairs. This girl was 5. A few months into their settlement you would always hear the mum going off at her or other kids who were 4 to do the washing, dishes blah blah. 

In the end DOCS stepped in and took the kids away. The parents fucked off quickly after that. 

Sad story when you have a child but are an incompetent fuck to look after it.

Not everyone should have kids.


----------



## poledriver

*Sophie Collombet's murderer sentenced to life behind bars*








> An ice addict who randomly attacked a French student in a Brisbane park to gratify his sexual desire has been sentenced to life in prison for her murder.



Sophie Collombet's killer will spend at least 20 years behind bars for brutally raping the French student and leaving her for dead in a Brisbane park.

Benjamin James Milward, 28, was high on ice when he grabbed Ms Collombet as she walked home from university on the night of March 27, 2014.

Milward can't remember what exactly happened but Ms Collombet's injuries suggest she was dragged along the ground and hit in the head multiple times.

The self-described sex addict raped the 21-year-old before leaving her on a bench covered only by a jacket and newspaper.

He then threw her possessions in the Brisbane River and fled the state.

The Brisbane Supreme Court heard on Wednesday Milward told Ms Collombet he would get help but never did.

The Griffith University business student was alive for several hours after the assault and died from extensive injuries to her head.

Passers-by thought she was a sleeping homeless person and did not call for help.

It was a rough sleeper who finally went to check on her and called paramedics, but it was too late.

Milward confessed to police when he was tracked down in NSW' Coffs Harbour 10 days after the attack, thanks to eye witnesses who had seen him in the park.

He pleaded guilty earlier this month to rape and murder but the court heard he had never intended to kill Ms Collombet.

In sentencing Milward, Justice Ann Lyons condemned his attack on a defenceless woman.

"Your actions were cowardly, you attacked a woman alone in a park," she said.

"She died not far from this courtroom. I can see the spot from my room."

Milward was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 20 years.

Ms Collombet's family, who flew in from France to be in court, spoke of their endless grief at the loss of their daughter, sister and girlfriend.

Her brothers Guillaume and Lionel read a collective victim impact statement in court describing their constant pain.

"There's not one life that has not been destroyed," Lionel said.

The family refused to acknowledge Milward as he apologised while being led from the dock, and would not take questions about him from media outside court.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/10/26/life-jail-french-students-killer


----------



## poledriver




----------



## poledriver

*Miranda Devine: This ice age has gone on too long*

DOES anyone seriously think it’s a good idea to provide a taxpayer-funded nanny to an ice addict who already has had eight children removed by welfare authorities?

It’s insanity. Yet this is exactly what the NSW government is doing for the ninth baby of a Blacktown mother and her violent partner as part of a pilot program to keep children in risky family situations.

These ice addicts get a fulltime carer for 40 hours a week to look after their seven month old son, and we’re told he’s “thriving”.

Family and Community Services Minister Brad Hazzard claims it’s a radical new program, but it just comes from the destructive old 1960s ideology that led to the child abuse epidemic in the first place: family preservation at any price.

With the non-judgmental ethos of the social work industry that all families are equal, and drug addicts can make fine parents, children are kept in violent, chaotic situations until the damage to their developing brains is so profound that they will never be able to lead normal lives.

Yet our welfare industry turbocharges the underclass. It incentivises hopeless drug addicts to keep having children they can’t take care of, because it provides them with more money for each child and priority social housing. There is no need to stay with the child’s father because the state is a better breadwinner.

A truly radical program would be to offer addicts a sterilisation bonus, like the baby bonus, so they can wreck their own lives but no babies are harmed in the process. If that’s too draconian, how about an incentive to take long-term contraception.

People squeal about the rights of adults to breed as they wish, but they don’t trump the rights of babies not to be abused. And if drug addicted adults are considered responsible enough to bring a baby into the world, then they are capable of making the decision to trade away their fertility for money.

It would be a lot cheaper for the taxpayer than paying for a fulltime nanny, and the savings in human misery are incalculable.

For more than a decade in the US, non profit group Project Prevention has been doing just that, paying drug addicts $300 cash for long-term birth control, including sterilisation.

“Don’t let a pregnancy ruin your drug habit,” is their motto.

Founder Barbara Harris, who started the project after adopting four of eight children of a crack addict, has been demonised as a eugenicist and racist. But she says: “Social workers and their like have done their best for years and it’s not good enough. I’m paying addicts for being responsible.”

Similarly, when I raised the prospect this week, on Channel 9’s Today Show, of a sterilisation bonus for our Blacktown ice addicts, do-gooders slammed it as a cruel idea straight out of Nazi Germany.

Former Labor minister Gary Johns was similarly criticised when he wrote a book, No Contraception No Dole, suggesting compulsory contraception for those on welfare as an emergency measure, “to help crack intergenerational reproduction of strife.”

The do-gooders would rather turn a blind eye to the cruelty of sentencing the babies of ice addicts, already damaged in the womb, to a life of Hobbesian chaos.

Anyway, why is it any more perverse to offer addicts cash incentives not to have children who will be mistreated, than to offer them extra welfare for each child they have and can’t take care of? Our welfare system has its own in-built perverse incentive for child abuse and neglect.

But for a brief shining moment, when Pru Goward was the minister, it seemed NSW was about to err on the side of the child’s rights, with strict conditions for removing victims from abusive parents and starting the path to adoption.

But Hazzard has drunk the social work KoolAid.

“There is absolutely no question that removing a baby from a mum is no guarantee that baby is going to have a positive future,” he said this week, while trumpeting his nanny-for-ice addicts program.

But it’s not child removal that is the problem. It is the fact that children are not removed soon enough.

Instead they are shuttled back and forth between various foster situations and their dysfunctional home — 43,000 kids each year. And like domestic violence, this epidemic of child abuse and neglect is concentrated in dysfunctional welfare holes.

“We’ve heard it all before,’’ says child protection expert Jeremy Sammut, research fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies and author of The Madness Of Australian Child Protection.

He says permanent adoption is the only solution to rescue children from hell, but authorities are reluctant to act out of fear of being accused of creating another “Stolen Generation” or “forced adoption” scandal. The do-gooders up to no good again.

In the end, the best early intervention program is to remove welfare incentives to have unwanted children, and the best way to stop children being abused and neglected is to adopt them out to families who will love them and let them flourish.

Forget taxpayer funded nannies.

If you are an ice addict who has had eight children removed you long ago forfeited the right to be a parent.







> Daily Telegraph columnist Miranda Devine. Picture: Richard Dobson



http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...g/news-story/f68ef4841a1e0271377f5065a44e6b5d


----------



## poledriver

*Why We Shouldn't Be Advocating Sterilisation*






News Corp have done it again, this time with columnist Miranda Devine suggesting that drug addicts should be sterilised. Comedian Ben Mcleay responds but holy hell we really shouldn't need to do this.

It’s that most wonderful time of the week again: the time when a News Corp columnist writes a piece so profoundly fascist and weird it manages to stand out among the white noise of their characteristically fascist and weird pieces.

This morning’s hefty scoop of steaming, fly-covered opinion came from Miranda Devine, who so thoughtfully suggested that it’s about bloody time we sterilised people suffering from a methamphetamine addiction. Pretty reasonable right?

Actually, while that might sound wonderful on paper, it turns out it’s a terrible idea, and we thought we’d outline the top 3 reasons why:

*1. Are you fucking kidding me? *





No, really, what the fuck? It’s 2016 Australia not bloody Nazi Germany. Devine railed against the comparison in the column, saying that when she expressed her Eugenics Lite™ plan on the Today Show “do-gooders slammed it as a cruel idea straight out of Nazi Germany.”

Ah, those bloody do-gooders, always trying to, uh, do good. If you don’t want people to compare the things you say to cruel ideas from Nazi Germany, maybe don’t suggest policies that are literally straight out of Nazi Germany.

Over 400,000 people were sterilised by the Germans before the end of World War II, in an attempt to rid the German population of “undesirables”, including those with disabilities, mental disorders and alcoholics.

I’m sure Devine will act baffled as to why people are outraged at this take, but advocating for rendering childless those people suffering from an issue that overwhelmingly disproportionately affects the lower class might for some reason rub people up the wrong way.

*2. Get fucked*





The bitter hatred that people (particularly conservatives) have for addicts is utterly disgusting. Studies have shown time and time again that addiction tends largely to have roots in both environmental and genetic factors, and yet society treats people struggling with addiction as if they are just intrinsically worse people who are choosing to indulge their substance dependence at the expense of the taxpayer.

Apparently Devine is sick of taxpayers footing the bill for childcare - which is apparently not a big deal if it’s Joe Hockey’s kids on a jaunt in the US, but it’s a huge problem when it’s people suffering from a disorder that doctors characterise as a disease, go figure.

But hey, hold on, it’s not just the money - Devine wants to stop children being born into these families supposedly because she fears for their well-being, saying that “this epidemic of child abuse and neglect is concentrated in dysfunctional welfare holes.”

But of course the solution here isn’t to provide better support for addicts and to put more money into elevating families from poverty, it’s clearly to end the family tree for people she finds to be undesirable. It’s that classic saying: “you should always just try and treat the symptoms of a problem and never actually address its root cause”.

*3. You smug shell of a human being*





In an astoundingly nonsensical paragraph, Devine accuses Family and Community Services Minister Brad Hazzard of having “drunk the social work KoolAid” because he said there’s no guarantee that a child removed from its mother is going to have a good future.

As we all know, social work KoolAid is that drink that makes you even vaguely empathetic to the plight of people in a lower socio-economic bracket than you, and we should hate and revile all people who have been drinking it.

Surprisingly though, Devine somehow manages to accidentally make a good point, buried in a sea of otherwise wrong-bordering-on-dangerous points. In what I’m sure was an extremely begrudging concession, she offers that if sterilisation is too “draconian” (that’s a bloody word for it), maybe we could give addicts an “incentive to take long-term contraception”.

While I assume she’s probably imagining a system where we withhold Centrelink payments if recipients can’t prove they’re taking the pill or have been given the snip, how about something a bit simpler: subsidise the cost of the pill.

The pill being free sounds like a fucking fantastic incentive for people to be on it, and we get the added bonus of no longer putting the financial burden of those who menstruate just because society has for some reason made that largely not the province of people with penises.

What I’m trying to say is, if we ignore every single other part of the article and just slightly misconstrue that one part, Miranda has some great ideas. If we don’t, however, it’s an absolute crock of shit.

http://www.sbs.com.au/comedy/article/2016/10/26/why-we-shouldnt-be-advocating-sterilisation


----------



## poledriver

Two men will face court after officers form the Traffic and Highway Patrol located a loaded gun, ammunition, drugs, a knife, and knuckle-dusters in a car following a vehicle-stop near Bathurst this morning.

About 8am (Thursday 27 November 2016), officers from Chifley Highway Patrol, stopped a Ford Falcon on the Great Western Highway, Walang, 15km north of Bathurst.

Following investigations, officers searched the Falcon and found a loaded .22 calibre shortened firearm, ammunition, a hunting knife, and knuckle dusters.

The driver, a 22-year-old man, and passenger, a 21-year-old man, both from Cowra, were arrested. 

Following a search of the passenger, officers found and seized an amount of drugs believed to be ‘ice’ and cannabis.

All items seized will undergo forensic examinations.

The two men were transported to Bathurst Police Station, where the passenger was charged with two counts of possess prohibited drug. He is due to appear at Bathurst Local Court on 5 December 2016. 

The driver was charged with possess shortened firearm, possess unauthorised firearm, possess ammunition, prohibited weapon, possess prohibited drug, use/supply stolen firearm or firearm part, not keep firearm safely, and custody of a knife in a public place.

He was refused bail and is due to appear at Bathurst Local Court tomorrow (Friday 28 October 2016).

Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy of the States Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said that the arrest is an example of the outstanding work that the Traffic and Highway Patrol officers do on a daily basis.

“"This is a prime example of the capability that our Traffic & Highway Patrol Command officers have on our roads.

"Whilst our focus will always be road safety, our officers enforce the law on and off our roads," Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.


----------



## Crankinit

poledriver said:


> *Why We Shouldn't Be Advocating Sterilisation*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> News Corp have done it again, this time with columnist Miranda Devine suggesting that drug addicts should be sterilised. Comedian Ben Mcleay responds but holy hell we really shouldn't need to do this.
> 
> It’s that most wonderful time of the week again: the time when a News Corp columnist writes a piece so profoundly fascist and weird it manages to stand out among the white noise of their characteristically fascist and weird pieces.
> 
> This morning’s hefty scoop of steaming, fly-covered opinion came from Miranda Devine, who so thoughtfully suggested that it’s about bloody time we sterilised people suffering from a methamphetamine addiction. Pretty reasonable right?
> 
> Actually, while that might sound wonderful on paper, it turns out it’s a terrible idea, and we thought we’d outline the top 3 reasons why:
> 
> *1. Are you fucking kidding me? *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No, really, what the fuck? It’s 2016 Australia not bloody Nazi Germany. Devine railed against the comparison in the column, saying that when she expressed her Eugenics Lite™ plan on the Today Show “do-gooders slammed it as a cruel idea straight out of Nazi Germany.”
> 
> Ah, those bloody do-gooders, always trying to, uh, do good. If you don’t want people to compare the things you say to cruel ideas from Nazi Germany, maybe don’t suggest policies that are literally straight out of Nazi Germany.
> 
> Over 400,000 people were sterilised by the Germans before the end of World War II, in an attempt to rid the German population of “undesirables”, including those with disabilities, mental disorders and alcoholics.
> 
> I’m sure Devine will act baffled as to why people are outraged at this take, but advocating for rendering childless those people suffering from an issue that overwhelmingly disproportionately affects the lower class might for some reason rub people up the wrong way.
> 
> *2. Get fucked*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bitter hatred that people (particularly conservatives) have for addicts is utterly disgusting. Studies have shown time and time again that addiction tends largely to have roots in both environmental and genetic factors, and yet society treats people struggling with addiction as if they are just intrinsically worse people who are choosing to indulge their substance dependence at the expense of the taxpayer.
> 
> Apparently Devine is sick of taxpayers footing the bill for childcare - which is apparently not a big deal if it’s Joe Hockey’s kids on a jaunt in the US, but it’s a huge problem when it’s people suffering from a disorder that doctors characterise as a disease, go figure.
> 
> But hey, hold on, it’s not just the money - Devine wants to stop children being born into these families supposedly because she fears for their well-being, saying that “this epidemic of child abuse and neglect is concentrated in dysfunctional welfare holes.”
> 
> But of course the solution here isn’t to provide better support for addicts and to put more money into elevating families from poverty, it’s clearly to end the family tree for people she finds to be undesirable. It’s that classic saying: “you should always just try and treat the symptoms of a problem and never actually address its root cause”.
> 
> *3. You smug shell of a human being*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In an astoundingly nonsensical paragraph, Devine accuses Family and Community Services Minister Brad Hazzard of having “drunk the social work KoolAid” because he said there’s no guarantee that a child removed from its mother is going to have a good future.
> 
> As we all know, social work KoolAid is that drink that makes you even vaguely empathetic to the plight of people in a lower socio-economic bracket than you, and we should hate and revile all people who have been drinking it.
> 
> Surprisingly though, Devine somehow manages to accidentally make a good point, buried in a sea of otherwise wrong-bordering-on-dangerous points. In what I’m sure was an extremely begrudging concession, she offers that if sterilisation is too “draconian” (that’s a bloody word for it), maybe we could give addicts an “incentive to take long-term contraception”.
> 
> While I assume she’s probably imagining a system where we withhold Centrelink payments if recipients can’t prove they’re taking the pill or have been given the snip, how about something a bit simpler: subsidise the cost of the pill.
> 
> The pill being free sounds like a fucking fantastic incentive for people to be on it, and we get the added bonus of no longer putting the financial burden of those who menstruate just because society has for some reason made that largely not the province of people with penises.
> 
> What I’m trying to say is, if we ignore every single other part of the article and just slightly misconstrue that one part, Miranda has some great ideas. If we don’t, however, it’s an absolute crock of shit.
> 
> http://www.sbs.com.au/comedy/article/2016/10/26/why-we-shouldnt-be-advocating-sterilisation



Sterilization is obviously appalling, but I don't see a problem with purely positive incentivization to take long term (although not permanent) contraception, and not just for drug addicts but for anyone at risk of unwanted pregnancy.


----------



## spacefacethebassace

^ Hear, hear! I think the intention is the same, what's important is that people who are producing an astonishing number of children while simultaneously being unable to provide for any of those children, should be incentivized somehow to stop the needless and costly procreation. The forced sterilization idea is of course, fascist, and goes far beyond what would be necessary, but I think it's important to recognize that there's a problem.


----------



## Crankinit

It's such an easy solution too - just offer a moderate cash payment every time someone has a contraceptive implant or similar put in place. It's perfect because it's self selecting - those who would be willing to get the implant so they can grab cash to spend on a new phone, or a gram of shard, or whatever they want, are exactly the people most at risk of not wanting or being capable of caring for any child they may produce. 

And if these people get into a better place in their life in the future, they can simply forego the payment and stop the implant. Financially I have to imagine it would pay for itself many times over in money saved on social services, welfare, addiction/mental health treatment, etc. It's a literal win/win, and I'm always a little bit amazed that nobody has ever implemented it.


----------



## poledriver




----------



## poledriver

*Alexander John Semaan jailed for ice-fuelled murder of Michael Bakhaze*







> Alexander Semaan and Megan Beljulji.



A REMORSELESS Melbourne ice user declared he wanted to “kill everyone” before shooting dead a family friend at close range.
Alexander John Semaan, 41, has been jailed for at least 18 years for murdering Michael Bakhaze in December 2014.
Semaan’s sister, Hanna, and ex-girlfriend Megan Beljulji were also jailed on Friday for at least two years after they tried to cover up the crime. The only witness to the shooting, Tony Kannan, saw a drug-affected Semaan with an ice pipe and a gun before the senseless murder, Victorian Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale said.

Mr Kannan said when he asked Semaan why he had the gun, he had replied, “I want to kill everyone”.
At one point Semaan pointed the firearm at a neighbour putting her bins out, before putting the gun to Mr Bakhaze’s forehead and pulling the trigger. The murderer retreated into his East Brunswick bungalow, triggering a tense and lengthy stand-off with police when he and then-girlfriend Beljulji refused to surrender.

Semaan later claimed a gun-wielding intruder had been attempting to rob him, and that Mr Bakhaze had been shot by the robber.
After the crime, Beljulji and Hanna tried to get Mr Kannan to change his statement, and attempted to put the police on a “false trail” to support Semaan’s story of an armed intruder.
Beljulji told ballistics police to re-examine the crime scene, where they found additional, intentionally placed bullet holes that would appear consistent with the false story.
“As to who made the bullet holes to lend credence to Alex’s defence, that remains a mystery,” Justice Beale said.

Semaan has been sentenced to 22 years and two months jail, with a non-parole period of 18.
His sister and Beljulji were each sentenced to three years behind bars, with a minimum two.

http://www.news.com.au/national/vic...e/news-story/36547624e0a3d72b19e43a2f5e8b04de


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> *NSFW*:



Wrong section.


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Police shocked to arrest 15-year-old Perth 'Mr Big'*






A baby-faced 15-year-old boy, described as a “Mr Big” in the Perth drug scene, has been arrested after allegedly trying to sell a dealer $100,000 worth of methamphetamine.

The age of the boy, and his position so far up the drug supply food chain, has stunned the officers who arrested him over the weekend in the Wheatbelt town of Northam.

“I would have to say that we were shocked that a 15-year-old has got access to these quantities of drugs and has the capability of then dealing them to others,” Detective Senior Sergeant Mitch Howard of the Wheatbelt detectives office told the West Australian.

“My staff had to convince me that they really had the right target. From all my 30 years of policing experience ... I have never come across that before.”






Police were targeting a 31-year-old woman who was recorded speaking on the phone with the teenager and agreeing to buy 100g of meth, worth more than $100,000, in three separate deals.

Police arrested the woman after pulling her over and allegedly finding close to $45,000 worth of methamphetamine in her car.

Officers then traced the boy to a house in Wanneroo where he was allegedly found with 30g of meth and 30g of ecstasy, reportedly hidden in his underpants.

The boy has been charged with two counts of conspiring to sell a prohibited drug, one count of selling a prohibited drug and two counts of possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply.

He faced Perth Children’s Court yesterday and was granted bail.

The shocked boy’s parents were at the courthouse after only learning the day before what their son had allegedly been up to, the West Australian reports.

The boy had been estranged from his parents, professionals with other children, for the past year and was living at his girlfriend’s mother’s house in Wanneroo.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...-15-year-old-perth-mr-big#WVrpw7M2hbivxOq0.99


----------



## poledriver

noonoo said:


> Wrong section.



Haha, thanks. Not sure what happened there.


----------



## poledriver

*That's not the ICE cream he wanted: Father horrified to find 'meth' in tub of frozen dessert from Coles after he gave it to his five-year-old son to eat*



> A father claims to have found methamphetamine in a tub of ice cream
> The man from Perth, Western Australia, said he bought the tub from Coles
> A former drug addict, the man said the shard was very similar to meth
> However he has admitted he couldn't be exactly sure about what it was



A father has been left shocked after finding what he believes was methamphetamine in a bowl of ice-cream he had just placed in front of his young son.
The man, who chose to remain anonymous, bought the tub of vanilla ice cream from Coles in Perth, Western Australia, on November 11.

Having just sat down with his five-year-old son after dinner, the young boy reported finding 'glass' in his dessert, WA Today reports.
The man, who admitted to being a recovered drug addict, said he couldn't be sure what the clear shard was but 'knows what meth tastes like'.






'The substance about five minutes into my son eating it, when he told me there was "glass" in his ice-cream,' the father said.
'My first reaction was shock and then I examined the shard, and realised it didn't quite have the structure of most glass, so I firmly pressed it between my fingers and a little piece broke off.'
Methamphetamine, the crystal version of which is known as 'ice', has seen a major rise in popularity over recent years among drug users.

The man - who hasn't used drugs for three years - said after licking the shard he was amazed to discover a chemical flavour.
While he couldn't confirm whether or not it was in fact a drug, he said many aspects were similar.
'It has a very similar taste and structure as methamphetamine so I am led to think that's what it is,' he said. 

The man said he monitored his son after the incident, just in case he had eaten anymore of the potentially lethal recreational drug without realising.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, the father said he didn't blame Coles and said he hoped the manufacturer of the product 'get on top' of the issue.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Coles for comment. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tub-ice-cream-bought-Coles.html#ixzz4RGA8JMla


----------



## consumer

Sales of Coles icecream have gone through the roof.


----------



## poledriver

*Meth-addict parents to be drug tested and will have their children taken away if they fail*



> The new testing regime was announced on Tuesday in Queensland
> It comes after the shocking death of Caboolture toddler Mason Jet Lee
> Parents who enter into an IPA order will be drug tested by doctors
> If they fail those tests, the at-risk kids will be taken away from them



Ice users will have their children taken away from them if they fail new mandatory drug tests in Queensland.

Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman announced the new testing regime on Tuesday after the shocking death of Caboolture toddler Mason Jet Lee.

Under the plan, parents who enter into an Intervention with Parental Agreement (IPA) order with child safety authorities must submit to being drug tested by GPs.

If parents fail those tests or miss them, at-risk kids will be removed and put in foster care.

The tests won't be limited to ice but the drug is central to the policy with the minister saying it presents a major challenge for child safety officers.

Mason was the subject of an IPA before the 21-month-old boy died at the home of his stepfather, William Andrew O'Sullivan, who is facing a manslaughter charge.

O'Sullivan is accused of inflicting a fatal blow to the boy's abdomen that ruptured his small intestine and a court has been told the child died in agony over several days.

Mason was found cold and stiff at O'Sullivan's Caboolture home, where nappies full of blood were also located. 

Mason's mother, Ann Maree Lee, and O'Sullivan's housemate Ryan Hodson are also accused of manslaughter for failing to seek treatment for the boy.

Ms Fentiman did not mention Mason's case in announcing the drug testing regime, it is reportedly part of the government's response to the case.

The minister said the testing regime would give child safety officers another tool to help keep at-risk kids safe.

'If the information suggests that there is ice use, and the children are unsafe, we will remove the children,' Ms Fentiman told ABC radio.

'It will be up to the discretion of the child safety officer and it will depend on whether or not there is a history of drug use, or what sort of suspicions we hold.'

On Monday, a fourth child safety worker was stood down pending an ethical standards investigation over Mason's death.

Ms Fentiman has admitted a 300-page internal report into the child safety department's handling of the case exposed 'serious errors of judgment' on behalf of staff.

In addition to the four staff who've been stood down, another nine face disciplinary proceedings.

In July, shortly after the toddler's death, government data showed almost two-thirds of child abuse investigations and assessments in Queensland had not taken place within recommended time frames. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-children-taken-away-fail.html#ixzz4RNREsqgx


----------



## poledriver

> The tests won't be limited to ice but the drug is central to the policy with the minister saying it presents a major challenge for child safety officers.



Will it include cannabis? How about alcohol? I'd guess at, yes it will include cannabis and no it wont include alcohol.


----------



## poledriver

> More than just an extended warranty!
> Two Taiwanese nationals have been arrested for importing approximately 20.6kg of crystal meth into Australia. This has an estimated street value of $20.6 million.
> The drugs concealed in household electrical appliances arrived via Hong Kong and were intercepted by our Australian Border Force partners before referring the matter to the AFP.
> Another great example of what can be achieved when we work together. More details located in the media release on our website.


#AusFedPolice


----------



## poledriver

*Meth lab clean-ups on the rise, amid worsening ice scourge*

There is more evidence of a worsening ice scourge, with a Newcastle biohazard cleaning service saying it now gets daily clean-up and testing requests relating to meth lab activity.

Health and government officials have been concerned about a so-called ice scourge for several years.

It has kept biohazard forensic cleaners such as Newcastle's Josh Marsden busy.

Mr Marsden told the ABC he got hundreds of calls a year to either test for meth lab activity or to clean up after they have been dismantled.

"We get them every day from people who have bought properties and then found out from the neighbours that there was a drug lab in that house or tenants who are moving into houses and are getting side effects," he said.

Labs can pop up anywhere

Mr Marsden said most people thought of drug labs operating in undesirable or out-of-the-way places, but nothing could be further from the truth.

He said the labs could appear in residential or commercial buildings in cities or in more isolated areas.

"We find them in million-dollar properties, we find them in sheds, we find them in the back of cars, we find them in caravans and campervans," he said.
Mr Marsden said hundreds if not thousands of Australian properties were previously used as drug labs.

As a result he is urging families to buy meth testing kits to analyse homes before buying or renting.

He predicted meth tests may soon accompany building and pest reports, amid a growing number of homes being identified as former drug labs.

"They always say we have done our property checks, we have done our pest and building inspection but they haven't done a meth inspection," he said.

"I think it is something we are going to see in the future … and New Zealand is already doing that."

Mr Marsden said many people were shocked to learn of their property's shady past.

"Most of the people have no idea what a meth lab is or what they do until they start researching meth labs on the internet and find out how toxic they really are and then start finding out what steps are needed in remediating the property so it is safe to live in again," he said.

Mr Marsden said families with children were the most anxious.

"By simply being in that atmosphere the young children are usually the ones who are exposed the most," he said.
"Kids, with smaller bodies, are more susceptible as they fight and run across the carpets and roll on the carpets and rub against the walls."

Real Estate Institute says mandatory meth testing a step too far

The Real Estate Institute's Hunter chairman Wayne Stewart said any moves to enforce mandatory meth testing of properties would be onerous.

"The real estate industry is already policed for so many aspects of properties these days," he said.

"With new asbestos reform coming in, we are already going to be police officers for the asbestos part of the business as well, but I think it is something that people in general just need to be cautious about."

Mr Stewart said vigilance was the key.

"No house is off limits," he said.

"We see almost on a daily basis that crime syndicates are using homes as disguises in outreach suburbs, and so you never know.
"Over the last 25 years we have dealt with a number of these that have caused grief for our vendors or future buyers.

"Drug use is a part of society these days so people do have to be cautious."

Mr Stewart said meth labs were not the only issue some property owners were facing.

The new owners of one inner-city Newcastle home had to remove hundreds of syringes from wall cavities.

He said another rental burnt down and it was later revealed the house had been used to grow hydroponic cannabis.

In 2014, police across Australia raided nearly 750 meth labs.

Police from the New South Wales Drug Squad have previously told the ABC that labs were often found in rural areas, but they had also been discovered in motel rooms, shipping containers, boots of cars, and on the back of trucks.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-...n-the-rise-amid-worsening-ice-scourge/8078954


----------



## poledriver

*Diary of a meth dealer: The night I fired a sawn-off shotgun at a man in the grip of my massive ice addiction*






IT WAS the height of his massive ice addiction and Pat Smith, one of NSW’s heaviest methamphetamine dealers, was at home in Grafton strung out on the drug.
What happened next was to be a life changing moment which should have ended with a murder and a prison sentence.
The 43-year-old, who concedes he “destroyed” many people’s lives during a 20-year drug binge, said he just snapped.
It was late at night and people were arguing outside his house.

“I went out on veranda with a loaded cut-down shotgun,” he told news.com.au.
“When they got loud I went off at them, so they came to the gate — Kooris — and [one man] said ‘Think you’re a goer ya white c***’ and I said ‘Yeah ya black c***’ and pointed the gun about one metre from his face.
“He said ‘Go on pull.....’. I did and it misfired. I wasn’t supposed to go to jail and he wasn’t supposed to die.”
Mr Smith has decided to reveal some of the worst stories of violence and madness on ice as a lesson to others to get off the drug.
At its height, or at the lowest point of his addiction Mr Smith was earning $200,000 a year “selling ice, fuelling young people’s addictions and turning their world into a miserable existence”.

He often had no sleep for days and had gone for “17 days with only eight hours sleep, one lot of four hours and two lots of two”.
“I’d just keep topping up and topping up,” he said. “Not many ice addicts could take the amount I was taking.”
Despite selling ice, Mr Smith said he was an emotional mess and often cried when young people became hooked on ice.
“I had a Koori lad at my flat on third floor scared to go downstairs because ‘his cuz on the second floor was going to bash him’.
“He was 23 maybe. I didn’t sell to him, he was too crazy. Paranoid.
“So I got his uncle and three mates to walk him to my car so we could drive him to one of my best mates’ place to calm him down.

“We nearly had to drag him down. Then halfway there in the car, he starts saying ‘please don’t hurt me’ and we’re like ‘WTF?’
“He goes ‘please, please’ and starts opening the car door. I slowed down to about 20km an hour and he leaps out the door screaming ‘Don’t hurt me’ and bolts into the bush.
“His uncle just looked at me and I said, ‘it’s ice bro. He’s fried’.
Mr Smith said another young guy, aged 21, became so paranoid after three months on ice he began thinking Pat was an undercover narcotics agent.
“If he saw a hole in the roof or wall? It’s a camera! He thought a van parked across the road was undercover cops. We dragged him across the road just to prove it wasn’t.
“Sadly these guys are still on ice.”
But for Pat Smith, it was the beginning of the end of his addiction, which he gave up in May last year and has now become an anti drug-campaigner. But he still struggles daily.
He had become a dealer during the final four years of his addiction to feed a poker machine addiction and his massive habit, which at its peak had him injecting a gram of meth a day.

Instead of costing $1000, it set him back only $400 because he was dealing, but the intensity of selling and using put his life on the edge.
At one point during the 17-day binge, he drove for 16 hours from his home town of Yamba to Sydney and back again.
Sleepless and “wired”, he remembers swerving all over the roads.
But the incident with the shot gun and the fact that “the ice scene had become too violent” spurred him on to make the difficult decision to give up, but one which he believes saved his life.
He walked into a doctor’s surgery and gave a detailed and “straight up” confession about what he’d been doing and how much of the drug he’d been taking.
The doctor was startled, but prescribed antidepressants to allow him to cope with withdrawal, urges and a predicted plunge in his mood and demeanour.
He suffered such bad nightmares and daily panic, he started taking Valium to cope.
“I used to think I wasn’t violent. But, yes I was,” he told news.com.au.

“Going for so long without sleep nearly sent me insane.”
Not a dollar of his big drug dealing days remains and he is broke and has lived on and off with his mother.
“She didn’t know much about [my ice addiction], but I’d go weeks without contacting her, I wouldn’t answer the door. But now she’s stoked.”
Mr Smith went public last year about his drug past, standing up at a local meeting and describing his life as a dealer and ice user.
Now he is working to raise community awareness and help addicts get off ice.
“They’ll be better off as a result. I am helping friends get off ice and I want to help anyone who needs it,” he said.
His Facebook page, Patrick Smith Fighting Ice, is part of his campaign to make restitution for dealing the drug.
“I want to spend the next 20 years repairing the damage I have done. I want to get the message out to people taking ice,” he said.
“If it’s only a few months or less than a week you’ve been clean, it doesn’t matter.
“Don’t feel guilty. Every day clean is a good day, believe me.”

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...SF&utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=Facebook


----------



## poledriver

*'It would probably have been better if I'd died': The smashed skull of a grandmother, 77, bashed repeatedly with a hammer by a meth addict who then raped her in her own home... and he could be out in 10 years*



> Grandmother, 77, had her skull caved in with a hammer in horrific sex attack
> Her attacker Christopher Coombs, 40, was jailed for 14 years over July 15 attack
> Coombs could walk free on parole in just nine year and four months
> Victim's son said his mother wished she had died and sentence was too light
> Coombs was high on ice and off his medication when he broke into her house



A deranged ice addict who sexually assaulted and bashed in a grandmother's skull with a hammer could walk free from prison in less than 10 years.
Christopher Coombs was sentenced to a maximum 14 years jail including time for four unrelated assault and larceny charges.

The 40-year-old is eligible for parole in nine years and four months for the attack that left the Wollongong pensioner, 77, wishing she had died.
Her son said it was a miracle she survived the horrific injuries as he stood dismayed outside Parramatta District Court on Thursday following sentencing. 

'She's going to be in and out of hospital for the rest of her life. She has said, "It probably would have been better if I'd died",' he told the Illawarra Mercury.

'She was a lovely lady and now she's a shell. I'll put a tea cup down and she'll jump. She's been robbed of her life.'
The son said the sentence did not reflect the devastating effect the attack on July 6 last year had on his mother.

Judge Penelope Wass said the sentence length was intended to be 'not crushing in all the circumstances' so as not to 'destroy any prospects of rehabilitation'.
Coombs knew his victim lived in the ground floor unit near him from the sole conversation they had eight months before he broke in at 3.30am through a balcony door left ajar for her cat.

He attempted to rape her before carrying out another sexual assault while she resisted. 
Then he put a tie around her neck, forced her to the floor and repeatedly bashed her head with the hammer.

Neighbours found her in a pool of blood with her skull caved in, a shattered cheekbone, broken jaw and nerve damage in her eyelid.
The court heard Coombs barely remembered the attack because he had gone off his medication and was high on ice at the time.

Psychological reports detailed his history of drug use, depression, narcissistic personality disorder and bi-polar disorder.
He pleaded guilty, shaving off 25 per cent off his sentence, and convinced the judge he was remorseful and had a shot at rehabilitation.

Judge Wass also accepted Coombs was carrying the hammer for protection against 'real and imagined enemies', after his own skull was broken in a 2009 assault that had caused him to develop PTSD.
The victim's son lashed out at the judgement that Coombs did not intend to use the hammer on his mother when he broke in.
'How can [the court] accept [Coombs] carried a hammer to protect himself? How can that be OK? It's not as if it's a random attack. He knew there was a vulnerable old lady in there,' he said. 

Judge Wass rejected defence claims Coombs hit the woman because he feared she would bite his penis, because he already had her restrained.
He was initially charged with attempted murder but this was dropped in plea negotiations. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ed-hammer-brutal-rape-home.html#ixzz4SPVsRFGS


----------



## Jabberwocky

Now if he was into downers like weed he would of resorted to buying pizza and watching Tom Green movies.


----------



## poledriver

*Three police officers stood down after testing positive for ICE… the same deadly drug that’s ruining lives across Australia*



> Three WA police officers stood down after testing positive to illicit drugs
> The drugs include methamphetamines, known as ice, and amphetamines
> Around 200 police at five suburban stations were tested on Monday



Three police officers have been stood down after testing positive to illicit drugs including methamphetamines in random tests in stations across ice afflicted Western Australia.
Around 200 police at five suburban stations on Monday were tested for alcohol and drugs by officers from the WA Police Internal Affairs Unit.
Three constables tested positive to ice and amphetamines and have been stood down, a spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-s-ruining-lives-Australia.html#ixzz4SZ2saHFZ


----------



## poledriver

> Two men will face court after a large amount of drugs and cash were located during a vehicle stop in the State’s far west yesterday.
> 
> About 8.45am (Sunday 11 December 2016), police attached to Barrier Traffic & Highway Patrol Command were patrolling the Sturt Highway at Gol Gol, about 20km east of Dareton, when they stopped a Mazda 3 sedan for a random breath test.
> 
> After speaking with the 55-year-old male driver and his 24-year-old passenger, officers conducted a search of the men and the Mazda and allegedly located $65,000 in cash, approximately 700 grams of a crystal substance suspected to be methamphetamine, as well as a set of knuckledusters and an extendable baton.
> 
> The two men were arrested and taken to Dareton Police Station.
> 
> Both men were charged with supply large commercial quantity prohibited drug, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, and deal with property proceeds of crime.
> 
> The older man was also charged with two counts of possess prohibited weapon.
> 
> They were both refused bail to appear before Broken Hill Local Court tomorrow (Monday 12 December 2016).


----------



## Burnt Offerings

noonoo said:


> A baby-faced 15-year-old boy, described as a “Mr Big” in the Perth drug scene, has been arrested after allegedly trying to sell a dealer $100,000 worth of methamphetamine.



How much weight is that in the Aussie market, like 5 grams or so?


----------



## consumer

3 points i think it was but it was fire


----------



## poledriver

lol


----------



## poledriver

Jacqui Lambie ‏@JacquiLambie  23m23 minutes ago

So #proud of my boy and how far he has come #Mum


----------



## poledriver

*'Ice was all I cared about': Student reveals how he started dealing meth aged 13 and got hooked a year later after an older man approached him at school*



> Zack, now 18, says he was approached by an older man to sell meth to teenagers
> And at 14 the student was dealing the drug and was totally dependent on it
> His mother said his physical demise as the drug took control was quick
> He has been clean for over a year now, but is battling mental problems



Zack was just 13 years old when he got his first taste of the drug meth. 
A bright-eyed student in his first year of high school, an older man approached him at a back gate on campus and asked him if he wanted to sell the drug to other teens. 

By the age of 14 he was dealing ice and totally addicted. It would be the beginning of a devastating habit that lasted five years and saw his life plummet to rock bottom.
'My main priority was ice, it's all I cared about,' Zack, 18, said in an ABC documentary about the grip of the drug in the rural town of Nowra, on the South Coast of NSW.

'I stayed up nine weeks (without sleeping). That's all we'd do, we'd sit in the room and smoke it.'
Speaking to local radio station Power FM earlier this year, Zack's mother Tracy revealed the harrowing moment she realised her son was addicted to ice.
The mother-of-four said her eldest son had come home craving for a hit of the powerful stimulant and suffered a melt-down in front of his younger siblings.

She said his physical and mental demise as the drug took control was quick. 
'He started going out with a girl that was from out of town, and her family were ice addicts and they stole ice and he basically lived in a crack house.'

'He was living on the streets. He outwardly admits that he was stealing cars and robbing homes ... they would do whatever they had to do to get their next hit.' 
'I had to let Zack go.'    

Cont -  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4033030/Nowra-boy-got-hooked-meth-age-14.html#ixzz4SqZsZjRd


----------



## poledriver

> '*I stayed up nine weeks (without sleeping)*. That's all we'd do, we'd sit in the room and smoke it.'



hmm, just a slight exaggeration I think.


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> hmm, just a slight exaggeration I think.



It would make sense if he said he jacked off for 9 weeks lol.


----------



## poledriver




----------



## poledriver

*AFP charge two Malaysian men over alleged crystal meth drug haul*



> Two Malaysian nationals will appear in a Sydney court accused of possessing a haul of crystal meth with an estimated street value of $128 million.
> 
> The pair, aged 24 and 25, were arrested in Roselands, NSW yesterday with Australian Federal Police officers finding more than 100kg of methamphetamine in six cardboard boxes inside two cars.
> 
> One of them was found to be living in Australia unlawfully, and officers also seized multiple mobile telephones, identification documents and a substantial amount of Australian currency.
> 
> The men will appear in Parramatta Local Court today charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border controlled drug, an offence that carries life imprisonment and a maximum $1.35 million fine.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ed-crystal-meth-drug-haul#dbB2RD534PTm9hzF.99


----------



## poledriver

Police have charged three people and seized more than $ 54,000 worth of drugs after a search warrant in the outside of Tamworth yesterday.
About 5.40pm yesterday (Thursday 5 January 2017), officer attached to Oxley Local Area Command stopped silver Mercedes Benz on Goonoo Goonoo Road, Tamworth.

Police searched the car and allegedly located 10.5 grams of methylamphetamine, worth an estimated street value of $10,500.
The 24-year-old driver was arrested and taken to Tamworth Police Station.

As a result of inquiries officers executed a search warrant at a house on Colwell Road, Kingswood arresting a 40-year-old man and 30-year-old woman.
During a search of the house, police allegedly located 43.5 grams of methylamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $43,500, a sum of cash and a silencer.
The pair were taken to Tamworth Police Station.

The 24-year-old woman and 30-year-old man were charged with supplying and possession of prohibited drugs.
The 40-year-old man was charged with suppling and possession of prohibited drugs and possessing a prohibited weapon.
All three were bail refused to appear before Tamworth Local Court today (Friday 6 January 2016).


----------



## poledriver

> *Police raids targeting ice around Casino lead to arrests*
> 
> Several people have been arrested after a series of co-ordinated raids in and around the Casino area targeting the supply and manufacture of the illegal drug ice..
> 
> Strike Force Thermal was established by officers attached to Richmond Local Area Command to investigate the manufacture and supply of prohibited drugs in the Casino area.
> 
> On Thursday, December 29, police stopped a vehicle on Bruxner Highway, Mummulgum arresting a 43-year-old woman, and the passenger, a 35-year-old man. The pair were subsequently charged with a number of offences relating to drug manufacture and supply.
> 
> They were both bail refused to appear at Lismore Local Court on 9 January.
> 
> Later in the day, police executed two search warrants at houses in Mackenzie Court, Tenterfield and Canterbury Street, Casino.
> 
> Whilst searching the property, police allegedly located a number of items including a clandestine laboratory.
> 
> The following day (Friday 30 December), about 8am, police executed several search warrants at properties located on Stapleton Avenue and Callistemon Street, Casino, and Nandabah Street, Rappville and Pinnacles Road, The Pinnacles.
> 
> During these search warrants police allegedly located firearms, cash, drug equipment and chemicals believed to be used in the manufacture of drugs.
> 
> A 35-year-old man and 43-year-old woman were charged with a number of offences relating to ongoing drug supply and manufacture.
> 
> As a result of further inquiries, about 12.20pm yesterday (Thursday 5 January), officers from Strike Force Thermal attended a house on Stapletone Ave, Casino.
> 
> Police arrested a 49-year-old man and 34-year-old female, and the pair were conveyed to Casino Police Station.
> 
> The 59-year-old man was charged with drug supply and given conditional bail to appear before Lismore Local Court on Wednesday 25 January.
> 
> The 34-year-old woman was charged with a number of offences relating to the manufacture of methamphetamine and knowingly taking part in a criminal organisation. She was bailed refused to appear before Lismore Local Court today (Friday 6 January).



http://www.echo.net.au/2017/01/police-raids-targeting-ice-around-casino-lead-arrests/


----------



## poledriver

*Teens allegedly high on ice lead police on pursuit through Sydney’s eastern suburbs*

TEENAGERS as young as thirteen were allegedly high on ice after they stole a car and led police on a high speed chase through Sydney’s east overnight.

About 2.30am police spotted a green Ford Fairmont upon Anzac Parade, La Perouse, which had allegedly been stolen less than two hours before during an aggravated break at a Tregear address.

The car failed to stop and up to 25 police cars were involved in the pursuit which continued into

the Botany Bay National Park at La Perouse where the stolen car crashed into a locked gate and a police car.

The Ford was then driven at low speed along Bunnerong Road to Gardeners Road before stopping at Coward Street in Mascot, where four teenagers aged 13 to 18 were arrested.

The 18-year-old driver was allegedly under the influence of ice and had been up for several days.

He had to be strapped to a stretcher before being taken to Prince of Wales Hospital.

A 13-year-old passenger was taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick, suffering with severe swelling to his face.

No charges have been laid at this stage.

Inquiries are continuing.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...s/news-story/e4ad026e75ffe944602b209a74be1e30


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Washing powder hides 300kg ice ingredient*

Up to 300 kilograms of pure pseudoephedrine has been discovered hidden in a consignment of washing powder shipped to Melbourne.

A 40 foot container allegedly held 160 boxes of pseudoephedrine hidden among more than 900 boxes of washing powder.

Five men have been charged with drug importation offences after police seized the drug precursor, the Australian Federal Police said on Monday.

The accused men appeared in court on the weekend.

The pseudoephedrine is believed to have come from Vietnam. It arrived into Melbourne in mid-December.

Pseudoephedrine is an ingredient in methamphetamine.

Authorities say the seized precursor could have produced methamphetamine valued at $42 million wholesale. It could have 1.5 million hits worth more than $200,000 million on the street.

The bust came after a joint operation by the AFP, Victoria Police, Australian Border Force and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.




















Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/bre...t/news-story/efc4b4a19dd6bf50d9117a809e124b6e


----------



## poledriver

wow, big bust.


----------



## consumer

Not compared to the coke bust...


----------



## poledriver

*'Ice behind riots' in Victorian youth detention centres, state government claims*

The Victorian state government has said the drug ice is partly to blame for the violent riots and disturbances in the state's youth detention centres.

Six youths are due to face court after a disturbance at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Cente yesterday night that was only brought under control when riot police stormed the centre.

Four of the detainees aged over 18 will face the Bendigo Magistrates' Court today.

Secure services director Ian Lanyon, from the human services department, believes the disturbance and previous riots at Malmsbury and the Parkville detention centres are in part driven by methamphetamine, ice. 

“We are seeing much more violent offences playing out," Mr Lanyon told reporters in Melbourne this afternoon.

"The drug ice has certainly had a significant impact in relation to some of the behaviours that we're seeing.

"This drug is really insidious, it stays within young people's systems for some time (and) it also has an ongoing, enduring affect on the way that they function."

Mr Lanyon said a number of young people involved in yesterday's disturbance had a history of drug and alcohol abuse.

He was quick to add there were "no drugs" within the facilities.

Police said the disturbance at Malmsbury was sparked when some detainees were asked to move from one area to another within a unit of the complex.

Detainees armed themselves with metal poles reportedly ripped from the facility. There were no injuries to staff, police or offenders.

Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos blasted the "disgraceful behaviour from very violent offenders".

All six youth involved in the incident were serving sentences.

But about half of all youth being detained in Victoria are on remand, meaning they are yet to be sentenced for a crime.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...pected-riot-at-malmsbury-youth-justice-centre


----------



## Jabberwocky

This section needs some comedy


----------



## poledriver




----------



## poledriver

*Cousins refused bail over stalking, drugs*






Troubled former AFL star Ben Cousins has been refused bail by a Perth magistrate over fresh charges related to drugs and family violence, including an allegation of stalking.

Search warrants were issued at residences in Melville and Bicton overnight, and Cousins was arrested when he arrived in a car at the Melville home.

Inside the car, police allegedly found some methylamphetamine.

During a second search of the Bicton home, police allegedly found a smoking utensil and more methylamphetamine.

Cousins, 38, appeared in Armadale Magistrates Court on Friday charged with seven counts of breaching a violence restraining order, aggravated stalking, driving without a licence, and possessing a prohibited drug and smoking utensil.

The VRO was taken out by his former partner Maylea Tinecheff, with whom he has two young children.

The court heard the VRO breaches related to Cousins visiting the children's school and church, and making repeated phone calls to his former partner.

Cousins was found with 8g of meth and he told officers it was because he was a heavy drug user and had a high tolerance.

His lawyer Michael Tudori said Ms Tinecheff used the VRO to manipulate the way Cousins could see his children.

"She uses it when it suits her and when it doesn't she contacts the police," he said.

Mr Tudori used an example of the pair recently attending a Bruce Springsteen concert together without incident.

He said it would be unjust to send Cousins to prison if he was convicted of the breaches, given the circumstances of the alleged offending.

Magistrate Nicholas Lemmon said when viewed in isolation the breaches were not serious, but in context were seen in a different light, noting Cousins had a pattern of similar convictions.

Mr Lemmon said the risk of reoffending was significant and no bail conditions would be adequate.

A visibly distressed Cousins interjected, saying: "I take the charges very seriously your honour."

But Mr Lemmon said he had already made his decision to refuse bail.

Cousins was fined $2600 in December for similar offences.

The Brownlow medallist was last in court in January when a three-hour trial was set for June over a separate meth possession offence.

The drug addict was suspended from the AFL for one year in 2007 for bringing the game into disrepute.

He made a comeback with Richmond before retiring in 2010 and his troubles have continued in the public eye.

- http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...n-wa-court-on-new-charges#DFguzWu5AjOgsOZ2.99


----------



## poledriver

*NSW Police join Aboriginal communities to say 'Not Our Way' to illegal 'ice' and pharmaceuticals in new campaign*



> The NSW Police are today launching a new campaign in Dubbo aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of illegal drug use in Aboriginal communities across the state.
> 
> ‘Not Our Way’ has been developed by the NSW Police Drug and Alcohol Coordination team in conjunction with Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers (ACLOs), key health industry stakeholders as well as local Aboriginal elders and community members.
> 
> The campaign consists of dual videos that address the rising issue of methylamphetamine (‘ice’), the illegal use of pharmaceuticals, and the associated health and safety risks to both individuals’ and the wider community.
> 
> Additional educational resources – including youth-focused story books as well as brochures on health services that specialise in drug and alcohol recovery support – have been created as part of the campaign.
> 
> NSW Police Corporate Sponsor on Aboriginal Communities, Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie, said the campaign aims to highlight and address the challenges facing local Aboriginal communities.
> 
> “Research shows that Aboriginal communities are at greater risk of developing harmful long-term drug use than the general population, and both ‘ice’ and pharmaceuticals have shown the biggest spike more recently,” Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said.
> 
> “The use and distribution of illegal drugs is not only against the law but it’s incredibly harmful to your health and can lead to many serious consequences including the breakdown of families and local communities.
> 
> “The rise in recreational pharmaceutical usage also shows that drugs don’t have to be illegal to be lethal and they can prove to be just as dangerous as their illicit counterparts,” Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said.
> 
> “Both trends are of great concern so we’ve decided to get on the front foot and work with the Aboriginal community to address these specific challenges together, before people are faced with possible jail time and serious health effects.”
> 
> Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said the campaign seeks to educate people on the dangers of ‘ice’ and illegal pharmaceutical use by discussing their short and long-term effects while illustrating warning signs for friends and families of those possibly affected.
> 
> “Importantly, this is an initiative for and by Aboriginal people – it’s absolutely crucial that we work closely with one another to foster relationships and build stronger, safer communities that acknowledge key challenges while working collaboratively on solutions,” Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said.
> 
> “The campaign videos also feature two individuals who speak candidly about their path to recovery and their associated experiences. Our hope is that their voices transect the community and let people know that help and support is available.
> 
> “Following today’s launch the campaign resources will be progressively rolled out across the state to send a positive message on behalf of the community that dangerous drug use is ‘Not Our Way.’



http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/l...vdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGNjEzMzMuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ==


----------



## g0to

noonoo said:


> This section needs some comedy


hahaha oh my god this made me LOL


----------



## g0to

Lol


----------



## poledriver

*Miner turned ice dealer's tearful goodbye before jail*






AN Andergrove miner turned ice dealer burst into tears in his father's arms during an emotional farewell in the Supreme Court in Mackay.

James William Arthur Watt was jailed for trafficking large amounts of the drug ice, as well as cocaine and cannabis.

The court was told undercover police surveillance recorded Watt selling up to 70g of ice at a time for tens of thousands of dollars between March 19 and October 15, 2015. However, the 33-year-old addict's profit went up in smoke.

Watt pleaded guilty before Justice David North on Thursday to trafficking dangerous drugs.

Defence barrister Stephen Byrne said Watt's life had "spiralled out of control" in late 2014 and prior to that he had a clean criminal record.

Mr Byrne said Watt lost his job as a machine operator at Hail Creek Mine in 2014, split up with his partner and lost his home.

Watt's casual ice use escalated, and turned into dealing to support his addiction.

Crown prosecutor Jacob Robson told the court Watt was soon buying an ounce of ice for $9000 to sell to between 20-30 customers over about two days, including "street-level dealers".

Watt, who was a chef for 10 years before breaking into mining, would also brag to undercover officers about being able to provide wholesale quantities of drugs, the court was told this week.

Mr Robson, who described the defendant as "above a mere street level dealer", said if a customer owed Watt money he could "be seen to be quite forceful", making "implied threats".

He also said Watt's charge was aggravated because he was on bail for drug possession.

Watt had already spent 233 days in jail for breach of bail relating to a previous charge.

Mr Byrne said Watt had been using about 10 points (1 gram) of ice each week and had started selling to support his habit.

Allowing "drugs to take over his life", Watt had nothing to show for it, Mr Byrne said. He was $30,000 in debt and "considering declaring bankruptcy".

Mr Byrne also said Watt had been shot in the right elbow near the end of 2015 in an incident that was "not drug related". This left him with about "75% use of his right arm".

Additionally, Mr Byrne said Watt had completed employment training in custody.

Justice North described Watt as a "productive, law-abiding member of society" before he lost his job in an economic downturn and fell into drug use.

He took into account Watt's co-operation, early guilty plea and that he hadn't been "enriching himself", but said his sentence needed to deter others and protect the community.

Watt was sentenced to five years jail, but considering time served and his early plea, will be eligible for parole on January 23, 2018.

https://m.dailymercury.com.au/news/miner-turned-ice-dealer-bursts-into-tears-in-fathe/3150713/


----------



## g0to

Crazy how different the AU scene is to Western USA. Here, an oz is, not gonna say prices, but what you guys get 1/4 pt to 1 pt for we get 1.6-3.2 g. It still looks like either small rice sized oblong semi-shiny crystals (ehhh to A+ quality), a shiny-semi-crystalline powder (good at times), long oblong or square shards with bubbles inside them (if looking closely under light - this stuff is at most 10-30%), dense "rock-like" shiny-polygon typed chunks (if I had to estimate, ~50%ish with inactive cut), clear-loomingly darkish-very foggy "shard-shaped" - in the literal sense of the term - chunks (the best, domestic produced batches, mostly d-methamphetamine, although there is stuff out there that can look the same but still not all there in terms oomph - i would think something like l-methamphetamine used as a cut perhaps, can increase the rush but the CNS effect just not there) There's also fake stuff out, usually goes for the same/more as real stuff and looks like almost round-ish very very shiny chunks that tend to just burst into a million pieces rather than snap when you try to break them apart. From what ive seen though ,quality is definitely better around your end. ^ there's dealers like that here, too, they don't even consider health/financial problems when they lock them up though or even think to report on those things as some kind of showcase of positive outcomes. The prison penalty seems about the same though.


----------



## poledriver

> Australian Federal Police added 5 new photos.
> 33 mins ·
> 
> @Eddie Hall once deadlifted 500kgs.
> 
> The AFP has just lifted 540kgs of meth out of 396 bottles of protein powder!
> 
> Seven men and a woman have been charged for their alleged involvement in the importation of 540kgs of methamphetamine into Sydney with an approximate street value of $324 million.
> 
> This importation had arrived via sea cargo and was concealed in 396 bottles labelled as protein powder. The consignment was delivered in a controlled operation to a unit in Fairfield, NSW, where the seven men were arrested.
> 
> The men have been charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5, by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
> 
> Subsequent search warrants resulted in the seizure of approximately 5 kilograms of methamphetamine and smaller quantities of ecstasy and cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia, five firearms and ammunition.
> 
> This resulted in the arrest of a 23-year-old woman at a residence in Green Valley, NSW, and two further charges.
> 
> The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.
> The fight continues.




*NSFW*:


----------



## poledriver

*Western Australia the 'meth capital’ of Australia, study reveals*








> Methylamphetamine use in Western Australia’s cities and regions is far higher than anywhere else in Australia, a national study of wastewater has revealed.
> 
> Daily meth consumption for Perth was estimated at one “hit” per 17 people per day from results recorded at the city’s wastewater plants, according to Perth Now.
> 
> Average consumption at an undisclosed regional located was recorded at one dose per 13 people per day.
> 
> Meanwhile, regional areas in Victoria and Queensland showed higher than average oxycodone levels.
> 
> Fentanyl use in regional areas in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia were higher than average.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...meth-capital-of-australia#A7wftYYDefSdATrM.99


----------



## Crankinit

I wonder how the papers decide which city is the "METH CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA!!!!!" this time? Do they flip a coin? Have a little wheel they roll?


----------



## poledriver

Pretty shitty.


----------



## consumer

Sewerage water testing. Its actually a really accurate method.


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Five arrested over $101 million crystal meth haul from China*

FEDERAL police have seized a swag of crystal methamphetamine worth an estimated $101 million.

Five men have been charged over allegedly attempting to traffic more than 100kg of the prohibited drug, also known as ice.

Operation Valencia, a joint investigation between the AFP, NSW Police, Australian Border Control and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, stopped the drug shipment leaving Guangdong Province in China before it left for Australia.






It is the latest win in the ongoing was against ice between Australian and Chinese authorities.

Last November, the taskforce busted a $54 million ice operation on Sydney’s exclusive Northern Beaches.

Authorities swooped on Palm Beach, seizing three barrels containing about 90 litres of liquid methamphetamine. A fishing vessel off the coast of Hervey Bay in Queensland was also intercepted.

Eight people were arrested for their alleged roles in that importation venture.

Since November 2015 almost 7.5 tonnes of illicit substances, including crystal methamphetamine, or ice, have been confiscated, worth an estimated street value of $2 billion.

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan said organised crime “knows no borders”, and the co-operation between Australia and China occurring as a result of the taskforce’s work was paying “substantial dividends”.

The intelligence exchange was crucial to identifying syndicates and individuals exporting crystal methamphetamine from China, he said.

“This is the first ever joint agency taskforce of its kind in the world and is proving to be as successful as it is unprecedented,” Mr Keenan told the Herald Sun.

“Together, our countries are disrupting the trade of organised criminals that peddle in the misery of drug trafficking.”


Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...l/news-story/3b685f80e772147ac25ccfcd9aa474c7


----------



## poledriver

consumer said:


> Sewerage water testing. Its actually a really accurate method.



What about all the people with septic systems? How is it so accurate? How does it work? It doesn't sound really accurate but I know nothing about it really. I have heard from media reports of it happening over the years, but at a guess there would be major flaws. How about it some large scale dealers tipped a huge amount of meth down the shitter before a raid? So that area would then be right up the top of the list? How about areas where meth production takes place and some of the left over crap from making it is tipped down drains/sinks/toilets?


----------



## Burnt Offerings

Detecting/gauging drugs in waste water is probably a more accurate way to measure drug use amongst the population than relying on surveys and "self reporting", anyway...I remember reading about a river outside a town in Italy that had detectable levels of cocaine in it, lol. I've always been of the opinion that drug use is quite a bit more widespread than surveys suggest


----------



## consumer

I dont know how many people in major cities have septic tanks Poledriver. It would be negligible. In areas like where i lived in Byron lots of us had septic tanks but so many drugs are taken there i am sure the sewerage would get you high still lol


----------



## poledriver

Ah, so they wouldnt test any regional areas? Only major cities. I guess that makes sense. 

I just read -



> Methylamphetamine use in Western Australia’s cities and regions is far higher than anywhere else in Australia, a national study of wastewater has revealed.



And jumped to a conclusion that they may also test smaller areas. 

I still am not sure how it works when in some areas (as I stated) some major amounts might get flushed down the dunny. 

I found this link also -



> The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) has a national responsibility to provide information and intelligence on criminal activity. Much of the harm that Australians suffer is due to illicit and licit substances through serious and organised crime groups who traffick, distribute and profit from the drug trade.
> The ACIC has been warning for several years that one of the most harmful substances impacting on Australia is crystal methylamphetamine. While not the only substance of abuse, crystal methylamphetamine is considered by the ACIC as an illicit drug of disproportionate harm and this first National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program Report confirms the concerns expressed in the former ACC report The Australian Methylamphetamine Market—The National Picture of March 2015.
> In response to growing concern around crystal methylamphetamine use in Australia,
> a National Ice Taskforce was established in 2015 to advise the Government on the development of a National Ice Action Strategy. One of the recommendations of the National Ice Taskforce focused on improving and expanding available data sources to provide a more accurate understanding of drug use in Australia. This document is the first of nine public reports which will share results of a national wastewater drug monitoring program over the next three years. This data will provide statistically valid datasets of methylamphetamine usage and distribution patterns across 51 sites in capital city and regional areas across all states and territories. The analysis extends to 13 drug types and will give the first national evidence base of illicit drug usage and distribution.
> WHY WASTEWATER ANALYSIS?
> Wastewater analysis is widely applied internationally as a tool to measure and interpret drug use within national populations. The Australian Government has recognised the considerable benefits of wastewater analysis and has partnered with established scientific expertise within Australian academic institutions to introduce a national program based on international models.
> The National Ice Taskforce found self-report user surveys, seizure and arrest data and medical statistics provide only a limited picture of drug consumption. Consequently, the Taskforce recommended that a national wastewater capability be established to provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of drug use in Australia. Moreover, the National Ice Action Strategy 2015 recognised that national responses to problematic drug use need to be guided by better data and research to inform how governments respond to current and emerging drug trends.
> IMPLEMENTING A NATIONAL PROGRAM
> In June 2016, the Minister for Justice Michael Keenan approved the allocation of
> $3.6 million over a three year period from the Confiscated Assets Fund for the ACIC to develop a National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program (NWDMP).
> 
> CONT -



https://www.acic.gov.au/sites/g/fil...onitoring_program_report_1_0.pdf?v=1490333695


----------



## g0to

consumer said:


> I dont know how many people in major cities have septic tanks Poledriver. It would be negligible. In areas like where i lived in Byron lots of us had septic tanks but so many drugs are taken there i am sure the sewerage would get you high still lol


Lmao.. :D :D :D


----------



## consumer

They do test regional areas but many regional areas have sewerage systems...most people in byron for example are connected even though a lot of us were not. I still think it paints an accurate picture. If somewhere other than Sydney had the #1 position for cocaine then i would have had my doubts


----------



## poledriver

*Victoria Police investigating allegations care worker supplied 16yo with ice*






Multiple investigations are underway after a worker at a Victorian residential care unit allegedly supplied a child with the drug ice, but was allowed to continue their shift after the allegation emerged.

Key points:

Wesley Mission also investigating how the worker was allowed to go to the girl's mother's house
The organisation says it is taking the allegations seriously
State Government has said all residential care workers must have minimum qualifications by end of 2017

The 16-year-old girl's mother told the worker's managers about the allegation and demanded immediate action, but the worker was not stood down by her employer, Wesley Mission Victoria, until the next day.

The girl told her mother the worker had given her and other children at the unit ice and marijuana, and had taken her to the worker's inner-city home.

The mother told the ABC she was initially wary about believing her daughter's claims, and told her the consequences for the worker could be considerable.

However, she said her daughter then showed her photographs and instant messages which seemed to verify that she had been to the worker's house and at least discussed drug use with her.

"How is that appropriate, to be socialising and messaging with a child you are supposed to be looking after, let alone supplying them and other kids with drugs?" the mother said.

Investigations are being conducted by Victoria Police and the Department of Health and Human Services.

The incident raises further questions about the quality of the workers caring for the state's most vulnerable children.

Do you know more about this story? Email investigations@abc.net.au
Wesley Mission is also looking into the case and investigating why the worker went to the mother's house after the complaint was made, taking with her another child from the unit.

"I can't believe she was allowed to keep working, and also put me and my family at risk by bringing this other girl to my house," the mother said.

"I really feel they treated me like an idiot, and have only begun to take this seriously because I spoke out and contacted the media."
Worker's care unit was a 'gold standard' facility

The ABC revealed in 2014 that the organisations contracted by the Department to run residential care units were placing workers in them who did not have valid working with children or police checks.

The Department and the organisations admitted they did not know at least one casual agency was supplying staff without the required checks.

When Jessica was taken from her family, it was meant to stop abuse


Instead, Australia's child protection system placed her into a house where staff couldn't keep kids safe.
The Victorian Government has since announced that by the end of this year, it will be mandatory for all residential care workers to have minimum qualification. Figures from 2014 showed that one third of residential care workers had no post-secondary qualification.

More than $8 million has been earmarked for the new TAFE-administered training, which will be made available to more than 1,300 carers.

The Government has said the organisations running the units will be expected to strictly monitor whether workers undergo the training.

In a statement to the ABC, Wesley Mission Victoria's acting chief operating officer said the organisation was taking the allegations very seriously.

"Our first priority is the welfare of our client, and we continue to provide both our client and their family with support while this matter is being investigated," Kelly Stanton said.

"Wesley, the Department of Health and Human Services and Victoria Police are currently looking into this incident and the employee involved has been stood down until the completion of these investigations. All allegations made in relation to this incident will be thoroughly and carefully investigated.

"We're also commissioning an independent review to assess the management of our early response to these allegations."

The Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement it had begun a, "quality of care review into the circumstances of this matter".

"The [department] expects all young people in residential care are in a safe, home-like environment with appropriate support," it said.

"If there is evidence that this has not occurred, the department will initiate immediate action with the relevant agency to make improvements."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-21/wesley-mission-worker-allegedly-gave-child-ice/8370152


----------



## g0to

Ew. I hope that he is not just given a slap on a wrist/disqualified from his job/light jail time, but properly punished whether through lashing or who knows. Perhaps would set a precedent for others not to repeat this same behavior. Then again, its just human nature to be evil... Not sure of the age of consent in Australia, but either way regardless of the consent laws, 16 is just a child, and fdor someone to be a social worker and still have a childs mindset like that where thinks its okay to abuse their priveleges in such a way, perhaps it shows that the social worker training programs/background checks are too lax.


----------



## tremours

how does 1kg equal 1 million, it doesnt make any sense i dont think it would be worth more than 10k in reality


----------



## g0to

^Can you quote what you're referring to. I am too stoned to care enough to scroll up and find it inside the original post.


----------



## tremours

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ed-crystal-meth-drug-haul#dbB2RD534PTm9hzF.99


----------



## tremours

More than just an extended warranty!
Two Taiwanese nationals have been arrested for importing approximately 20.6kg of crystal meth into Australia. This has an estimated street value of $20.6 million.
The drugs concealed in household electrical appliances arrived via Hong Kong and were intercepted by our Australian Border Force partners before referring the matter to the AFP.
Another great example of what can be achieved when we work together. More details located in the media release on our website.

#AusFedPolice


----------



## tremours

Sorry  I'm a little  drunk  but all these quotes  come  from  this  thread


----------



## g0to

Woah im loving this though. That is so fucking crazy like ... why would they even want to have that lol


----------



## poledriver

*'Ice zombie' rapist gets 13 years' jail*

A violent balaclava-clad, ice-affected rapist who carefully planned his "vile" assaults on a woman and a girl will be in jail for at least 13 years.

Father-of-two Davut Bulduk said he was an "ice zombie" when he broke into the Melbourne homes of a 39-year-old mother in 2015 and a 16-year-old schoolgirl in 2016, terrifying and raping both of them.

"I couldn't believe this thing happened to me in my home, my safe place," the older woman told the court.

Victorian County Court judge Paul Lacava on Wednesday said the community must be protected from the 31-year-old's "vile and repugnant" offending and sentenced him to a maximum of 18 years, with a 13-year non-parole period.

Bulduk found out from his first victim's husband that she would be alone in her home and turned up as she got out of the shower, the court heard.

She was confronted by Bulduk standing naked, except for a balaclava, and holding a knife.

He told the mother to stop screaming or he'd kill her.

She'd recently had vaginal surgery and the stitches came undone during the assault, causing pain and bleeding.

Bulduk ordered her to clean herself up before he continued raping her.

Judge Lacava said this act, in light of the woman's injury and pain, was the worst of the offending.

Two months later, Bulduk cased the home of a schoolgirl and planned his exit strategy before climbing up to her bedroom.

She awoke to find him standing in front of her wearing a balaclava and holding her underwear.

He pinched her nose tightly and told her not to make a sound.

The year 11 student pleaded with Bulduk to stop assaulting her, telling him she was only 14 and a virgin in a bid to deter him.

Bulduk told the court he had little memory of his crimes because he was high on ice at the time.

He described himself as an "ice zombie" and said he would not have raped the women had he not been using.

But Judge Lacava said the drug was only partly to blame because there was obvious planning involved in both assaults, as well as the use of a disguise.

Also, Bulduk had been using ice for 18 months prior so he knew the effect it had on him.

Both victims had permanent psychological damage and lived in constant fear, the judge said.

"The image of him coming back into my room is repeated in my head," the girl told the court.

"I feel like this feeling will never leave me, even when I grow up."

Her family sold their home in an attempt to get away from the scene of the crime and her mother blames herself for not being able to protect her child, the judge said.

Judge Lacava said Bulduk was remorseful and his early pleas of guilty earned him a slight discount on his sentence.

He will undergo a sex offenders program while in prison.

Bulduk was supported by his family in court.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ist-gets-13-years-minimum#5cfvkK0Vfq4ecZuu.99


----------



## Burnt Offerings

poledriver said:


> He described himself as an "ice zombie" and said he would not have raped the women had he not been using.



lol, yeah, sure he wouldn't have 8)


----------



## poledriver

Australian Federal Police
45 mins · 
We opened the gates and were disappointed by what we found.
Over 300 kilograms of meth was concealed in the large metal gates from China.
Our officers in Melbourne and colleagues from Australian Border Force have successfully stopped $300 million worth of the drug from hitting the streets.
Three Vietnamese nationals have been charged with this importation.
This investigation highlights the importance of our partnerships.


----------



## poledriver

*Men charged after police allegedly find $300m of ice hidden in metal gates from China*








> Three Vietnamese men have been charged after $300 million of methamphetamine "ice" was allegedly found hidden inside metal gates imported from China into Melbourne.
> 
> Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) revealed the massive haul of 300kg from China today, stating it had been an "elaborate" concealment in which huge profits would have been made by smugglers.
> 
> "Organised crime syndicates are using sophisticated smuggling methodologies in an attempt to evade Australian Border Force scrutiny," ABF Commander James Watson said.
> 
> "Our upgraded container X-ray facility has been able to penetrate through the metal gates to find the concealment.
> 
> "This is a significant detection. Countless lives would have been affected had this significant seizure been allowed to reach the streets."
> 
> AFP Detective Superintendent Neil Burnage said the bust has prevented about three million street deals not only in Melbourne, but across the country.
> 
> More than 100 AFP officers have been working on the case during the past three days, and investigations are ongoing.
> 
> The three men, aged 23, 24 and 25, have been charged.
> 
> One of the men faced court yesterday, while the other two will appear in court this afternoon.
> 
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...in-metal-gates-from-china#eXhF1mTVRR2AroIU.99


----------



## poledriver

*The villages dubbed the Chinese ‘Breaking Bad’ are where Australia’s ice zombies are made*






IT has been called the “perfect storm” that is helping fuel Australia’s destructive love affair with meth and create killers known as “ice zombies”.

On one side you have a large industrial province a world away with easy access to drug-making chemicals, and on the other you have Australia — a country that simply can’t get enough of methamphetamine.
The Guangdong province, in mainland China, has been known as being home to China’s “Breaking Bad” for several years and plays a major role in Australia’s growing meth, or ice crisis.

One hotspot, Lufeng, an industrial city of 1.7 million people in Guangdong, is so notorious for drug manufacturing it has become known as the “city of ice” by many social media users.
Lufeng may have been dubbed a city of ice, but increasingly ice users — their minds ravaged after years of abusing the drug — who commit horrendous crimes are known as “ice zombies”.

This week a balaclava-wearing rapist, Davut Bulduk, was called an “ice zombie” by his defence lawyer because he apparently couldn’t remember a sex attack on a teenage girl.
Ice addict Harley Hicks was also branded an ice zombie after he bashed a 10-month-old boy, Zayden Veal, to death with a copper baton.

‘A PERFECT STORM’

This week three men were arrested in Sydney and two in China when police smashed an alleged plot to import more than $100 million worth of ice from China.

The five have been charged over the alleged seizure of 101 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in Guangdong province. The drugs were intercepted at Yantian Port in Shenzhen after police were tipped off the drugs were secreted in the floor of a shipping container heading for Sydney.

The bust was a big one. But it wasn’t the first and certainly won’t be the last.

John Coyne, head of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s border protection program, told news.com.au there was a number of factors that created the “perfect storm” between Guangdong and Australia.
“Number one is the draw factor. We pay more per user at the retail level than anywhere in the world. Because of the high domestic prices at retail level there is massive amounts of money to be made, which is why we are seeing these big deals coming through.”

Secondly, the volume of products being exported from Guangdong made it easier to hide illicit drugs.

“...If you want to smuggle a product into a country, whatever the illicit commodity is, you have to have a large trade stream to hide it. If you only have 100 packages coming in then you only have 100 packages to hide your stuff. Now, if you have 100,000 packages —and the same amount of drugs — the chances of getting caught are much less.”

Mr Coyne said there was a large amount of money going back and forth between the two countries legitimately, which made it easier to conceal money laundering.
Adding to the problem was the availability of chemicals made to use drugs like ice.

“China has one of the largest chemical industries in the world. You’re talking about thousands of chemical factories in mainland China, providing a whole heap of opportunities [for illicit-drug production].
Guangdong province was a growing, diverse economy in its own right, “for a number of products it is the engine room of the world”, meaning there was money to be made for legitimate and illegitimate reasons, Mr Coyne said. It also boasted major international transport links.

Having a clan lab and access to precursors was just the start. “If I’m in a small village producing this stuff I also have to find a way of moving it.”

A 2014 UK Daily Telegraph investigation went inside a Guangdong village of Boshe where a staggering third of China’s meth originated from.
Guangdong province then appears to have it all. And with Australians’ strong demand for ice, the perfect storm was created.

“Although it’s no so perfect for our emergency rooms on a Friday or Saturday or our police or young people.”

CAN IT EVER BE STOPPED?

Mr Coyne said the good news was the Chinese authorities had made advances in trying to shut down this activity — and co-operation between them and Australian law enforcement had recently reached unprecedented levels.
“China is also aware of the social problem their domestic drug use is having. They’re not just exporting the problem to us, they have their own domestic problem.”

One of the challenges facing Chinese police was the considerable level of corruption that had spread throughout the province. It was also relatively easy for manufacturers to move their operations if they thought authorities were coming for them.
Mr Coyne said ultimately Australia needed to tackle the fact a large number of people were demanding the drugs in the first place.

After this weeks’ arrests, NSW Organised Crime Squad commander Detective Superintendent Scott Cook told media crime groups from all over the world had advanced into Australia’s drug market.






“We live now in a transnational global environment so it is a real challenge for us as law enforcement,” he said.
They were being driven by money.

“Drugs provide a significant source of revenue for these groups but it’s not just limited to drugs.
“It’s all about the money, we shouldn’t forget that,” Supt Cook said.

Earlier this year, the Australian Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg told The Daily Telegraph his staff were bracing for a “tsunami” of ice, coming from China, distributed by criminals flying into Australia on tourist and student visas.
Mr Quaedvlieg an increasing number of large-scale ice shipments were also being detected.

“The Asian continent as a whole is an epicentre of illicit drug production, with China specifically at the forefront of a tsunami of methamphetamine production heading our way,” Mr Quaedvlieg told the paper.

“Chinese authorities have begun a crackdown but the environment remains conducive to large-scale manufacturing of illicit substances alongside the legitimate chemicals,” he said.
He said drug syndicates were sending commercial vessels out of China and Hong Kong, “hitting our coastline with motherships” which were then meeting up with smaller “daughter ships”.

There had also been a worrying spike over the past year of commercial vessels being used to smuggle drugs, which showed drug syndicates were happy to mix it up to try and beat border security.
And as long as they do, we can get used to ice zombies continuing to wreck havoc throughout Australia.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...e/news-story/7fb89fd710f6803258f3a7d76d540789


----------



## poledriver

*Former ice user jailed for at least four years over hit run that permanently injured Ballarat cyclist*






A Ballarat woman who was on her way to pick up drugs when she ran over a popular cyclist has been jailed for at least four years.

Rebekah Stewart, 24, pleaded guilty to mowing down Christian Ashby, 37, in the early hours of Good Friday last year while on her way to buy drugs on Wendouree Parade in Ballarat.

Her car veered onto the wrong side of the road and ploughed head-on into Mr Ashby as he cycled around Lake Wendouree. She admitted to taking ice that morning, and was also driving an unregistered vehicle at the time.

Stewart was caught on CCTV speeding off from the scene, before entering an industrial estate with her headlights turned off shortly after the crash.

She hid the car at an associate’s address in Delacombe and covered it with tarpaulin, telling friends she had hit a kangaroo.

The father of two suffered multiple compound leg fractures, punctured lungs, nine broken ribs, a ruptured kidney, and broken vertebrae among various other injuries in the March 2016 incident.

He earlier told the court in a victim impact statement his life had been forever changed by the “soul-destroying” collision.

“The only positive thing to come out of it is I’m still here,” he said.

Mr Ashby, who used to run 20km per day, required months of rehabilitation after the crash.

He was in court with wife Karen this morning to hear Stewart be sentenced to six years’ jail, with a non-parole period of four years, in the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...t-with-permanent-injuries#cB3xTTMgKCgjKZFS.99


----------



## poledriver

*Australia makes 'largest ever' ice drug seizure in nation's history worth $900m*

Australian authorities have made the largest ever seizure of the drug ice in the nation's history.

The record 903kg haul, valued at almost $900 million, follows a joint operation involving the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police.











Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Victoria's police minister Lisa Neville will hold a press conference on the operation in Melbourne today.

A live stream of the press conference will be available here from 9.15am.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...rd-breaking-ice-haul-worth-900m/?ocid=9newsfb













> Australian authorities have revealed the largest ever haul of the drug ice in the nation's history was found hidden inside planks of wood that had been shipped to Melbourne.
> 
> Two men, a 53-year-old  Blackburn man and a 36-year-old Doncaster man, have been charged with drug trafficking after the discovery of the record 903kg haul originating from Asia, valued at almost $900 million.
> 
> Australian Federal Police images show the huge quantity of the drug concealed inside wooden floorboards that were found at a Nunawading property in Melbourne’s east.
> 
> The floorboards had to be forensically deconstructed to extract the methamphetamine. Two kilograms was found between each floorboard.
> 
> “It came on a container on a boat to a port in Melbourne. You can appreciate the concealment was quite complex and unique, something we hadn’t seen before,” AFP assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan said at a press conference today.
> 
> Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the seizure was a testament to the hard work of authorities for working to eliminate the "scourge" that destroys lives.
> 
> "This was nearly a tonne of ice, so this is a great credit to our border protection and our police in confiscating this enormous shipment," he said.
> 
> "It [ice] destroys families and communities. We will be ruthless in our efforts to stop the smuggling and the trafficking of drugs."
> 
> Australian Federal Police officers alerted local police to a drug lab in Box Hill in January, which led to 12 raids on homes in Blackburn North, Blackburn South, Box Hill North and Doncaster.
> 
> Approximately 40kg of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and more than $140,000 in cash was seized in the investigation into the drug syndicate.
> 
> Police are still searching for two Asian men with links to the syndicate who are believed to frequent the Box Hill area.
> 
> Assistant Commissioner Fontana said the record ice haul highlighted Australia's drug problem.
> 
> "If you look at this particular seizure, 900kg of methamphetamine and if we look at the joint agency outcomes in Victoria alone for this year, this takes it up to 1.7 tonne of methamphetamine alone," he said
> 
> "That's not including seizures of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, MDMA and other drugs we have been seizing in large quantities as a result of our joint operations.
> 
> "That's 17 million hits of misery. We know the harm it causes. This comes back to that demand."
> 
> It comes less than a week after AFP and Australian Border Force officers arrested three Vietnamese nationals in Melbourne and seized 300kg of ice hidden in metal gates.
> 
> Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...aking-ice-haul-worth-900m#ii2YRUvcltldhR43.99

























> AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST HAUL OF CRYSTAL METHAMPHETAMINE
> HOW WAS IT DISCOVERED?
> * January. AFP tips off Victoria Police about a drug syndicate in Melbourne’s east.
> * Weeks later. 12 warrants executed in and around Doncaster, Blackburn and Box Hill uncover 40kg of ice, 175,000 cigarettes, $140,000 in cash and other contraband.
> * February 2 and 3. Two men, believed to be Australian-born, are arrested.
> * February 6. AFP raids a property in Nunawading and find 70 boxes of floorboards. Two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine was found inside each floorboard.
> WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED?
> * A Blackburn man, 53, and a Doncaster man, 36, have been charged with drug trafficking and have already face. They face life in jail if convicted.
> * Victoria Police have released images of two other Asian males thought to be involved in the syndicate.
> HOW DID THE DRUGS GET HERE?
> * Police won’t reveal exactly which Asian country the drugs came from, but do say the floorboards came through the Port of Melbourne.
> HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO PREVIOUS HAULS?
> * It the biggest haul of ice ever seized in Australia, according to the AFP.
> * Previous large seizures include:
> November 2014: 849kg seized in NSW, along with almost two tonnes of MDMA.
> February 2015: 720 litres of liquid meth found in gel push-up bras, paint bottles and art sets in Sydney.
> March 2017: 300kg found inside metal gates in Melbourne.


----------



## poledriver

*Man bailed after alleged ‘ice-fuelled pursuit’ across Melbourne*

A man accused of leading police on an ice-fuelled pursuit which ended in a head-on crash in Frankston has been granted bail.

Dashcam vision obtained by 9NEWS allegedly showed Mohammad Tamgidi driving his station wagon on the wrong side of Cranbourne Road on February 10.

Mr Tamgidi allegedly crashed into a car moments later, injuring Emily Cook, 21, and her 19-year-old sister.

“It was incredibly scary, it was one of the scariest times I’ve ever experienced,” Ms Cook told 9NEWS.

Today the court heard Mr Tamgidi had earlier that day fled another crash scene at the corner of High Street and Manningham Road.

In Ringwood North, he allegedly hit a driver's car from behind and minutes later he side-swiped two cars on Ringwood-Warrandyte Road.

By 2pm, Mr Tamgidi was on the Frankston Freeway and allegedly side-swiped another car, before a highway patrol car tried to intercept him on Eastlink.

He was allegedly detected doing 195km/h, and just minutes later was involved in the Cranbourne Road head-on.

The magistrate granted the Iranian refugee bail despite police opposing it and arguing he was an “unacceptable risk”.

“The next time it happens, he could kill someone,” Senior Constable Ben Vandenberg told the court.

The court also heard Mr Tamgidi admitted to taking ice and that he was rambling about being chased by people who wanted to kill him.

Mr Tamgidi was granted bail until May 5 with a curfew and ordered not to drive a car.

“I think it’s an injustice,” Ms Cook said of the magistrate’s decision

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...-pursuit-across-melbourne#TjLUiexTYE116jTm.99


----------



## poly

methyldreams said:


> your worse then the bloody news and newspapers!!! meth is productive and fun!!!!



Must agree with you… After all, methylamphetamine hydrochloride was safely marketed (and prescribed by doctors) for several decades here in Australia, being a legitimate pharmaceutical medication in the form of 5 mg tablets (‘Methedrine' and ‘Desoxyn' were the best known brands in Au, but there were other formulations too). 

It is a fact that methylamphetamine hydrochloride, as the safe FDA approved medicine called ‘Desoxyn’ tablets, is ironically still available today on a doctor’s prescription in the USA—that land that invented the un-winnable and ridiculous ‘War on Drugs’ against its own citizens, and followed that up recently with an equally un-winnable ‘War on Terror'!

The sad fact of ‘Ice’ is simply this: chemically pure methylamphetamine hydrochloride is a clear, crystalline solid, or powdered crushed crystals. Pharmaceutical methylamphetamine is carefully diluted so that two-hundred tablets of 5 mg are manufactured from one single gram of ‘Ice'. Meth exists as largish crystals (Ice). In this natural crystalline form it's WAY, WAY, WAY too pure, potent and dangerous to sell to recreational drug users who have not undergone appropriate education in safe use and harm reduction strategies. Patients on prescribed oral ‘Methedrine/ Desoxyn’ tabs never display these ‘Ice' problems at all… ‘Ice terrors & dangers’ reported by emergency departments, police and the media can only exist where high purity crystal is inappropriately sold to users who have no understanding of how to safely use it! 

Before selling the substance, responsible, ethical dealers should be crushing their high purity illegal crystals to a powder, then diluting that powder to around 15% purity with harmless sugars. IMHO, the only other reasonable solution long-term is to put illegal manufacturers and dealers out of business rapidly and permanently by providing users with safe, legal, recreational amphetamine products on prescription, but ONLY after a ‘patient' successfully completes education, training and competency assessment in safe usage and harm reduction...


----------



## Burnt Offerings

I will say this about Desoxyn: while it is technically a legal Rx drug that's still on the market, I have never, EVER met a single person in my life who was prescribed it, or knew of anyone who's prescribed it.

Contrast that to the countless people I've known on Dexedrine, Adderall, Vyvanse etc.


----------



## poledriver

*Drug addict dad 'will wrestle with daughter's death forever' after Greenacres accident, court hears*






A crash which killed a 14-month-old child was the tragic consequence of a father struggling to isolate his children from the effects of his drug addiction, the District Court has heard.

Tuan Quoc Nguyen had his toddler daughter and four-year-old son in the car when he veered into oncoming traffic and into a Stobie pole on Fosters Road at Greenacres, north-east of Adelaide, on Boxing Day 2013.

His son suffered serious injuries and his daughter was taken off life support 12 days later.

The now 47-year-old was found to have 0.24 milligram of methylamphetamine in his system when he was tested just over an hour after the crash.

Nguyen pleaded not guilty to aggravated charges of causing death and harm by dangerous driving, arguing the level of methylamphetamine in his system did not cause him to drive in a dangerous manner.

Judge Joanne Tracey found Nguyen guilty of both charges.

During sentencing submissions, defence lawyer Ben Sale told the court his client had become addicted to drugs after a workplace injury and at the time of the crash he was not anything other than "a man addicted to methylamphetamine".

"Few of us are so unfortunate to suffer the consequences of our weaknesses as badly as Mr Nguyen," he said.

"[He] was trying to keep a foot in both worlds, the world of an addict and the other, the world of a father."
"Those two worlds became tragically incompatible on the day of this offence."

Crash fails to stop father's offending

Mr Sale said Nguyen felt responsible for the death of his daughter and injury to his son and that he would be "wrestling with that for the rest of his life".

"He understands the basis of that and that the fault lies with him and his failure to deal with his addiction or at least to insulate his children from the effects of his addiction," he said.

But the court heard the crash had failed to curb Nguyen's drug habit and that in June 2015 he was convicted of seven counts of drug trafficking and possession.

He received a suspended three-year jail sentence but is now in custody after breaching the conditions of his bond.

Prosecutor Stephen Plummer told the court that driving and drugs continued to be an issue for Nguyen.

"It would seem that no matter what sentence has been imposed in the past he has not been deterred from continuing to use drugs and offend using drugs and continuing to drive," he said.
Nguyen's own lawyer admitted a suspended sentence would not be appropriate for his client.

The maximum penalty for aggravated causing death by dangerous driving is life in prison with a minimum of 10 years' license disqualification.

He will be sentenced next month.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-...with-daughters-death-rest-of-his-life/8418408


----------



## poledriver

*Three charged over $300m methamphetamine shipment from China hidden in bubble wrap*








> Three Vietnamese nationals believed to be part of a major drugs syndicate have been arrested after Australian Federal Police and Border Force officials seized a 300-kilogram shipment of methamphetamines.
> 
> The men were arrested on Thursday after trying to gain access to the drugs, which were hidden in metal frames sent from China.
> 
> When border officials raised suspicion about the shipment they referred the container to the AFP, who after deconstructing the shipment found the drugs wrapped in bubble wrap.
> 
> Authorities then conducted what's known as a "controlled delivery", where police delivered the container without the drugs to an address in Derrimut and waited for someone to retrieve them.
> 
> Authorities then executed warrants across Melbourne's west as well as the CBD.
> 
> The three men aged between 23 and 25 have been charged with importing offences and are all being held in custody. All three have appeared in court.
> 
> It is believed the men have been living in Australia.
> 
> Federal Police Detective Neil Burnage said that the syndicate had been under "examination" and had taken up significant resources.
> 
> "Any syndicate that can arrange an importation such as this has significant reach," he said.
> "And the loss of 300kg worth of narcotics is certainly not what they were hoping for."
> 
> Border Force regional commander James Watson said drug syndicates were increasingly using sophisticated methods to smuggle drugs into the country.
> 
> "Criminal syndicates are spending significant time effort and energy trying to smuggle these substances in and stand to make huge profits," he said.
> 
> "[But] our officers have the expertise and technology to detect even the most elaborate concealment and we are reaching record detections."



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-31/three-charged-over-300m-methamphetamine-bust/8405126


----------



## poledriver

*My ice addiction: from both sides*

Something had to pay for the ice. I stole everything my family had. That's what it came to, and that's how I had to live, says Junior*.

Ice was my drug of choice because it made me active. You feel nothing. It makes you able to approach people; you don't feel like you're embarrassed. You don't feel anything, other than you can walk up to anyone or anything and do anything you want.

Ice is a party drug mostly. People use it like ecstasy - that was my other choice.

Something had to pay for it. The pension couldn't, Newstart couldn't, my family couldn't, because I stole off them, I stole everything they had. That's what it came to, and that's how I had to live, and that's how it is. That's what everybody does - that uses ice or meth that gets hooked and stuck on it - they will go to any limit to get what they can to make a coin.

I wasn't sleeping for maybe 20 days to a month. Anxiety attacks, panic attacks - they come from the heart rate because your heart rate is pumping so flat out.

People are never going to stop people from doing anything. It depends on their atmosphere, how they're treated, and what they're going through in life. Because there's people out there with worse lives than us, that don't know how to be helped, that don't know how to ask the question to be helped.

I found out the reasons why I had to change the way I was, and why. I needed the love of my mum. My parents parted at a younger age and I've got an anger boiling in me, still until this day, that I hide. I long for the love of my mum, just to spend some time with my mum, so it's hiding the pain of that. One day it may come true, she may come back to tell me that she loves me and give me a cuddle. That's all I want, is to one day get a cuddle off my mum.

I've just changed my appearance, and starting to pick up my self esteem. Everything's going great since I've had the turnaround and the support and knowing it's there. I'm waiting to hear back this week to find out whether I'll receive a roof over my head, for the first time in 20 years.

I ring my Salvation Army caseworker Simon, and I've also got a probation officer and she's there 110 per cent. I can ring her on a private number and she's there any time I need too, a great sponsor. So I've got two people there, other than my girlfriend; I have had her there for 12 years, through thick and thin, she's been with me.

I've been clean now nearly three years and it's been great. I just keep away from the drug. I don't go near it.

It's better on the other side.

*Junior told his story about his addiction to crystal methamphetamine to ABC Open. Junior is not his real name.

If you need advice about coping with your situation there are lots of places to get help. Find someone to help you.
24 hour support is available from Lifeline - 13 11 14
More information about methamphetamines at Reachout and ABC Health and Wellbeing.


----------



## Burnt Offerings

I've never really been able to comprehend "ice addiction", despite growing up in the rural western USA...to me, a true addict (who is in "active addiction") is someone who uses, or at least tries to use, every day. Living a life of everyday methamphetamine use is living a life of insanity. I couldn't even make it work with weekly usage, let alone daily. "Kudos" to the true tweakers out there who can make it work though (I guess)


----------



## poledriver

ICE TOWNS -



> The rise of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ice, is devastating regional Victoria.
> Ice is highly addictive, it's relatively cheap and a lot of it is produced right here in Australia.
> It is a drug that is most often associated with bigger cities but as The Feed found out, ice is infiltrating small towns such as Horsham and Shepparton, destroying families and communities…



Watch the short documentary “Ice Towns” -

http://www.sbs.com.au/icetowns/


----------



## poledriver

*Mainlined in Meth Town: How a young girl became a raging ice addict in a quiet rural community*

EXCLUSIVE

FOURTEEN years ago when she was plunged into the ice addiction that nearly killed her, Tita-Ann Albertella was mainlined by her boyfriend against her will.
Aged just 18, but already the mother of two young children, she was living in the northern Queensland town of Ayr.

Better known in the early 2000s as the twin town of Home Hill in sugar cane country around the delta of the Burdekin River, Ayr and nearby Townsville have since become rural methamphetamine hubs.
And for a while Tita-Ann became one of Ayr’s meth dealers, drawn into a violent world by a massive addiction.

Her weight dropped to a skeletal 42kg and she was so desperate that she tried to hang herself more than once.
“I’m afraid to go back there, the scene is so heavy,” Ms Albertella told news.com.au in an exclusive interview.






“I’m afraid some of the really bad people might kill me, or hurt people I love.”
Back in 2003, Tita-Ann was struggling in a violent relationship with an amphetamine addict and trying to resist drugs.

It was a struggle that she would ultimately lose.

“He tried to inject in my arm and I always pulled away, but then one day he did it, held my arm down and injected me.
“I thought I was dead. My eyes went black and my heart was racing and everything spinning and I crawled into the shower.

“But after that I just had to keep on taking it, thought I could never inject myself.
“He always did it. He would stay awake for days.

“That was speed. Ice hit Ayr in about 2010 and it was a thousand times worse.
“I tried to get off it, but he was a big time drug dealer and I was scared.”

Tita-Ann would eventually end that relationship and start another with a young man who hid his past from her.
What she didn’t know was that the man had a history of violence, sexual assault and drugs.

The man, who cannot be identified, frequently assaulted her and, she says, his family would turn a blind eye to her obvious cuts and bruises.
But she was given an unlikely reprieve.
Her boyfriend was jailed for assault and given a significant sentence.

In the years he spent in prison, she managed to stop taking ice and find a new relationship with a man who she married.
But then her old boyfriend was released on parole, and in small-town Ayr he began taunting Tita-Ann’s husband that she was cheating on him.






Her marriage ended and she went back to her old boyfriend and started taking ice again, with him injecting her.

Tita-Ann’s renewed addiction spiralled out of control. Her weight plummeted, she sold ice to fund her habit and she associated with criminals.
She lost most of her possessions, including two cars to drug dealers and her boyfriend tried to make her stay awake for five day ice benders.
He became so paranoid he told others that Tita-Ann “had cameras in her eyes” and was recording his drug taking for the police.

She says that during her time on ice she has seen the result of drug-fuelled violence when addicts beat others in the pursuit of money for drugs and the “stealing, lying and threats” of life on the drug.
Eventually, Tita-Ann was saved by an aunt who came up to Ayr to drag her away from the drug culture and back to Brisbane to start rehabilitation.

That was eight months ago, and she has now been mostly free from drugs during that period and has started studying with the aim of becoming a youth worker.
And the 32-year-old has come forward to tell her story to help other victims of ice.

Now she has also given up alcohol and is training for a 1200km walk from Brisbane to Ayr to raise awareness about the methamphetamine problem in northern Queensland towns.
Tita-Ann has put on weight and is already walking 50km a day ahead of the fundraising event she plans for June.

She has launched a dedicated Facebook page to fund the walk and a special bus to accompany her on the two week campaign during which she plans to sleep in a tent and meet with people along the way.
The mayor of the Burdekin Shire Council has given Tita-Ann support in her ultimate aim — to have a rehabilitation facility open in Ayr for drug addicts.

She says former drug associates living in the town regard her as “a traitor”.
“And I am but it’s to the drug. People need help to get off ice and help get their lives together”.

Even so, returning to Ayr where she was once both an ice user and ice dealer is a daunting prospect.
She is frightened of former drug associates and is not confident that police in Ayr have sufficient officers to keep the drug trade at bay.

Tita-Ann said her former drug “friends” are saying it’s not true that she has kicked her habit, but that the proof was in her healthy appearance compared with her former gaunt “junkie” look.
Queensland Police have launched a number of ant-drug operations in Ayr and Townsville over the last few years.

Anyone wishing to sponsor or support Tita-Ann’s walk against drugs can contact her via her Facebook page.

DIARY OF AN ‘ICE’ TOWN

June 2015

After six weeks of continual drug raids, Ayr detectives shut down a methamphetamine lab and charged 25 people with drug offences.
Eighteen males and seven females between the ages of 15 and 47 were charged with 157 offences as part of Operation North Opulence.
Police executed 11 search warrants in Ayr, Home Hill and Townsville, and discovered what was described as a meth lab in Canberra St, Ayr.
Ayr detectives seized over 200 grams of cannabis, 14 cannabis plants, amphetamine oil and ice as well as $2000 in cash, a flick knife and a homemade knuckle duster.

November 2015

A haul of firearms, narcotics and cash seized during a three-day operation in north Queensland was revealed by Townsville police.
Operation Thaddaeus, which resulted in 12 people being charged with 26 drug-related offences, was run by the Queensland Police Service and Australian Border Force (ABF).
As part of the operation, police and sniffer dogs discovered 72 ecstasy tablets at the Townsville ferry terminal ahead of a Full Moon Halloween party.

May 2016

Detectives from the Ayr Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) charged 11 people with drug and weapons offences under Operation North Impasse.
Police officers executed nine search warrants in Ayr and Home Hill and charged the eleven with 43 offences.

the charges included possession of a dangerous drug, possession of a utensil and possession of property suspected of being used in connection with a drug.
Police said a variety of drugs located during the searches included cannabis, methylamphetamine, ice and Viagra.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...y/news-story/1b31bf58157b66884744c56ad9cfaa93


----------



## poledriver

*Andrew Graham Kelly jailed for supplying ice in Tamworth after New England Highway, Kootingal arrest*

$90,000 of ice uncovered by police in secret hiding spot in car

A TAMWORTH horsebroker who stashed a load of the drug ice he was dealing in a hidden compartment in a car to avoid detection, has been jailed for three years.

Andrew Graham Kelly won’t be eligible for parole until at least the end of next year after he was found with enough ice to fetch $90,000 on the streets of Tamworth.

The now-29-year-old wasn’t driving the car, but the sock the 115.3g of methylamphetamine was stashed in matched another lone black sock found during a raid on a Kootingal home.

Close to a dozen of Kelly’s family and supporters watched on in Tamworth District Court as Judge Jeffery McLennan detailed Kelly’s drug dealing efforts.

“This is not the efforts of an amateur," Judge McLennan said in sentencing, pointing to the 71 per cent purity of the methylamphetamine.

“That is a very high level of purity for that drug.”

The court was told Kelly had a clear history besides a minor driving offence but turned to the drug after a relationship breakdown and then went on to deal to fund his habit.

“He asserts that he was depressed … and commenced taking drugs,” his barrister said.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) solicitor Mark Ferguson said there was “a degree of planning” because Kelly “had access to a significant quantity of methylamphetamine”.

“It is clear he was engaged in a commercial enterprise,” he said.

​”The facts indicate he was travelling to and from Sydney to source the drug and bring it back to spread into the Tamworth community.”

The court was told Kelly had a set of scales, a number of bags and the drug’s “very high level” of purity meant it could have been cut down “into many, many street size deals”.

This is not the efforts of an amateur ... that is a very high level of purity for that drug.
- Judge Jeffery McLennan

“[It could] have been re-sold in streets deals for between $57,000 and $92,000,” Mr Ferguson said.

Judge McLennan said the high purity meant it could have been cut down to make 3,000 street deals.

“That's a lot of people ... that's a lot of people on ice,” he told the court.

“That's a lot of very damaged people in the community of Tamworth.

[It could] have been re-sold in streets deals for between $57,000 and $92,000.
- DPP solicitor Mark Ferguson

“He is a person with no previous convictions who in a moment of emotional weakness succumbed to temptation.”

Strike Force Buckhorn was set-up in May, last year, to investigate the supply of drugs and zeroed in on Kelly.

Tamworth Target Action Group (TAG) police used several surveillance measures to watch Kelly as he left Tamworth and went to St Marys in Sydney to collect the drugs.

In one car stop, he was caught by police carrying .22 calibre ammunition.

When police swooped again, Vanessa Kelly, the sister of the accused, was driving the silver Audi with her brother and were leaving a property on the New England Highway at Kootingal.

CONT -

http://www.northerndailyleader.com....ailed-after-90000-secret-ice-stash-uncovered/


----------



## poledriver

*Python 'high on ice' sent to Sydney wildlife rehab*



> A python seized during a New South Wales drug raid was suffering the effects of ice, according to authorities.
> 
> NSW Corrective Services officers had to deal with the snake after it was seized during a raid.
> 
> It had absorbed methamphetamine through its skin while living in a drug lab and was showing visible signs of addiction.
> 
> The python was acting in a confused and erratic manner and behaving aggressively, a spokeswoman said today.
> 
> It has been taken to a Corrective Services-managed wildlife centre in Windsor in Sydney's north west for a six-week rehabilitation program.
> 
> http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ent-to-nsw-wildlife-rehab#XSmMufme3pBDG1cc.99


----------



## pleasehelpjeff

I don't know where to ask so please forgive me if this is the wrong place but I want to know what causes meth mouth is it the way you take it or how long you use?


----------



## poledriver

Hi Jeff, check out -

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/818800-Anything-I-should-know-before-trying-methamphetamine

and -

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/807694-Methamphetamine-Discussion-Thread-4-0

Ask the same question in those threads and I am sure you will get some decent answers.


----------



## poledriver

*Man’s car impounded for 28 days after police catch him towing huge water tank at Penfield Gardens*






A MAN returned a positive drug test for methamphetamine after police caught him towing a large rainwater tank on a trailer that was secured to his car with just a single strap.
Police spotted the driver just before 5.30pm this afternoon at Penfield Gardens towing the rainwater tank along Robert Road.
Worried the tiny trailer was dangerously overloaded and not properly restrained, police pulled over the 28-year-old Elizabeth Park man and found he had a disqualified licence and his car was unregistered.

Police will allege the trailer had no numberplate, no indicators, brake lights or tail lights visible.
A short strap was used to keep the hitch and towbar tied together, and one of the tyres on the trailer was blown and on its rim.






The man was reported for various traffic offences including drive disqualified and unregistered, and his car has been impounded for 28 days.
The man’s positive drug result will be sent to Forensic Science SA for further testing.
He will appear in court at a later date.

http://www.news.com.au/national/sou...SF&utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=Facebook


----------



## poledriver

*High school teachers charged with ice-related drug offences in Western Australia*

Three high school staff members, including two teachers, have been charged with drug offences related to ice.

In an operation run over the past few weeks, detectives searched two homes in the town of Derby, in WA's far north Kimberley region, allegedly seizing drug paraphernalia and a small quantity of methamphetamine.

A woman and a man have each been charged with two counts of using a prohibited drug.

A third person, a woman aged in her 20s, has been charged with possessing drug paraphernalia and three counts of attempt to possess a prohibited drug.

The Education Department has confirmed all three are employees at Derby District High School.

The ABC understands at least two of those arrested are teachers who had been working at the school for several years.

Education Department probe launched

The Education Department declined to say whether the three staff members had been suspended or are still working at the school.

"The department is aware of three staff members who have been charged by police. The department's Standards and Integrity team is also looking into it," a statement from the department said.

The trio have been released on bail and are due to appear before the Derby Magistrates Court in coming weeks.

Police in the area have been kept busy over the last year trying to contain the spread of methamphetamine into the Kimberley town, which is 40 kilometres north of the main highway connecting Broome and the Northern Territory.

Earlier this year, Detective Sergeant Neil Vanderplank from Derby police station told the ABC his team had charged more than 100 people with 600 meth-related offences.

"Obviously we take a very proactive role in our drug investigations, and take a dim view on cannabis and meth use," he said.

"I know the entire agency in the Kimberley does their bit as best they can to stamp it out.

"In particular the young kids, with a couple of them I've seen and heard from their parents anecdotally that using drugs regularly has incited them into anger to rob their own parents at knife point to steal money to buy drugs."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-...rby-charged-with-ice-related-offences/8439914


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Ice epidemic among white-collar workers*

THE corporate world has been sucked into the country’s deadly ice epidemic with white-collar-workers now making up a quarter of all addicts who have lost complete control to the powerful street drug.

Experts now believe 25 per cent of Australian ice users are from professional industries — including those working in the health and medical industries.

It has left rehabilitation services flooded with calls for help with many forced to put desperate users on long waiting lists and leaving them to try and “white knuckle” their recovery until they can find a place for them.






Private rehabilitation specialists The Cabin Addiction Services Group have told The Saturday Telegraph they have been overwhelmed by the number of corporate high- flyers reaching out for help.

Cameron Brown, clinical director of their Sydney outpatient service, said they almost specifically catered to high functioning crystal methamphetamine addicts.

They have hefty waiting lists for their outpatient services in Sydney and Melbourne as well as their 28-day residential program in Thailand.

“The classic definition of an ice user isn’t what you see on the news,” Mr Brown said.

“We are seeing a lot of white collar workers and professionals where are suffer from ice addictions as well.

“There’s people in the corporate industry, in the health industry all sorts of industries

“Most of those people in the higher end jobs we find that the yardstick is no longer working, because they just haven’t been able to.

“Obviously these people are losing their jobs.”

A plethora of rehabilitation programs are reporting a huge spike in numbers for people struggling with addiction to ice in response to the nationwide epidemic.


Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...s/news-story/634e33141a300a09a1400f37e3e72657


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## poledriver

*Victorian woman who killed ice addict with axe jailed for defensive homicide*

Bonnie Sawyer-Thompson barely knew the man she hacked to death with an axe.

The then-19-year-old was in an ice-addled state when her abusive boyfriend, Phil Mifsud, ordered her to kill the victim.

He threatened to murder her family if she didn't carry out the monstrous crime.

She stabbed Jack Nankervis 70 times in her Morwell flat in June 2014.

Sawyer-Thompson was initially charged with murder, but the Director of Public Prosecutions later agreed she could plead guilty to the lesser charge of defensive homicide.

The charge was abolished shortly after the killing, making Sawyer-Thompson the last person in Victoria to be prosecuted under this law.






It was intended for women subjected to ongoing domestic violence who retaliate against their abusive partners.

This case was noted as unique and the most grave example of defensive homicide, as the threat did not emanate from the victim, but rather a person who was absent during the killing.

Mr Mifsud had left the home while Sawyer-Thompson’s attack on Mr Nankervis took place to ensure he had an alibi, but later reported the discovery of the victim's body.

He has never been charged.

The court heard he subjected Sawyer-Thompson to humiliation and violent abuse, including putting a gun to her head and forcing her to swallow bullets.

He had also previously injected her with drugs and put firecrackers down her top.

In sentencing at the Latrobe Valley Law Courts today, Justice Michael Croucher said Mr Mifsud’s influence on Sawyer-Thompson did not entirely mitigate her actions.

"Plainly she meant to kill him and she did,” Justice Croucher said.

“It was merciless, grisly and disturbing.

"Mr Nankervis was in a drug stupor and completely defenceless at the time."

Mr Nankervis' family wore green ribbons, his favourite colour, to court and wept as they heard the gruesome detail of his death.

His mother, Anna Nankervis, outside courts said it was a "disgrace" the defensive homicide charge was able to proceed.

Mrs Nankervis said and the past three years had been "horrific … you couldn't imagine.”

“You can't say your son died or passed away, you have to say he was murdered,” she said.

"He was one in a million, (I’ll) never get another Jack."

They stared at Sawyer-Thompson in the dock as she was sentenced to ten years’ jail.

With time already served, she could be eligible for parole in just four years.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ed-for-defensive-homicide#XgqFEcvYtYiSMBcQ.99


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## poledriver

*Ice addict handed lesser sentence for pleading guilty to murder of elderly war veteran*








> Jonathon Cooper stabbed an elderly war veteran to death, then stole his money and war medals.
> 
> Today, he was handed a significant discount on his sentence for pleading guilty to murder and for offering to testify against his co-accused Adam Williamson.
> 
> Ken Handford's distraught family was visibly gutted as Supreme Court Justice Jane Dixon sentenced Cooper to 16 years jail, with a minimum term of 13 years.
> 
> Armed with a knife, Cooper and Williamson broke into the 90-year old's-cottage in Springbank, Victoria, in September 2015.
> 
> Williamson believed Mr Handford kept up to $30,000 in cash on the premises, because he didn't trust banks.
> 
> The ice addicted criminals planned to rob the elderly man while he slept, but Cooper hit him with a torch while rummaging through his bedroom.
> 
> The court heard they then gagged and tied him up and under the misguided belief Mr Handford was a pedophile, Cooper stabbed him 13 times in the back.
> 
> In sentencing, Justice Jane Dixon reiterated, "He wasn't a pedophile, he was a decent, law abiding man."
> 
> The victim was left tied up on the floor, he died almost 5 hours after the attack.
> 
> The heartless thugs made off with almost $4000 in cash and jewellery.
> 
> Mr Handford's body was discovered on the day of his 90th birthday, the Judge noting "it should have been a day of celebration, instead it was a day marked by sadness."
> 
> If not for Cooper's guilty plea and offer to turn police informer, he would have been sentenced to 27 years behind bars.
> 
> - http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...er-of-elderly-war-veteran#3eiOtHqFdCCXbEBl.99


----------



## poledriver

Australian Federal Police

25 mins · 

We’re proud to say this is $119 million worth of pain and anguish that won’t hit our community.

Working with Australian Border Force, SA Police News and Victoria Police, we’ve arrested three men and seized 119kgs of Ice they allegedly had shipped into Australia.

We’re honoured to have worked with these outstanding agencies in order to achieve this for the Australian community.

#AusFedPolice #Ice


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Three men linked to notorious bikie gang charged after 'trying to import $119 million worth of the drug ice from Australia to Malaysia'*

Three Adelaide men believed to be linked to an outlaw motorcycle gang have been charged over importing $119 million worth of the drug ice into Australia.

Australian Federal Police say the 119kg haul of crystal methamphetamine arrived in Melbourne from Malaysia earlier this month, hidden in a stand designed to allow for the transport of commercial equipment.

Authorities also found about $1.5 million in cash in a similar consignment that was due to be exported from Australia to an undisclosed Asian country.
















AFP says the drugs were discovered after 'anomalies' in the equipment delivery led Australian Border Force officials to inspect it.

Once seized, police replaced the drugs with substitute packages and began a controlled delivery of the equipment, watching as it travelled through Victoria to a large rural property in South Australia.

A 36-year-old from Paralowie was arrested there on Saturday after trying to access the drugs.

Another two men, a 33-year-old from Kilburn and 29-year-old from Smithfield, were arrested on the weekend over the importation.

The three men, who police say are connected to an SA-base outlaw motorcycle gang, are expected to face court on Monday charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
















AFP Commander and SA state manager Peter Sykora says outlaw motorcycle gangs are 'very sophisticated' in how they try to import drugs into Australia.

'They are very singular in their quest to make sure that this trade brings misery upon the community,' he said Adelaide on Monday.

'All they care for is the profits derived from their drugs and also the power that they get within their criminal element.'

He said the ice seizure had prevented one million individual hits reaching the streets.

The total quantity of illegal drugs and precursors seized in Australia this year now sits at 4.4 tonnes.

The commander said this operation involved close collaboration between AFP officers, SA and Victoria police and Australian Border Force officials.







Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ikie-gang-charged-import-119-million-ice.html


----------



## Jabberwocky

noonoo said:


> *Three men linked to notorious bikie gang charged after 'trying to import $119 million worth of the drug ice from Australia to Malaysia'*
> 
> Three Adelaide men believed to be linked to an outlaw motorcycle gang have been charged over importing $119 million worth of the drug ice into Australia.
> 
> Australian Federal Police say the 119kg haul of crystal methamphetamine arrived in Melbourne from Malaysia earlier this month, hidden in a stand designed to allow for the transport of commercial equipment.
> 
> Authorities also found about $1.5 million in cash in a similar consignment that was due to be exported from Australia to an undisclosed Asian country.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AFP says the drugs were discovered after 'anomalies' in the equipment delivery led Australian Border Force officials to inspect it.
> 
> Once seized, police replaced the drugs with substitute packages and began a controlled delivery of the equipment, watching as it travelled through Victoria to a large rural property in South Australia.
> 
> A 36-year-old from Paralowie was arrested there on Saturday after trying to access the drugs.
> 
> Another two men, a 33-year-old from Kilburn and 29-year-old from Smithfield, were arrested on the weekend over the importation.
> 
> The three men, who police say are connected to an SA-base outlaw motorcycle gang, are expected to face court on Monday charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AFP Commander and SA state manager Peter Sykora says outlaw motorcycle gangs are 'very sophisticated' in how they try to import drugs into Australia.
> 
> 'They are very singular in their quest to make sure that this trade brings misery upon the community,' he said Adelaide on Monday.
> 
> 'All they care for is the profits derived from their drugs and also the power that they get within their criminal element.'
> 
> He said the ice seizure had prevented one million individual hits reaching the streets.
> 
> The total quantity of illegal drugs and precursors seized in Australia this year now sits at 4.4 tonnes.
> 
> The commander said this operation involved close collaboration between AFP officers, SA and Victoria police and Australian Border Force officials.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ikie-gang-charged-import-119-million-ice.html



More pics











Video: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-24/three-sa-men-arrested-after-massive-ice-bust/8466982


----------



## poledriver

Drug operation even impresses judge

A Queensland Supreme Court judge has praised a drug dealer for his savvy business skills in running a methamphetamine operation.

Justice Ann Lyons yesterday told Brodie Gary Satterley that “it obviously wasn’t the best business, but it’s a good business model”.

The court heard that while dealing methamphetamine, he gave price guides, charged interest on debts and gave discounts and refunds in response to complaints.

He also sought customer feedback, provided utensils, advertised he was dealing a high-quality product and had business strategy meetings.

Justice Lyons sentenced the 20-year-old to three years’ jail with immediate parole, and encouraged him to starting using his talents for good instead of evil.

— read more in the Courier-Mail


----------



## poledriver

*Perth father jailed over hammer attack on son*

A 70-year-old Perth father of six has been jailed for five years and six months for attempting to kill his methamphetamine-addicted son by repeatedly striking his head with a hammer, fracturing his skull.

Ronald James McDonald attacked his son as he slept on the sofa at his Dianella home on the morning of August 15 last year.

He was frustrated and depressed by the 23-year-old's ongoing drug dependence and the family turmoil caused by his aggression and abusiveness.

The Supreme Court of WA heard McDonald was on good terms with his estranged wife, who lived with the victim and called him for help that day because their son had been screaming and threatening to smash things.

After pacing around outside thinking about what to do, McDonald went inside the house and hit his son on the temple with a claw hammer, then struck him three or four times more.

"You believed at the time that was the only option available to you and your family," Justice Katrina Banks-Smith said in handing down her sentence today.

"You felt you could no longer deal with your son's erratic behaviour. You lost it."

The son woke up after the first blow, but McDonald grabbed his jumper to prevent him escaping.

He managed to break free and was rushed to hospital while McDonald almost immediately called authorities and made admissions.

Justice Banks-Smith said McDonald's defence lawyer had eloquently described the case as the "other side of the methamphetamine equation".

She said while there was room for significant sympathy and empathy for the father's predicament - in which he was not alone - violence was not the answer.

Justice Banks-Smith took into account McDonald's depression, which impaired his ability to make rational decisions at the time of the offence, age, remorse and the risk of his re-offending being low.

She also noted the violence was uncharacteristic and the fact he had empathy for the victim, who partly blamed himself for what happened.

Justice Banks-Smith also mentioned a statement from a former employer, who described McDonald as a peacemaker.

But the offending was aggravated by the fact the attack was on a defenceless victim, involved multiple blows and a degree of premeditation, and could have been fatal.

"You could have stopped during the attack but you did not," she said.

McDonald waved goodbye to his family, who were present to support him, as he was led out of the dock.

He was made eligible for parole.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...-for-hammer-attack-on-son#werO3Ua2I07DH4iZ.99


----------



## poledriver

*ce epidemic: Victorian Government announces $81 million to fight 'poisonous' drug*

An extra 30 drug rehabilitation beds will be available for addicts languishing on public waiting lists as part of an $81 million Victorian Government plan to help ice-users.

Next week's state budget will also include $10 million to buy land to build three new residential treatment centres with a total of 60 beds in the Gippsland, Hume and Barwon regions.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the investment would take the number of publicly-funded drug rehab beds in Victoria from 250 to 340.

"So many people are in the clutches of this poison. It's destroying lives, it's wrecking families," he said.
"These investments will mean more beds for treatment, more staff to provide counselling and important support to those who are dealing with ice."

The funding for stage three of the Government's "ice action plan" also includes money to help people at risk of overdosing and to employ 34 Indigenous health workers.

Publicly-funded rehabilitation beds are in short supply and have months-long waiting lists, forcing desperate families to turn to unregulated private clinics that charge a fortune.

Plans for private centres in suburban Geelong and Shepparton have also been knocked-back by councils in the face of staunch public opposition.

Mental Health Minister Martin Foley urged people in regional areas to support drug rehab clinics.

"Frankly what we can't do is have ill-advised community opposition to what are community facilities," he said.
'It's a solution for some but not necessarily for others'

The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association's budget submission called for 300 beds over five years to bring Victoria into line with other states, citing anecdotal reports of a six-month wait for access.

But chief executive Sam Biondo said the extra funding was welcome.

"Any increase is better than nothing," he said.

"Beds aren't everything. It's a solution for some but not necessarily for others."

Former drug user turned welfare worker Daniel Timms spent most of his 20s addicted to heroin and ice and lost his partner to an overdose.

He said the lengthy wait for treatment meant some people could walk away from getting help.

"You might be feeling like you want to get your life together one day, but you can change your mind within 24 hours," he said.

Last year 257 people died of an overdose involving illicit drugs in Victoria.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-...Organic&WT.tsrc=Facebook_Organic&sf74396972=1


----------



## Jabberwocky

Is methamp use common in the mining industry I wonder?


----------



## Boku_

toothpastedog said:


> Is methamp use common in the mining industry I wonder?



It's way more common in the Building and Construction industry. This is due in part to the fact Union work sites don't have random drug testing happening on them.

Back around the years 2006-2012 when the mining boom peaked all the major mining companies had strict drug testing regimes in place hell even in the mines in WA the truck drivers were breathalysed every morning to make sure they had no alcohol in their system but now 5 years on the mining boom is over and all the cashed up workers have moved on the level of meth use in WA is the highest per capita according to raw sewage tests. Must be a lot of cashed up Meth heads out west.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-01/sewage-tests-reveal-wa-drug-problem/7677296


----------



## poledriver

Large ice supply arrest - Ballina Airport.

Police will allege that on the 30th April they have attended Ballina Airport and spoken to a 38 year old Larnook man and a 40 year old Larnook woman who were leaving a flight. Police had cause to search these two people. 

The woman was found to have a capped syringe inside her purse. A further search located three bags containing the drug 'ice'. During a search of the woman police located a large amount of the drug 'ice'.

The total amount of ice located was 317.5 grams.

The woman has been charged with Supply Prohibited Drug - Greater than Commercial Quantity and two counts of Possess Prohibited Drug. 

The man has been charged with Supply Prohibited Drug - Greater than Commercial Quantity and Possess Prohibited Drug. Both were bail refused and will face Lismore Local Court today.

This offence carries a maxiumum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. #BallinaCrime


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Recovering addicts reveal what it’s really like to be hooked on ice*

ADAM, a former FIFO construction worker from Perth, says having sex while you’re high on ice makes you act like an animal.

“You go above and beyond, you do a few things you probably wouldn’t do. Yeah, I’m probably not too proud of some of the nights I’ve spent with a couple of sheilas,” he admits.

It’s one of a series of taboo questions that will be posed to recovering ice addicts on tonight’s episode of You Can’t Ask That on the ABC.

“(Women would) be knocking on my door any time of day or night,” says Taz, who used to work as an interstate truck driver from Sydney.

He explained they’d often offer to perform oral sex if he would give them drugs.

“Every single endorphin is electrified, it’s just out of this world amazing. And like your orgasms are just ...,” says Olivia, from Melbourne.

“I used to pride myself on being better than the porn stars I watched.”

The program aims to break down social stigmas by asking groups of misunderstood, judged or marginalised Australians the awkward questions people from the general public have always wanted to know the answers to.

Their answers are startlingly frank.

“Even watching a needle ... I’d pass out, until the night a mate of mine coming out of Melbourne injected me for the first time,” says Taz.

At the time, he was working long hours, loading and unloading semi-trailers by himself and transporting goods overnight from Sydney to Melbourne. The only way to get the job done, he says, was with the help of drugs like speed.

He explains he’s been taking amphetamines for years, and tried ice one day because his dealer simply said “Try this, it’ll rock ya”.

For the past nine years, he’s injected into the same spot near his left elbow.

“The reason I used to go there was I didn’t have to let go of the steering wheel of the truck. Put it away in the dark,” he says bluntly.

Olivia admits to being relatively naive, and says she started smoking ice simply because it looked like her friends were having a good time.

“Before I knew it, it was like replacing coffee, I suppose you could say. You’d wake up in the morning and have a pipe, and you’d have a pipe through the day, and you’d have a pipe at dinner, and definitely a pipe before bed. It’s a bit of a joke.

“You try to outrun the comedown, you don’t want to have the comedown, so you’d just keep smoking ice. You don’t think you can survive without it once you get that hooked.”

The interviewees agree they were able to go to work and perform well in the early stages, until their craving for drugs surpassed their ability to make rational decisions.

“It changes my thinking process,” says Alisha, from Ballarat.

“It makes everything revolve around the ice use. You spent all day trying to get it, then you spend all day trying to get it more. It takes all your time.”

She says she used to be a workaholic, who balanced two jobs seven days a week, but in the blink of an eye it was all gone.

“I’d spent all my money on drugs and have no money or food for anything. Soon as I’d get paid I’d go out and use it, and then I’d have no money left.”

“Six years ago I had two houses, and I was paying the mortgage on both of them. I’ve been homeless on and off four years, and I’ve been in an out of jail for probably two years of those four years,” muses Taz.

Like all the people featured in the episode, he’s calm, articulate and thoughtful as he tries to convey his experiences with the drug.

It’s difficult to imagine a time when he was violent or paranoid, but he explains at the height of his addiction, he was locked in a siege with police for eight hours following a particularly heated argument with his ex-partner.

“They had a command and control centre at the end of the street, they locked off half of the suburb, they locked up four schools.

“I took on the TRG (Police Tactical Response Group) and three dogs from the dog squad, unarmed, on ice. I’ve still got the holes in my leg to prove it.”

Jay, from Sydney, worked as an escort to support his habit. Sometimes he’d work for money, sometimes he’d work for drugs, and he confesses that aside from dealing with addiction, the experience has left some deep emotional scars.

“I now have PTSD from things that have happened,” he says.

“Things like being kidnapped, I’ve been raped, just horrible things that have happened to me through my addiction.

“I find it really difficult to have relationships with people within the gay community because I was such a disgusting human.”

Would they take ice again?

Most interviewees respond with a resounding no, except Taz, who said given the opportunity “it’d be straight up my arm”.

“This week, I’ll be an addict in recovery in rehab, and I can only do that for 10 minutes at a time, or a day at a time.

“The last time I used was yesterday morning, and I’m still going, yeah.”

You Can’t Ask That airs tonight on ABC at 9pm.


Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/re...e/news-story/8d3e5604e6ca0692a239c67dcce16799


----------



## poledriver

*Sydney man who randomly assaulted four strangers during ice-fuelled rampage jailed*

A man who assaulted four strangers in a series of random attacks while in an ice-induced psychosis has been jailed for more than five years.

Ricky Hema, 35, brutally assaulted four people in the space of two hours at Burwood, Belfield and Campsie in Sydney's west in January 2016.

He was sentenced by Judge Helen Syme in the Downing District Court today to a maximum of seven years in jail, with a non-parole period of five years and three months.

Hema, who faced a judge-only trial, will be eligible for parole on April 25, 2021.

The attacks began in Punchbowl at 1.30pm on January 24, when Hema punched a 46-year-old man in the face at the Royal Sheaf Hotel in Burwood.

He then kicked and punched a 72-year-old man at the same bar and fled, but the rampage continued.






Sickening CCTV showed the moment 27-year-old musician Oliver Goss was punched in the head by Hema in the car park of a unit complex in Campsie at about 3pm.

Hema then kicked and stomped on the motionless Mr Goss's head at least five times.

Mr Goss was knocked unconscious and was taken to St George Hospital with serious head injuries, including a fractured nose and an eye haemorrhage. 

The court heard in a victim impact statement Mr Goss had lost three days of his memory and the full extent of a possible brain injury was not yet known.

Hema later shoulder-charged a 46-year-old man outside the Belfield Hotel in Belfield.

Hema was arrested two days after the rampage and charged with two counts of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Hema initially denied the charges but later pleaded guilty in court, which earned him a 25 percent discount on his sentence.

The court also heard Hema had significant previous convictions for assault, robbery and intimidation and the January attacks were committed while on parole for those offences.

Hema had been a drug user for more than a decade and Judge Syme agreed his addiction had contributed to his crimes.

But Judge Syme said this did not absolve Hema of his criminal history and noted he had often sought to blame outside influences for his addiction rather than take responsibility.

She recommended he be considered for a rehabilitation program once he is eligible for parole.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ed-violent-rampage-sydney#RlIuhWeAgTSeoy1s.99


----------



## acid head

Jesus Christ, the Ice epidemic is truly horrifying.


----------



## poledriver

What's the bet this guy was an ice addict too? -

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...urgeon-critical-after-attack-outside-hospital


----------



## starting_over

Just how big is ice in Aus? Sometimes I skim this thread / watch documentaries but it's hard to get a real idea when you're not living there. Are there really small 'ice towns' that have a single or double digit % of the population hooked? 

For instance, the province of BC (Canada) had a little under 1000 overdose deaths in 2016, mostly from fentanyl and its analogues. It's expected to hit maybe 1200 - 1500 at the end of 2017. Total population in BC is about 4.7 million... so about 0.02 - 0.03%, which seems very small when you take a step back and look at the big picture. 

It gets more than its fair share of coverage here, and I suspect compassion fatigue is starting to set in for some BC residents. Most of it is visibly concentrated in one area of Vancouver that has been a slum for decades, and thus dismissed as just another problem on the dt eastside... but it is spreading throughout this province fairly equally


----------



## poledriver

It's a hard question to answer. I live here and I dont see much ice, or any really. I think the news over plays it a lot for the shock value, but in saying that there are areas that seem to be suffering pretty bad addiction to ice and the crap that comes with that. I don't know about the %'s of addicts in those so called ice towns tho.


----------



## poledriver

*Lance Rhodes sentenced to maximum 40 years for double murder*

A drug addict who bludgeoned his mother and a young relative to death as they attempted to escape his ice-fuelled rage has been jailed for at least 30 years.

Dressed in prison greens, Lance Rhodes, 36, did not appear to react as he was handed a maximum of 40 years in jail in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday.

Justice Stephen Campbell said Rhodes was in the grip of an "ice-induced psychosis" when the "terrible events" of September 8, 2015 unfolded.

After consuming a cocktail of substances, Rhodes stabbed his mother Linda Adams, 63, in the back as she tried to run away from him after he grabbed a large knife from the kitchen of the Lalor Park home they shared.

He continued to stab her as she lay helpless on the ground. Rhodes then picked up a 28-kilogram concrete statue and repeatedly hit her on the head with it, smashing her skull.

Rhodes returned to the home, grabbed a young child relative by the neck of his shirt and stabbed him in the chest before bashing his head against a wall.

The boy managed to escape, but Rhodes caught up with him outside and bludgeoned him to death with a stone.

"Die, just fucking die, I don't care," Rhodes was heard to say.

Covered in blood, Rhodes attempted to attack another woman, Annabelle Saludo​, by getting into her car. He hit the windows, yelled "F---ing open up" and then ran after the car and tried to lift it as the woman attempted to escape.

When Senior Constable Steve Lewis arrived, Rhodes picked up a water meter cover and walked towards him, saying, "Let's go".

Ms Adams' body was found only two metres from the front door of her neighbour's home. The boy's body was found near a tree in the yard of the home he had fled.

Justice Campbell said "doubtless this offending would never have occurred" but for Rhodes' self-induced intoxication.

The court heard that shortly before the killings, Rhodes had returned to his home and said, "We're going to have some fun tonight".

"They are in the house … they are in the house … don't worry I'll get rid of them," he was later heard saying.

While Justice Campbell accepted that the attack commenced "impulsively", he said Rhodes had persisted with it and it was "accompanied by determination". 

The court heard Rhodes had a troubled childhood and started using cannabis when he was a teenager before moving onto heroin, speed and ice.

Before the double murder, he had been consuming ice for nine months.

Rhodes told police he could not remember killing his mother and the child and repeatedly said he was unwell.

"I know I clicked it. I'm insane. I need real professional help," Rhodes told police in an interview. "I was in a different world.

"Everything was spacey. It was like being in a dark cloud."

But Justice Campbell was sceptical that Rhodes had no memory of the events, saying his repeated concern to present himself as a paranoid schizophrenic was an attempt to provide justification for his behaviour.

Outside court, Ms Adams' daughter Tina Rhodes said she loved her mother and the child.

"No matter how long the sentence is, it will not bring back two beautiful people we have lost," she said.

Rhodes will be eligible for parole in 2045.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/lance-rho...-years-for-double-murder-20170602-gwivut.html


----------



## poledriver

*Ice drug use highlighted in Mount Gambier virtual reality piece*






Built on the slopes of one of Australia's only active volcanos, Mount Gambier is famous for its crater lake that changes colour with the seasons, from a steel grey in winter to a cobalt blue in summer.

Lately, the town has also been attracting attention for the wrong reasons — Mount Gambier was the first stop on the national ice task force schedule, the state's contested ice capital, complete with a "crack-sack" — a housing commission cul-de-sac known for drug use.

Like many regional towns across Australia, methamphetamine use is easy to see, but difficult to address.

Police are finding huge hauls of the drug — earlier this year $119 million worth of ice left Malaysia, on route to Melbourne and then rural South Australia.

But seizures don't seem to be stopping supply.

It is the stories of addiction and desperation that Mount Gambier theatre director Jamie Harding is tapping into with his virtual reality (VR) production Cold As Ice.

Returning to his hometown with the hopes of reviving the local theatre scene, he discovered a ready supply of methamphetamines had arrived.

After interviewing more than 60 people, including addicts and criminals, he used their stories to create an immersive theatre and VR piece.

Watching the show, viewers will become part of a world where football players deal to their mates and doctors swap prescriptions for sex acts.

"The biggest eye-opener was just how many ways this drug has infiltrated our society," he said.

"When you realise children as young as nine are starting to do this drug, that was something that really shocked me."
Former model and race car driver Kate Amoroso is one of the ice addicts Harding interviewed.

From a well-off Mount Gambier family, her drug use spiralled from "party pills" in her teens to a $2,000-a-week ice habit.

She saw injecting meth as normal and it became a band-aid for a host of mental health problems.

After several years, Ms Amoroso ended up deep in a drug-induced psychosis, barricaded in her bedroom as a police siege unfolded outside.

"I wasn't looking at how much I was smoking and injecting, probably in the hope that I would overdose," she said.

"I had lost everything, including my ability to think logically and rationally, and I was at the end of the line."

Months of rehabilitation followed and Ms Amoroso has reinvented herself as a fitness coach and campaigner.

Along with another Mount Gambier local, Karen Judd, she is advocating for rehabilitation centres in regional Australia.

For Ms Judd, it is personal — her son Jay died of an overdose in 2010, and she said the deaths, from overdoses, suicides and violence keep coming.

*An epidemic or a media beat up?*

There has been a lot of debate about how big Australia's ice problem is.

For some, it is an epidemic, but drug expert Nicole Lee told the ABC earlier this year it was all media hype.

The results of a study conducted by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, which were released last year, suggested ice use in Australia had tripled over five years.

According to a study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, about 2 per cent of Australians use methamphetamine.

What is clear is that in small communities, it is visible and causing harm.

In a city of more than 21,000, everyone knows someone who has been affected by ice.

Harding sees his production as a kind of therapy for Mount Gambier — if he can bring the problem out into the open, maybe people can start talking about solutions as well.

Cont -

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-...n-the-headlines-for-the-wrong-reasons/8571510


----------



## Crankinit

I'd want to smoke pipes all day if I lived in Mt. Gambier :/ Ditto Horsham. I suspect a huge part of the problem (however big that problem is) is that you've got small communities where all the young people are bored shitless and anyone with any amount of motivation has already left.


----------



## poledriver

*Three men and a woman charged over $2 million 'ice' bust in Sydney*

Four people have been charged after police discovered more than 4kg of “ice” with an estimated street value of $2 million during a series of raids in Sydney's west.

Three men and a woman were arrested and charged after several search warrants were executed in Sydney's west around 1pm yesterday.

Two men, aged 23 and 24, were arrested at a property on Weston Street in Rosehill and 3kg of methylamphetamine allegedly found following a search by police. 

Both men are facing a series of charges including supply large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs supply commercial quantity.

The 23-year-old man also received charges for supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis and five counts of indictable supply prohibited drugs.

Officers also searched a home in South Wentworthville and two properties in Parramatta, with more than 1.7kg of methylamphetamine seized at the second location.

More than $10,000 in cash, mobile phones and drug paraphernalia were found at the George Street property.

A 24-year-old woman was arrested at the residence and later charged with supply large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs and proceeds of crime.

More than $7000 in cash, two capsicum sprays, an extendable baton and mobile phones were seized at a second property in Parramatta.

Several drugs including heroin, cocaine, steroids and opium were found and seized at a South Wentworthville address. 

A 29-year-old man was arrested following the searches and charged with two supply prohibited drug indictable quantity and knowingly deal with proceeds of crime.

All four suspects have been refused bail and are expected to appear at Parramatta Local Court and Fairfield Local Court later today.

The arrests were conducted by Strike Force Algebra, established in December 2016 to investigate the supply of methylamphetamine by an alleged drug syndicate across north west and south west Sydney.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...-in-sydney-after-ice-bust#XLYOtIT0RX3VHasI.99


----------



## Jabberwocky

In jail they will undertake extensive social situarions which will result in gaining key networks and being able to further the ice distribution upon release.

The government deems this to be a success against the war on drugs.


----------



## poledriver

*Ice problem in SA to be tackled by Government's $8 million 'Stop the Hurt' strategy*

A four-pronged approach will be used to tackle South Australia's ice scourge, with an $8 million strategy for extra treatment services, police investigations and education being unveiled by the State Government.

Methamphetamine use in South Australia has tripled in the past four years, according to the State Government.

It said the strategy called "Stop the Hurt" was based on community need, with a focus on regional areas.

As part of the strategy, $3.6 million will be spent to boost the number of outpatient counselling appointments by 50 per cent, and the number of rehabilitation beds will be increased by at least 15 in regional areas.

Police are in line for an extra $1 million for covert operations and $500,000 will be spent training more drug dogs.

Another $600,000 will go towards education and prevention strategies.

Michael White from the South Australian Network of Drug and Alcohol Services said the extra resources were crucial.

"We really welcome this as a good first step in increasing the amount of services that are being provided to treat people," he said.

Not enough support for ice addicts

Ally is from country South Australia and a mother of a 37-year-old ice addict.

She said the drug had changed her son into a completely different person, and treatment options were in short supply.

"To actually have to bring them to town to get into rehab and then be told that you've got to wait three months — they need help now not in three months time because then the cycle begins again," she said.

"It's absolutely devastating to see a family member destroy themselves."
Premier Jay Weatherill said the strategy was based on recommendations from its Ice Taskforce, but changes would be made if necessary.

"If it's working we'll continue to invest in it, if it's shown to not be successful in certain areas obviously we'll continue to modify it," he said.

Mr Weatherill said the Federal Government had only allocated South Australia $15.5 million to tackle ice use and was not working collaboratively with State health authorities.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-...ht-million-dollars-tackle-ice-problem/8622024


----------



## poledriver

*Queensland teen who tussled a croc dodges jail time for attempted car theft*

HE FAMOUSLY dodged the jaws of a hungry crocodile, now a Queensland teenager has dodged a jail sentence for attempting to steal a car.

Lee De Paauw is set to be released from custody after he assaulted two police officers in a robbery gone wrong.

He pleaded guilty to eight charges when he appeared via video link from Lotus Glen Correctional Centre in the Innisfail Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old’s solicitor said he was in the middle of a “meth binge” at the time. 

His drugs dalliance was fuelled by the money he received from TV interviews after he jumped in croc-infested waters to win a date with a backpacker.

Chris Blishen, representing De Paauw, said his client was hallucinating at the time of the incident.

The tearful teenager told the court that he “didn’t realise the effect the drugs would have,” reported the Cairns Post.

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/national/que...t/news-story/1f19165cdc4a6b669a761e6480fbd2e7


----------



## poledriver

*Unemployed Iranian refugee on welfare benefits arrested on drug charges after being 'found with $10,000 of ice and $49,000 in cash'*

An unemployed Iranian refugee living off Centrelink benefits has allegedly been found with $10,000 of ice and $49,000 in cash.
Mohammad Abdullahi, 31, appeared before a Brisbane court on Monday after a tip-off allegedly led Rockhampton police to the drugs and cash hidden in a thermos.
Abdullahi was already on bail for trafficking, possession and proceeds of dangerous drugs and will be charged with trafficking meth amphetamine in the Supreme Court in Brisbane this week, reported The Morning Bulletin.

The 31-year-old was previously employed by Teys Australia but since leaving the meatworks company in 2014 had been collecting $280 in Centrelink NewStart payments a fortnight.
Police prosecutor Clancy Fox told the court he was 'very suspicious' of the $49,000 in cash they found because the amount in welfare benefits Abdullahi was receiving didn't add up.
Abdullahi's lawyer Lance Rundle said the Rockhampton local had come to Australia on a refugee visa in 2011.

cont -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4619976/Mohammad-Abdullahi-arrested-drug-crimes.html


----------



## Crankinit

> Police prosecutor Clancy Fox told the court he was 'very suspicious' of the $49,000 in cash they found because the amount in welfare benefits Abdullahi was receiving didn't add up.



Rofl. No shit.


----------



## poledriver

Multi-agency operation underway across Sydney

Wednesday, 28 June 2017 10:16:30 AM
A multi-agency operation is underway to dismantle a NSW-based drug trafficking syndicate.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Gangs Squad commenced an investigation in December 2016 following reports of an extortion involving members of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG). 

Their inquiries revealed a significant drug supply network, which included plans for a large-scale importation of border controlled drugs. 

As a result of further investigations, a shipping container was intercepted at Port Botany last Saturday (24 June 2017). The consignment was examined by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers and specialist forensic officers from Australian Federal Police (AFP), and more than a tonne of ephedrine was seized.

Following extensive investigations, police from NSWPF, assisted by AFP and ABF, commenced an operation across Sydney and in the ACT, about 7am today (Wednesday 28 June 2017), which includes the execution of more than 20 simultaneous search warrants and numerous arrests.

More to come...


----------



## poledriver

*Lismore ice addict jailed over thefts and assaults*



> A Lismore ice addict has been jailed for 15 months for two assaults involving a screw driver and a broom handle.
> 
> Shain Richard Williams appeared in Lismore Local Court on Monday via videolink from Grafton jail.
> 
> The 34-year-old was charged with 11 offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault, two counts of larceny and drug driving.
> 
> The court heard one of the larceny charges placed him in breach of a good behaviour bond.
> 
> Between 5am and 5.24am on April 15, 2016, Mr Williams backed up a car at a Casino residence and stole a speed ball, a punching bag and a motorcycle, valued at $2000.
> 
> Then on April 26, he stole a HP laptop from Dick Smith at Lismore worth $2,200.
> 
> When he was pulled over for a roadside drug test on October 5, 2016, Mr Williams was detected to have the drug ice in his oral fluid.
> 
> On New Years Day at Lismore Shopping Square, Mr Williams is alleged to have assaulted a man while armed with a screw driver.
> 
> He was then pulled over on February 17, and found to be driving while suspended, with a fake number plate on his car made of cardboard and coloured in with black texta.
> 
> ‘The accused informed police that he did this as the vehicle did not have a registration plate on the front when he purchased it,’ police facts stated.
> 
> On February 20, Mr Williams hit his partner across the leg with a broom handle and punched her in the face a number of times, resulting in a visible lump on her forehead.
> 
> He was arrested, charged and granted conditional bail but when he failed to appear at Lismore Local Court on April 24, a warrant was issued for his arrest.
> 
> Mr Williams was arrested at Tabulam on May 10, and refused bail.
> 
> In sentencing Mr Williams to 15 months jail with a non-parole period of nine months, Magistrate David Heilpern said he had previously spent six years in jail for attempted manslaughter.
> 
> He said the community shouldn’t have to tolerate that level of violence.
> 
> ‘The facts are essentially horrendous,’ Mr Heilpern said.
> 
> ‘He hit his partner with a broom handle across the right leg and repeatedly punched her in the face.’
> 
> ‘That level of violence is extremely unacceptable and intolerable by the community.’
> 
> Due to time already served, with good behaviour, Mr Williams will be eligible for release on November 26.



https://www.echo.net.au/2017/06/lismore-ice-addict-jailed-thefts-assaults/


----------



## poledriver

*Armed police bust massive NSW drug trafficking syndicate*

ONE of Sydney’s biggest drug rings has been smashed by heavily armed police in raids across Sydney today targeting the Rebels bikie group and Asian crime gangs with officers seizing more than a tonne of ephedrine.
The drug is used to make methamphetamine or “ice” and it’s believed the haul is worth more than $500 million.

More than 25 properties, mainly in Sydney’s west, were swooped on this morning by heavily armed police. Properties in the ACT have also been targeted.

NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller will hold a press conference with acting ABF commissioner Michael Outram and Acting AFP commissioner Neil Gaughan later today.
He told Radio 2GB: “We’ve cut the head off the snake of an organised crime gang”.

The raids were a culmination of a year-long investigation stemming from an extortion attempt by the Rebels bikies.
The investigation then led to the uncovering of the massive drug ring.

Inquiries have revealed plans for a large-scale importation of border controlled drugs.
On Saturday, officers from the NSW Police Force, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force seized a shipping container at Port Botany.







> It’s believed the drugs were found inside a number of sea salt containers.Source:News Corp Australia



One police source said: “We will be alleging these guys have been selling ice all over Sydney and the state.”
The consignment was examined by the Australian Border Force and specialist forensic officers from Australian Federal Police, and more than a tonne of ephedrine was seized.
Numerous arrests have been made.

http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...e/news-story/d713a9cbf8831c5188cf8de7ce435db6


----------



## poledriver

*Ice-addicted father of two stole $20,000 worth of jewellery and computers in Christmas crime spree - because he says his 'face tattoos are stopping him finding work'*






A heavily-tattooed ice addict who went on a $20,000, month-long, drug-fueled crime spree last year could be out of jail by Christmas after being found guilty of more than 30 offences.
Jamie Lang, 38 from Moore Park Beach in Bundaberg, on Queensland's central coast was sentenced this week in front of his two young children.
The man, who has a number of heavy face tattoos, including a compass on his forehead, has a lengthy criminal record dating back 21 years - to when he was 17.

The criminal's crime spree last year started on November 17 and spanned 300 kilometres from Bundaberg to the Sunshine Coast, according to the News Mail. 
During his sentencing Judge Michael Shanahan noted Lang had told police 'the reason' for his offending was to 'fund drug use'.
Lang plead guilty to more than 30 offences which took place during his month-long crime spree.

This included nine burglary-related offences, five stealing offences and six break and enters.
He was also convicted of two counts of wilful damage as well as fraud and drug and motor vehicle offences. 
Previously the man's lawyer claimed he was struggling for work in his family-owned painting business because 'of his face tattoos and was considering having them removed'.

The court also heard Lang sold his stolen goods to other drug users and almost $13,000 worth of property was yet to be accounted for.
Stolen goods included jewellery, computer equipment and cash.
Lang has been suspended from driving for six months and will be eligible for parole three days before Christmas.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-000-Christmas-crime-spree.html#ixzz4lGKlw3mb


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> *Armed police bust massive NSW drug trafficking syndicate*
> 
> ONE of Sydney’s biggest drug rings has been smashed by heavily armed police in raids across Sydney today targeting the Rebels bikie group and Asian crime gangs with officers seizing more than a tonne of ephedrine.
> The drug is used to make methamphetamine or “ice” and it’s believed the haul is worth more than $500 million.
> 
> More than 25 properties, mainly in Sydney’s west, were swooped on this morning by heavily armed police. Properties in the ACT have also been targeted.
> 
> NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller will hold a press conference with acting ABF commissioner Michael Outram and Acting AFP commissioner Neil Gaughan later today.
> He told Radio 2GB: “We’ve cut the head off the snake of an organised crime gang”.
> 
> The raids were a culmination of a year-long investigation stemming from an extortion attempt by the Rebels bikies.
> The investigation then led to the uncovering of the massive drug ring.
> 
> Inquiries have revealed plans for a large-scale importation of border controlled drugs.
> On Saturday, officers from the NSW Police Force, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force seized a shipping container at Port Botany.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One police source said: “We will be alleging these guys have been selling ice all over Sydney and the state.”
> The consignment was examined by the Australian Border Force and specialist forensic officers from Australian Federal Police, and more than a tonne of ephedrine was seized.
> Numerous arrests have been made.
> 
> http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...e/news-story/d713a9cbf8831c5188cf8de7ce435db6


----------



## poledriver

*Man sentenced to 10 years' jail over Melbourne service station stabbing*

After 11 months of anguish, relatives of Aaron Burnett were just minutes from learning of his killer's fate.

But before hearing the sentence, they would have to relive their loved ones final moments.

Mr Burnett had died at the hands of Nuri Balla, a 31-year-old who was "in the business of selling methyl amphetamine" at the time.

But last July, Mr Burnett was dissatisfied customer. He wanted a refund, or replacement, for the ice Balla had sold him.






The pair arranged to meet at a petrol station in Kealba, in Melbourne's north-west, where the drug deal turned deadly.

Balla stabbed Mr Burnett multiple times.

As Judge Terence Forrest listed each and every stab wound, one side of the court room winced in despair.

There were uncontrollable tears, tissues providing little comfort.

Mr Burnett’s family didn't want to hear about his "catastrophic blood loss".

But they did want justice.

As the Judge ordered Balla to stand to receive his sentence, all eyes were on the accused.

He however, stood more or less expressionless in the dock.

Balla was sentenced to ten years prison for manslaughter, and two years’ imprisonment for criminal damage.

In all, a head sentence of ten years and six months was handed down.

The Judge noted the accused had pleaded guilty at an early stage, but his words were lost among the wailing, and fury brewing in the courtroom.

There was an immediate "that's b---s---t" fired in Balla’s direction.

Shrieks of "we've got no family" pierced through as well.

Outside court, while the victim's family mellowed, relatives of the accused fired up.

Their tempers flared as they hurled abuse at our crew.

Security had to tell the Burnett family to leave via a different door, where they spoke of the heartache they've been harbouring for almost a year.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...stabbing-of-melbourne-man#ECI2DZlGq1P22vr2.99


----------



## poledriver

*Revealed: Victoria is Australia's ice capital with nearly 11,000 arrests for crimes linked to amphetamines*



> Victoria has been revealed as the amphetamine capital of Australia
> State has experienced a near 400 per cent increase on ice-related drug busts
> Police seized 4,900 kilograms of amphetamines during raids in last year




CONT: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-s-ice-amphetamine-capital.html#ixzz4lWwStOUh


----------



## poledriver

*Meth crisis: WA the methamphetamine capital of Australia, secret testing proves*

WA is the methamphetamine capital of Australia and nearly the world, shocking and secret testing of the nation’s raw sewage has revealed.

West Australians are the biggest “ice” users in the country, according to the unprecedented analysis that equates to an anonymous drug test of 14 million Australians.

CONT -

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wes...s/news-story/c587e135ed9b131651944dd2b0b6bd44


----------



## consumer

poledriver said:


> *Ice-addicted father of two stole $20,000 worth of jewellery and computers in Christmas crime spree - because he says his 'face tattoos are stopping him finding work'*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A heavily-tattooed ice addict who went on a $20,000, month-long, drug-fueled crime spree last year could be out of jail by Christmas after being found guilty of more than 30 offences.
> Jamie Lang, 38 from Moore Park Beach in Bundaberg, on Queensland's central coast was sentenced this week in front of his two young children.
> The man, who has a number of heavy face tattoos, including a compass on his forehead, has a lengthy criminal record dating back 21 years - to when he was 17.
> 
> The criminal's crime spree last year started on November 17 and spanned 300 kilometres from Bundaberg to the Sunshine Coast, according to the News Mail.
> During his sentencing Judge Michael Shanahan noted Lang had told police 'the reason' for his offending was to 'fund drug use'.
> Lang plead guilty to more than 30 offences which took place during his month-long crime spree.
> 
> This included nine burglary-related offences, five stealing offences and six break and enters.
> He was also convicted of two counts of wilful damage as well as fraud and drug and motor vehicle offences.
> Previously the man's lawyer claimed he was struggling for work in his family-owned painting business because 'of his face tattoos and was considering having them removed'.
> 
> The court also heard Lang sold his stolen goods to other drug users and almost $13,000 worth of property was yet to be accounted for.
> Stolen goods included jewellery, computer equipment and cash.
> Lang has been suspended from driving for six months and will be eligible for parole three days before Christmas.
> 
> Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-000-Christmas-crime-spree.html#ixzz4lGKlw3mb


Quality decision making with those tattoos lol


----------



## pleasehelpjeff

Am I a freak or just lucky. I've never once had a comedown from the handfuls of times I be used meth. I never use more than a point at a time meaning i sleep it off before i woupd think about having another point. And whats this stupid war on drug proganda about bad teeth and things crawling on your skin? Bullocks


----------



## poledriver

*Former cop keeps licence after ice test*







> Matt Marshall



A FORMER Albury drug squad detective has been given another chance after being caught drug driving.

Matthew Louis Marshall, 46, had found out his compensation claim with the NSW Police insurer had been knocked back.

The former officer of 14 years had gone on sick leave in May 2011, suffering PTSD, and turned to ice and then drug-dealing after he left the force.

Albury Local Court on Tuesday heard he had relapsed into ice use earlier this year following the news from the police insurer.

Police had caught Marshall driving a Ford Territory on Logan Road in Albury on March 24 – the same day as the Gold Cup.

He was tested about 11.20pm and found to have methamphetamine in his system.

The court heard Marshall – who was jailed for his role in a drug-dealing group in 2013 – had taken the drug a few days earlier during a period of relapse. 

He had been given the substance by a friend.

Lawyer Mark Cronin said Marshall had told the officers he hadn’t used for “some days” prior to the drug driving test.

While he noted the 46-year-old had serious supply matters on his record, he also had an excellent driving history with a minor infringement in 2005. 

This, he argued, meant a dismissal of the charges without conviction was appropriate.

Magistrate Erin Kennedy agreed and said he deserved a chance to prove himself in the community.

“You know it’s no friend of yours giving you those substances, no friend at all,” she said.

Marshall had been ordered to spend at least seven-months in jail in 2013 for his role in the drug ring, with a maximum of 18 months. 

http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/4784406/former-cop-keeps-licence-after-ice-test/?cs=53


----------



## poledriver

*Boxer Lauryn Eagle 'caught driving high on ice in her Audi Q5 SUV' after being pulled over by police - but her lawyer blames prescription drugs for the 'positive' reading*



> Lauryn Eagle has allegedly been caught driving under the influence of drugs
> Ms Eagle allegedly returned a positive result for methamphetamine
> Her lawyer Adam Houda denied suggestions his client had taken illicit drugs



Australian professional boxer and swimsuit model Lauryn Eagle has allegedly been caught driving under the influence of drugs in south Sydney.
Ms Eagle allegedly returned a positive result for methamphetamine, or ice, at a random drug test in Peakhurst. 
She was stopped in a black Audi Q5 about 10am on Wednesday and was arrested, The Daily Telegraph has reported.






The 29-year-old was taken to Kogarah Police Station for further testing and was prohibited from driving for 24 hours, police told AAP.
Her lawyer Adam Houda denied suggestions his client had taken illicit drugs.
He blamed any potential positive reading on prescription drugs.

'She hasn't taken any illicit drugs,' he told The Daily Telegraph.
'Such a suggestion would not only be wrong, but also cruel and unfair.'
The maximum penalty for a first offence of driving under the influence is a $3300 fine and three months in jail.
In 2016 Eagle won the Australian super-featherweight boxing title.






http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4693806/Australian-swimsuit-model-Lauryn-Eagle-high-ice.html


----------



## poledriver

*'Ice queen' dealer who sold $3.2million worth of meth, paid 'employees' with free rent and even gave drugs to her children is jailed for 10 years*



> Rebecca Teresa Castner was sentenced to ten years prison for drug trafficking
> The Sunshine Coast woman, 41, sold more than $3.2million worth of ice
> Castner sold more than 3kg of ice and even gave drugs to her three children
> At the time of the drug bust, Police said it was the largest operation for the area



Cont -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ed-gave-ice-children.html?ito=social-facebook


----------



## poledriver

Australian Federal Police

3 hrs ·

Everyone knows the only thing worse than airline food is prison food...

Police discovered an ambitious and desperate plan more likely to be found on the big screen, to bring $255 million worth of the drug 'ice' from California into Australia via light aircraft. 

They had allegedly planned to fly across the Pacific into regional Victoria carrying 255kg of the drug.

Three men have been arrested in Australia.

We worked closely with the United States DEA to ground their plans. The drugs have been seized in California.

#NotSoFly #Grounded

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Article -

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/07/20/10/04/three-aussies-arrested-over-meth-seizure


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Two people have been arrested and more than 370kg of ephedrine has been seized*

Three million potential hits of ice off the streets after massive Port Botany drugs bust

POLICE say they’ve stopped three million potential hits of ice hitting the street after a seizing some 370 kilograms of ephedrine.

Two people have been arrested after a four-month long investigation sparked by the discovery of ephedrine in a sea cargo consignment by Border Force officers in March.
















Investigations began in March this year after ABF officers targeted a sea cargo consignment, locating ephedrine concealed in a metal canister.

Another sea cargo consignment arrived in April carrying ephedrine concealed within wall tiles.

Following these detections, the ABF commenced Operation Accinge - a joint operation with the NSWPF Drug Squad to target the criminal syndicate responsible for these attempted importations.











As a result of the joint investigation, the ABF’s Sydney Container Examination Facility targeted a consignment believed to be linked to the syndicate, and located milking machines containing ephedrine hidden in silver foil packages.


Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...t/news-story/48496a1ede9a7bcbfbdd159f3d32daff


----------



## poledriver

*Truckie did Ice-driving to deal with 140 hour week*








> A TRUCKIE caught behind the wheel of a B-double high on ice twice planned to use his considerable stash to cover dozens of upcoming work trips.
> 
> Darrin John Magnussen's defence team told a court relentless weeks on the road, stretching up to 140 hours, drove the 42-year-old to take the drug to stay awake.
> 
> Barrister Bronwyn Hartigan said Magnussen experienced constant pressure to cover more kilometres while working for multiple employers over a number of years.
> 
> However, Mackay Supreme Court Justice James Henry refused to place blame on the trucking industry, despite conceding the presence of some "rogue operators".
> 
> Magnussen fronted the court on Monday, pleading guilty to driving under the influence of methamphetamines at Carmila on March 8 last year and at Wacol in Brisbane on April 8 this year.
> 
> He also pleaded guilty to possessing about 20g of ice (14g of which was pure) on March 8, 2016 at Carmila and possessing an ice pipe on the same day.
> 
> Crown prosecutor Dane Marley said Magnussen's criminal and traffic history included possessing an unlicenced shotgun, multiple logbook offences and supplying ice.
> 
> Justice Henry described Magnussen's traffic history as "appalling", but said it was fairly common to see truck drivers with similar histories before the courts.
> 
> Mr Marley said on March 8 police caught up with Magnussen at a Carmila service station after another truckie reported he had swerved across the road.
> 
> This, according to Ms Hartigan, was because Magnussen was dodging a piece of steel on the roadway.
> 
> Nevertheless, Magnussen was drug tested, received a positive result and his truck was searched.
> 
> " ... in which police discovered two clipseal bags containing methamphetamines," Mr Marley said.
> 
> "The defendant told police the items belonged to him and he paid $5000 for the methamphetamines in Brisbane a few days prior.
> 
> "He said the methamphetamines were for his own personal use and he would use the scales (also found) to measure five points for his commute.
> 
> "On the defendant's own admitted use of the drug ... he had enough substance to last him the next 42 trips which he embarked on."
> 
> Mr Marley said Magnussen again tested positive for ice about a year later while behind the wheel of a truck.
> 
> Justice Henry noted during sentencing that while ice use can keep a person awake, it can also promote paranoia and aggression.
> 
> He put an increase in road rage in the general community in recent times down to a rise in ice use.
> 
> Meanwhile, Ms Hartigan, instructed by Morton Lawyers, described Magnussen as a married dad who'd been driving trucks since he was 18.
> 
> She said Magnussen, who was supported in court by his wife, had moved from Cardwell to Ingham for local work, rather than interstate driving, and had taken a front end loader job.
> 
> "He says over the course of his (previous) employment he has used methamphetamines as a tool to stay awake," Ms Hartigan said.
> 
> "He says that he felt the pressure to drive longer hours during the course of his employment for a variety of employers.
> 
> "Sometimes he would drive 100 to 140 hours per week. He says that urgency is often an issue in the transport industry ... it's common to feel that pressure to drive extra hours."
> 
> Ms Hartigan said Magnussen was remorseful and stopped interstate driving to halt the constant pressure and quit ice.
> 
> The barrister added Magnussen made admissions to police at the scene, that he was on a trial separation from his wife at the time and drug testing dated Friday showed he was clean.
> 
> Justice Henry said Magnussen had a good background, work history, family support and was rehabilitating, but described his behaviour as "deplorable".
> 
> He dismissed suggestions there was blame to place on the industry or Magnussen's employers and said individual truckies need to know similar conduct will be punished.
> 
> " ... it cannot be that it's impossible to drive professionally without methamphetamines," he said.
> 
> Magnussen was sentenced to two years jail, but was granted immediate parole.
> 
> He was also disqualified from driving for six months, fined $1700 and convictions were recorded.



https://www.northernstar.com.au/new...ng-to-deal-with-140-hour-work/3204238/?ref=hs


----------



## poledriver

*Shock new data shows the number of Aussie methamphetamine users killed has doubled in six years*

THE number of Australians killed as a result of methamphetamine use has doubled in just six years, shocking new data shows.
Professor Shane Darke from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre described the findings, released today in the academic journal Addiction, as a public health crisis.

His team examined 1649 fatalities linked to the illicit drug between 2009 and 2015 and found a mortality rate up to six times greater than the general population.
“I hear it occasionally said that the extent of the methamphetamine problem has been overstated, but I think this many identified cases over seven years shows we have a major problem,” Professor Darke said.
On average, each death represented 44 years of lost individual life, he said.

There are different types of methamphetamine, generally distinguished by their appearance and purity, and the drug crystal meth — commonly known as ice — is the most popular among users.
RELATED: Australian Federal Police ice bust makes history

Professor Darke found a “hidden danger” in meth-related deaths, in the form of damage to vital organs from even modest amounts of the drug.
In 22 per cent of cases, ‘natural’ disease like cardiac arrest or stroke were the common causes of death, Professor Darke said.

“Many users may be unaware that heart disease is a major factor in methamphetamine-related death.”






Current projections indicate there are about 300,000 regular users of meth across the country.
Popular perceptions centre on violence and while deaths from accident, misadventure and suicide are high, almost half of meth users perished from overdose.

“Basically, the person becomes unbearably hot and their temperature spikes. They have trouble breathing and they may fit.
“Even a very little amount can kill you — it can engender a heart attack.”

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/national/sho...SF&utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=Facebook


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> *Shock new data shows the number of Aussie methamphetamine users killed has doubled in six years*



Of course, the part they don't tell you is:



> In the majority (82.8% ) of cases, substances other than methamphetamine were detected, most frequently opioids (43.1% ) and hypnosedatives (38.0% ).


----------



## poledriver

*Million-dollar ice haul found in Rockhampton after police follow car into drive-through*








> About $1 million worth of ice has been found concealed under a car's floor panel after its owners pulled into a fast food drive-through for an early morning meal.
> 
> After receiving a tip-off, officers followed the car into the Rockhampton McDonalds to uncover the five kilograms of the drug about 4:00am.
> 
> Police dogs were allegedly able to find it hidden in a back compartment under the back seats.
> 
> Two Brisbane men, in their 30s, have been charged and are due to appear in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
> 
> Detective Senior Sergeant Luke Peachy said the haul, worth about $1 million wholesale, is the most significant ever made in the region.
> 
> "We had an earlier find this year of a kilogram but for five kilograms to be found, this is huge," he said.
> 
> "It's the largest amount of drug I've seen in Rockhampton or in fact, any other place I've worked in regional Queensland.
> 
> "The amount of drug is very, very significant and we're very pleased to have gotten this ... before it hits the street."
> 
> Police said they were tipped off about a Toyota Kluger carrying illicit drugs.
> 
> "We'd received a certain amount of information and we were keeping an eye out for a certain vehicle," Senior Sergeant Peachey said.
> 
> "As a result we were lucky enough to find that vehicle going through the drive-through at McDonalds and as a result detain that vehicle and those persons in it."
> 
> Senior Sergeant Peachey said investigations were continuing into the men's intent and direction of travel.
> 
> "We estimate that it was probably about $900,000 that they probably purchased it for so street value is obviously far in excess of that so it's a very, very significant find."
> 
> Police said the two men were not known to police.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-...rganic&WT.tsrc=Facebook_Organic&sf102638751=1


----------



## poledriver

*The real story of how ice is killing Australians isn't found in scary headlines*

In the past few years, we have been going ice mad, and this is particularly visible in media reporting.

With headlines such as "Crazy behaviour of ice addicts: Woman chewed off toes, young boy gouged out eyes" in the Daily Telegraph, and "The zombie apocalypse is here and none of us are safe" in The Age, or a description of the importation of methamphetamine from China as a "tsunami" making its way here on a "wave of death boats", you'd be forgiven for thinking we're living in an episode of The Walking Dead.

We now need to ask ourselves — are we being entertained by other's suffering? Are we doing anything about the apparent ice crisis? Where does the truth lie?

*Devil is in the detail*

The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre has released a paper today that found ice deaths have doubled since 2009. It found 1,649 "closed cases", or cases that have been examined by the coroner and found to have involved methamphetamine.

At first glimpse, it's something to be scared about. Like most things however, the devil is in the detail.

When we think of deaths involving ice, the images that may come to mind are the crazed ice user embarking on a drug-fuelled rampage, with innocent members of the community ending up as collateral damage. However, NDARC's report focused solely on the deaths of those actively using ice, not the average community member.

It found that the majority of deaths were a result of accidental overdose, which can result from consuming an excessive amount of the drug or a dose of extreme purity.
But this isn't the whole story.

Ice is a stimulant, and frequent use of stimulants severely stresses the heart. It is no surprise, then, that NDARC has reported cardiovascular disease to be involved in a fifth of the ice-related deaths it analysed.

Polydrug use — the use of several drugs at once — is another factor you won't necessarily read about in the media. The report found that in more than 80 per cent of ice-related deaths, toxicology reports found other substances aside from ice in the deceased's blood. These mainly included opioids and sedatives, but also psychiatric medications such as antidepressants.

*Tough on crime doesn't work*

So what can we draw from the NDARC report? Yes, ice deaths have doubled in a seven-year period, and this is definitely a cause for concern. However, the circumstances are often far from what is depicted in the media.

Public attention and concern is often focused on ice and violence, and death resulting from that, however you won't find much media interest in cases of natural disease and multiple drug toxicity.

The report also emphasised that in a majority of cases, those that had died lived outside major cities and most were not in treatment.

Perhaps we need to be focusing more on that, rather than a "tough on crime" approach.
Speaking of crime, what impact has ice had on rates of violent crime? A big one, according to the media. However, the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reports a recent downward trend in crimes such as robbery — down by 63 per cent since 2000 — which wasn't the case during the heroin crisis of the 1990s, arguably the last time we were this concerned about an illicit drug.

Further, the media tends to associate ice with other, scarier crimes such as assault and homicide, however ABS statistics show a decline in rates of physical assault between 2008 and 2015. Similarly, between 2000 and 2014 homicide rates have declined, from 1.6 per 100,000 of the population to just 1.

Matt Noffs is chief executive of the Ted Noffs Foundation and co-founder of Street Universities. Shelley Smith works in policy and research for the Ted Noffs Foundation.

Article contains links -

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-31/real-story-of-ice-deaths-isnt-found-in-headlines/8759918


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> *The real story of how ice is killing Australians isn't found in scary headlines*



It's nice to see a more level-headed response to that Addiction paper.


----------



## poledriver

*'I couldn't put the gun down – that would be weak': Psychiatrist's notes reveal twisted thoughts of $800-a-day speed addict at the centre of 2013 Brisbane mall siege – a month before he is freed from prison*



> Gunman who brought Brisbane to a standstill reveals thoughts from that day
> Lee Matthew Hillier, 38, faced off with heavily armed police for 90 minutes 2013
> Hillier revealed he thought police would laugh at him if he backed down
> Father-of-three didn't want to be weak, saying was angry when realised still alive
> Hillier revealed he first got into drugs at nine, eventually spending $800 a day



A speed addicted shirtless gunman who brought Brisbane's busy CBD to a standstill has revealed the thoughts running through his head during those terrifying moments.
Lee Matthew Hillier, 38, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail after facing off with heavily armed police officers at Queen Street Mall for 90 minutes before it ended with Hillier being shot.
The father-of-three brought an unloaded gun to the busy shopping strip, terrified shoppers and forced the centre to be evacuated on March 8, 2013.







> Drug addicted gunman revealed he felt strong, thought police would 'laugh' if he put gun down



Hillier told police to shoot him while brandishing a gun, believed to be loaded at the time, before threatening to take his own life.
'[It is] just me in the centre, with the gun, and 10 police all around me,' Hillier told psychiatrist Dr Michael Beech in late 2013, according to Fairfax Media. 
'It's gone out of control. I couldn't put the gun down - that'd be weak and police would know and they'd laugh.' 

Not wanting to negotiate with police officers, but not wanting to hurt anyone either, Hellier revealed he turned to CCTV cameras to say goodbye to his kids. 
Police shot at Hellier, who was angry when he realised he was still alive. 

Court documents allege Hillier was spending $800 a day on amphetamines and was injecting himself up to ten times a day. His long history of drug abuse started when he first smoked marijuana at the age of nine.

After being clean for a month before the standoff with police, Hillier revealed to Dr Beech two months prior to the siege he shot off two of his fingers while drugged up.

'We all know I've got a drug addiction ... [they don't focus on] the good things that I've achieved whilst I've been in prison,' Hellier told court on Friday according to the publication. 

Hellier is set to be released from prison next month. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ble-description-mall-siege.html#ixzz4p15JXVZf


----------



## poledriver

*Victims meet offenders as part of Canberra's restorative justice program*

Could you go behind bars to meet the shadowy figure who robbed you to feed his ice addiction?

Canberra woman Lisa Martin admitted she was excited by the prospect after her anger over the crime had faded.

Ms Martin, who works at a hardware store, said she was a "very trusting person" and would leave her handbag under a desk at work.

"It had been my little hidey hole for about four-and-a-half years," she said.

But earlier this year, CCTV cameras captured a shadowy figure, later identified as Anthony Catania, circling the unattended workstation.

"I had a bit of a rough trot on the ice and I started doing some crime to support my habit," Catania said.

Cont -

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-...rganic&WT.tsrc=Facebook_Organic&sf107744211=1


----------



## poledriver

*Male ice users at 'double' risk of stroke*

Young men who abuse methamphetamine are twice as likely to suffer a stroke compared to female users, a study has found.

A research review by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at the University of New South Wales investigated the connection between meth use and stroke.

The analysis, published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, found a haemorrhagic stroke - caused by a bleed into the brain - rather than a clot (ischaemic) is the most common type of stroke associated with taking the drug.

Of the 370 published studies screened, 77 were selected for inclusion.

There were 81 haemorrhagic and 17 ischaemic strokes reported.

This is "strikingly" high compared with the rates of haemorrhagic stroke in the general population among the under 45s, the authors wrote.

Both types of stroke were about twice as common in males, the research found.

Risk of death was also higher after a haemorrhagic stroke: one in four people recovered completely but one-third died.

One in five died after suffering an ischaemic stroke.

http://www.news.com.au/national/bre...e/news-story/a5f42d9498e9dee5a5d4db5b004c13a8


----------



## poledriver

*Ice worth $2 million found in icebox during RBT, Queensland police say*

A 38-year-old man has been charged with several drug offences after Queensland police allegedly found an estimated $2 million worth of the drug ice hidden under frozen food in a camping fridge.

Officers stopped the four-wheel-drive for a random breath test just outside Charters Towers in north Queensland on Saturday night.

Police said the man's behaviour prompted them to search his car, which led to the discovery of two 1-kilogram packages of methylamphetamine.

The stash, which is described by police as "one of the biggest busts" for the region, translates to about 20,000 hits at street level.

A search warrant was then executed at a property at nearby Southern Cross where officers said they found two clip-seal bags of methylamphetamine, just under $12,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia.

Senior Sergeant Jason Shepherd believed the drugs were en route to Townsville.

"Obviously 2 kilograms of ice that didn't make it to Townsville is what we would regard as a significant disruption to the drug trade in Townsville," he said.

He said there was "definitely" a connection to a major drug operation.

"To be 2 kilograms which is very, very expensive even at the beginning end to purchase it has to be part of a major operation and that's obviously what's going to be investigated further now."

The investigation has been handed over to Major and Organised Crimes Squad in Townsville.

The 38-year-old was due to appear in Townsville Magistrates court on Monday.











http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-...ce-in-icebox-during-rbt/8849826?sf109679354=1


----------



## poledriver

2 kg's of ice worth $2 million... lolz. Probably costs a few grand to make.


----------



## poledriver

*Baby boy had ice in his system, court hears*

A BABY boy allegedly murdered by his mother’s boyfriend had the drug ice in his system, a Melbourne court has heard.

Forensic paediatrician Dr Geetika Badkar told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday low levels of methylamphetamine were found in baby Chayse Dearing’s urine.

“I’m unable to say how that entered Chayse’s body,” Dr Badkar said. 

Emergency crews found the six-month-old pale and with bruising around his neck, a bump on his head, genital injuries and blood around his nose at a Glenroy unit on the morning of June 26, 2016.

Dwayne Lindsay, 34, is facing day two of his committal hearing, charged with murdering the baby he was minding while his partner of three months and the child’s mother, Michelle Dearing, was out shopping.

Dr Badkar said Chayse had widespread bruising on his body, including more recent bruising.

“That in itself is extremely significant in terms of timing - there may have been more than one event,” she said.

“There’s clearly blunt force trauma that’s occurred, including on his head and genital area, which is extremely concerning in an infant.” Chayse also had a pattern of bruising around his neck, indicating possible strangulation, she said.

Medical experts say his injuries were almost certainly caused by assault. Lindsay, Ms Dearing and two others smoked ice in the hours before Lindsay inflicted “catastrophic” and fatal injuries to Chayse, prosecutors allege.

Dr Badkar said Ms Dearing had told her Lindsay had been violent to her and previously frustrated with Chayse.

The hearing continues.

http://www.news.com.au/national/vic...s/news-story/cf346494fa1f7abcdec692b0408d9db5


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force -

15 hrs · 

Two men have been charged following an investigation into the diversion of precursor chemicals to manufacture ‘ice’.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Drug Squad established Strike Force Benedictine in late 2015 to investigate the supply of precursor chemicals and the manufacture of prohibited drugs.

Following extensive inquiries, strike force detectives, assisted by highway patrol officers from Strike Force Raptor, stopped a vehicle on the Hume Highway, Penrose, just after 2.10pm yesterday (Monday 4 September 2017).
Police searched the vehicle and located a suitcase containing numerous containers filled with a white crystalline substance, believed to be methylamphetamine or ‘ice’.

The total weight of the substance was about 14.3kg, which has an estimated potential street value of more than $7 million.
Two men – aged 28 and 34 – were arrested and taken to Bowral Police Station.

Shortly after the arrest, Strike Force Benedictine investigators, with the assistance of the Public Order and Riot Squad, executed search warrants at properties at Towrang, Claremont Meadows, and Chiswick.
Officers located an inactive large-scale clandestine laboratory at the Towrang property, which included custom-made steel apparatus. Police also seized another container filled with a further 660g of ice.
Also on the Towrang property, officers located a 12-guage shotgun and ammunition on a bedside table. The registered firearm was seized as it was not secured properly.

At the other properties, police seized almost $150,000 cash, steroids, mobile phones, electronic equipment, designer watches, and documentation.
The 28-year-old Claremont Meadows man was charged with large commercial manufacture prohibited drug and large commercial supply prohibited drug.

The 34-year-old Chiswick man was charged with large commercial manufacture prohibited drug, large commercial supply prohibited drug, and knowingly deal with proceeds of crime.
Both men were refused bail and appeared at Goulburn Local Court today (Tuesday 5 September 2017), where they were formally refused bail to appear at the same court on Wednesday 13 September 2017.
Drug Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Tony Cooke, said the operation highlights the ongoing risk of drug manufacture occurring within our communities.

“Not only are we seeing groups producing enough drugs to destroy communities, they are manufacturing them in volatile environments, which present risks of explosion and contamination,” Det Supt Cooke said.
“Clandestine laboratories can produce container loads of drugs here in NSW, which is no different than if it were packed onto a ship and sent from overseas. That is a challenge specific to targeting ‘ice’.

“Our Chemical Operations Team specifically targets this activity and will continue to do so – keeping track of the precursor chemicals, many of which are imported legally, is one of our major priorities.
“The community has an important role to play in reducing the impact of this poison. You are our eyes and ears, and we want to hear from you if you notice something suspicious,” Det Supt Cooke said.
Seven telltale indicators of drug manufacturing and supply

1. Strange odours emanating from the property
2. Diverted electricity
3. Chemical containers and waste
4. Blacked out windows
5. Hoses and pipes in strange places
6. Blinds down, with extremely bright indoor lighting radiating through gaps
7. Vehicles arriving at odd hours


----------



## poledriver

*Penthouse pet Burnetta 'Bea Richards' Hampson charged with drug supply, driving on drugs*

An international Penthouse pet with a fledgling acting career has been accused of supplying ice and obtaining stolen goods after she was caught driving through Kings Cross on Monday night while allegedly high on drugs.

Police pulled Burnetta Leila Hampson, 33, over at about 8pm on Monday after watching her drive "erratically" down Macleay Street in Potts Point.






Ms Hampson, who goes by the stage name Bea Richards, returned a negative breath test but was placed under arrest for blood and urine tests after police found drugs and cash in her car.

"Police had cause to search the woman and allegedly located a small resealable bag containing methylamphetamine [ice], a bottle containing a clear liquid believed to be GHB, and cash. These items were seized and will undergo forensic examination," a police spokesman said.

CONT -

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/penthouse...-supply-driving-on-drugs-20170905-gyb3nu.html


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> NSW Police Force -
> 
> 15 hrs ·
> 
> Two men have been charged following an investigation into the diversion of precursor chemicals to manufacture ‘ice’.



Now that is a gorgeous stash of methamphetamine.


----------



## poledriver

*Australian man Dino Rossetto arrested on methamphetamine charges in Cambodia*



> AN AUSTRALIAN man is behind bars in an Asian jail after being caught in an undercover sting.








AN Australian tourist has been arrested in Cambodia on methamphetamine charges.

Local media are reporting NSW man Dino Rossetto had been caught trying to sell 40 grams of crystal methamphetamine to an undercover police officer.

Provincial anti-drug police officer Chum Sokunthy said 50-year-old Rossetto was detained in Sihanoukville, a coastal city in Cambodia and the capital city of Sihanoukville Province, according to The Khmer Times.

Mr Sokunthy said police would allege “the suspect was an active drug distributor who often brought drugs for sale to foreign tourists at nightclubs and beaches in Preah Sihanouk province”.

He told The Times: “He was arrested when he brought a package of drugs to our undercover police officer codenamed B4.”











After his arrest police seized the drugs and other related materials, including scales and drug utensils, from him. A urine test proved positive for drugs.

Rossetto has been pictured sitting at a table in handcuffs in front of a set of scales with a large amount of white power on it.

His passport is also shown in the photographs and reveals he is originally from Orange, in western New South Wales.

Pictures from Rossetto’s local newspaper show him relaxing with friends at cancer fundraiser Relay for Life.

Cambodia does not have the death penalty, like some other Asian countries, but if convicted Rossetto faces a lengthy stint behind bars.

http://www.news.com.au/world/asia/a...a/news-story/460a725594521f6319f67a7b78d7540d


----------



## poledriver

*Is this Australia’s dumbest criminal?*








> A young meth addict has checked in for bail in Queensland ... driving on a disqualified licence ... in a car full of weapons and drugs.
> 
> Jake Kevin Watts, 23, tried to hide his car keys in a garden near Rockhampton police station when he was spotted by a conscientious member of the public, who picked them up and helpfully brought them inside.
> 
> Supreme Court judge Duncan McMeekin yesterday said the circumstances of his arrest would be “almost comical ... if it wasn’t so serious”.
> 
> Police found almost 20 grams of meth, seven knuckle busters, a self-loading firearm, a hand gun, two vials of steroids, oestrogen, and two gun magazines.
> 
> Watts pleaded guilty to drugs and weapons charges in the Supreme Court of Rockhampton yesterday and will spend two years behind bars.


----------



## poledriver

*Seventeen kilos of ICE hidden in door hinges smuggled into Sydney - as police arrest three Malaysian men with drugs offences*



> Police have arrested three men in Sydney for allegedly importing meth
> Three Malaysian nationals were arrested in Chifley, south Sydney, on Thursday
> The drugs were found hidden inside a large consignment of door hinges
> The men are due to appear in Sydney Central Local Court on Friday



Police have discovered 17 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in door hinges after being imported into Sydney.
The drugs were found by Australian Border Force officers after testing revealed the crystal substance secreted inside. 
Three Malaysian nationals were arrested on Thursday in Chifley, in Sydney's south, for allegedly importing the drugs.
















Cont -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4864050/17-kilos-meth-hidden-door-hinges-Sydney.html


----------



## poledriver

*Ice addict with 'white pride' tattoos fears for safety in jail over alleged Father's Day shooting*

A Victorian ice addict emblazoned with "white pride" tattoos and charged with the Father's Day murder of another is scared for his safety in jail.

Craig Leslie Williams, 30, is accused of shooting Joshua DiPietro, 31, in the head while he was in a car at Rosebud on September 3.

Wearing a makeshift sling to hold up a swollen left arm and a torn flannelette shirt, Mr Williams quivered as he sat in the dock of Melbourne Magistrates' Court today.

The court was told he was withdrawing from the the drug ice as well as another substance and required medical attention for injuries sustained during his arrest.






Mr Williams is also concerned for his safety while in custody and wants to be put in lockdown, a concern confirmed by police, the court heard.

Tattoos that spelled out "white pride" across the underside of both of Mr Williams' arms were partly visible as he stood to acknowledge he understood that was not applying for bail and would be remanded.

Mr DiPietro, from Mount Waverley was shot while he was with a friend, after spending the day with his parents, police earlier alleged.

He died in hospital a day later.

Police went to speak with Mr Williams on the night of September 4 at a Rosebud house, but he instead holed himself up in a tent in the backyard until 6.30am the next morning.






The siege ended when heavily armed police stormed the property and Mr Williams was bitten by a police dog.

Mr Williams will next appear in court on September 13.


With a vid -

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/09/09/20/23/man-charged-over-fatal-rosebud-shooting


----------



## poledriver

> Police have charged two men with drug offences after ice was seized during a vehicle stop in Orange this morning, as part of the CATCH (Crime and Traffic Connecting on Highways) program.
> The NSW Police CATCH program trains officers in the detection and inception of illicit drugs being transported on our roads.
> 
> About 2am (Tuesday 19 September 2017), officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol stopped a Nissan Pulsar at a random breath testing site on the Northern Distributor, Orange.
> Following investigations officers searched the car and allegedly located a snap-lock back full of drugs believed to be ‘ice’ in the car.
> The drugs were seized and will undergo forensic examinations.
> 
> The driver, 39, and passenger, 37, were both arrested and taken to Orange Police Station where they were each charged with supply indictable quantity of drugs.
> Both men were refused bail and are due to appear at Orange Local Court today (Tuesday 19 September 2017).
> 
> Acting Assistant Commissioner David Driver of the state's Traffic and Highway Patrol, said the objective of CATCH training is to rid ‘ice’ and other drugs off our roads.
> "Those that use our highways to commit crime can expect to be intercepted, searched and arrested."
> 
> "Since the inception of the CATCH program, over $110 million dollars worth of drugs, guns, cash, stolen goods, and other contraband has been taken off our roads,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Driver said.


----------



## poledriver

*ANTI-ICE ADS AIMED AT PARTYING SCHOOL LEAVERS*

ANTI-DRUG ads showing ice addicts spiralling violently out of control are targeting schoolies thinking of experimenting with party drugs during end-of-year celebrations.

The $10 million road toll-style campaign features 15-second commercials showing scenes such as teens smashing up their parents’ homes while under the influence of illegal substances.

School leavers have been identified as being at a greater risk of trying ice and other drugs that could have disastrous consequences on their physical and mental health.

The television and online blitz, launched by the federal government just weeks out from the start of schoolies week, will encourage mums and dads to discuss drugs with their kids before they go after it was found one in three teenagers ask their parents’ advice about drugs.

It will also focus on the damage ice addicts inflict on the community after 1.8 million people reported being victims of a drug-related incident last year.

One of the ads features a mum whose son Tom died after sneaking in to a nightclub and taking party drugs.

Cont -

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...utm_source=DailyTelegraph&utm_medium=Facebook


----------



## poledriver

*Sydney's beaches of ice: How the 'murder' of a mother by her own son exposed the explosion of the drug in one of the city's most exclusive areas – where meth use has soared by a terrifying 60 PER CENT in a year*



> Lanell Latta was allegedly murdered by her son Joel Woszatka at Avalon Beach
> Friends and family claim Woszatka, 25, was battling an addiction to the drug ice
> New statistics have revealed ice use is up 60 per cent on the Northern Beaches
> Drug experts compare the rise of ice in Australia to the heroin back in the 1980s



It's the quiet suburb that's a jewel in the crown of Sydney's lavish northern beaches. 
But despite being one of the most picturesque parts of the city, even the small town of Avalon Beach has been affected by a reported major spike in drug use in the area.
Lanell Latta was last week allegedly stabbed to death by her son Joel Woszatka in a home she rented from international supermodel Gemma Ward.

The horrific killing of the 50-year-old left the community in shock, leaving her family and partner Geoff Robson-Scott to remember her as 'a beautiful and kind woman'.
However, with claims Woszatka was battling drug and mental health problems at the time, the shocking incident raised concern among the community about an increase in the spread of ice.

New statistics released by the Bureau of Crime show ice use in the area rose by 60 per cent last year alone, with experts telling Daily Mail Australia the worrying numbers aren't in line with national trends.
Matt Noffs, drug expert and CEO of the Noffs Foundation, said methamphetamines and ice pose as much of a problem in Australia now as heroin did back in the 1980s. 
'If you look at our data and data from other treatment centres, we continually see an increase in ice use,' Mr Noffs told Daily Mail Australia.

'But why it's shifting out to places like Dee Why and Avalon is that as our country gets wealthier, the middle class increases and we don't have a disparity from poor to rich.
'With ice, what we know is that people who become addicted to it often come from a background of trauma or poverty, and as the middle class grows drug use spreads.' 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lem-revealed-Avalon-murder.html#ixzz4teko5Sne


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> *Sydney's beaches of ice: How the 'murder' of a mother by her own son exposed the explosion of the drug in one of the city's most exclusive areas – where meth use has soared by a terrifying 60 PER CENT in a year*
> 
> 
> 
> It's the quiet suburb that's a jewel in the crown of Sydney's lavish northern beaches.
> But despite being one of the most picturesque parts of the city, even the small town of Avalon Beach has been affected by a reported major spike in drug use in the area.
> Lanell Latta was last week allegedly stabbed to death by her son Joel Woszatka in a home she rented from international supermodel Gemma Ward.
> 
> The horrific killing of the 50-year-old left the community in shock, leaving her family and partner Geoff Robson-Scott to remember her as 'a beautiful and kind woman'.
> However, with claims Woszatka was battling drug and mental health problems at the time, the shocking incident raised concern among the community about an increase in the spread of ice.
> 
> New statistics released by the Bureau of Crime show ice use in the area rose by 60 per cent last year alone, with experts telling Daily Mail Australia the worrying numbers aren't in line with national trends.
> Matt Noffs, drug expert and CEO of the Noffs Foundation, said methamphetamines and ice pose as much of a problem in Australia now as heroin did back in the 1980s.
> 'If you look at our data and data from other treatment centres, we continually see an increase in ice use,' Mr Noffs told Daily Mail Australia.
> 
> 'But why it's shifting out to places like Dee Why and Avalon is that as our country gets wealthier, the middle class increases and we don't have a disparity from poor to rich.
> 'With ice, what we know is that people who become addicted to it often come from a background of trauma or poverty, and as the middle class grows drug use spreads.'
> 
> Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lem-revealed-Avalon-murder.html#ixzz4teko5Sne



I was once at a bottle shop in Avalon and overheard a guy working there talking to his friend about someone trading 1000 pills for a car. Fair funny. Avalon is full of surfie druggies. 

Dee Why has it's problems as it's got the highest population compared to other suburbs on the Northern Beaches. Also there is commission housing in Narraweena which is a neighbouring suburb. I know someone who got stabbed badly by a ice addict there in one of the commission houses. 

Northern Beaches though has a bigger coke problem than an ice problem in my opinion.


----------



## poledriver

Yeah I used to spend a lot of time at my friends in Avalon back in the late 80's before I started using drugs. Back then we felt pretty safe but I bet it's changed a lot now. I would guess there would be a lot of people into coke around there as you mentioned. 

I lived in Dee Why for a while too and I guess it would have been around 2002 or so I was living there, wasn't too bad. We also used to surf there back in the late 80's and early 90's. 

The populations of all those areas now would just be insane compared to the late 80's though. And now with more meth than ever. 

I lived near the headland of Mona and Bungan for a few years too in the early 90's that was nice.


----------



## poledriver

*Australian Idol star Kate DeAraugo faces up to 15 years in jail on drugs and weapons charges*



> TROUBLED former pop star Kate DeAraugo was allegedly caught with the drug ice twice in five days and now faces up to 15 years in jail.



TROUBLED pop star Kate DeAraugo faces up to 15 years in jail on drugs and weapons charges, it has emerged.
The 31-year-old has faced court in Shepparton, Victoria after allegedly being found in possession of the drug methamphetamine, also known as ice.

DeAraugo, who rose to fame as the winner of hit reality series Australian Idol in 2005 and went on to be part of the Young Divas musical group, has spoken in the past of her mental health and addiction battles.
According to reports in New Idea, she was allegedly caught with ice by police twice in five days — first on June 10 with 430 milligrams and again on June 15 with “a trafficable quantity of the drug, a large knife and a tomahawk”.

DeAraugo was also allegedly driving under the influence of drugs at the time. The allegations have only just emerged, to the shock of loved ones.
“It’s very, very sad because she’s a beautiful young woman with an incredible gift,’ music manager Tony Southwell told the magazine.
Southwell gave DeAraugo a job as a backing singer earlier this year.

“She’s had a really tough time, but I thought she was over all that stuff. This is awful.”

She is due to appear in court on October 4, facing a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail.

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/entertainmen...s/news-story/3da5c3015a5e8266634a643ded7f5677


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> Yeah I used to spend a lot of time at my friends in Avalon back in the late 80's before I started using drugs. Back then we felt pretty safe but I bet it's changed a lot now. I would guess there would be a lot of people into coke around there as you mentioned.
> 
> I lived in Dee Why for a while too and I guess it would have been around 2002 or so I was living there, wasn't too bad. We also used to surf there back in the late 80's and early 90's.
> 
> The populations of all those areas now would just be insane compared to the late 80's though. And now with more meth than ever.
> 
> I lived near the headland of Mona and Bungan for a few years too in the early 90's that was nice.



It still is very safe. You really need to go searching for problems on the NB although that being said two try hard lads once tried to roll me for a bottle of coke in Dee Why. I called up the cops and they got taken in. I confronted one of them once when I saw them and they said they couldn't remember doing it as they had been in jail for the last 4 years. Suck shit to the kid.

You should watch Beach Cops - Cop show about the Northern Beaches. Will give you some perspective on the NB today. 

You should see Dee Why now. It's under some serious construction. On that topic did you ever go to Cartoons or Evolution back in the day?


----------



## poledriver

*The families on the front line of Australia's ice epidemic*

While the ice problem is nothing new in Australia, our investigation found that every single day thousands of parents across Australia feel as though it is.

Thousands of parents are battling to save their children and thousands of addicts are struggling to free themselves from the grips of an awful, ugly drug.

We spoke to addicts at three different stages of ice addiction - those still heavily attached to the drug, those battling to get off it and those who have been through rehab and are on the long road to recovery. From all of our research, what hit home the most was the pain of one mother desperate to save her daughter.

Her name was Elizabeth, and her daughter Anthea tried ice for the first time when she was celebrating Schoolies Week. Anthea was just like thousands of other Australia teenagers, partying at the end of Year 12 and out to have a good time.

But an older girl offered Anthea ice and when she accepted that offer, her life changed forever.

Anthea stayed awake high on the drug for four days, and has now spent five years chasing the same high.

In that time she has tried to break her addiction from the drug but has repeatedly relapsed. She and her mother are desperate for help, but like so many other addicts and their families, they find that they end up on a merry-go-round of health services that spit them out the other side.

Read the full article, with a video -

http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...ing-australias-ice-epidemic?ocid=Social-9News


----------



## poledriver

noonoo said:


> It still is very safe. You really need to go searching for problems on the NB although that being said two try hard lads once tried to roll me for a bottle of coke in Dee Why. I called up the cops and they got taken in. I confronted one of them once when I saw them and they said they couldn't remember doing it as they had been in jail for the last 4 years. Suck shit to the kid.
> 
> You should watch Beach Cops - Cop show about the Northern Beaches. Will give you some perspective on the NB today.
> 
> You should see Dee Why now. It's under some serious construction. On that topic did you ever go to Cartoons or Evolution back in the day?




Yeah I did go to cartoons, I can't recall evolutions though. I remember going to the jet club for dollar drinks lol.


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> Yeah I did go to cartoons, I can't recall evolutions though. I remember going to the jet club for dollar drinks lol.



Where Cartoons was, it's now a block of apartments with a pharmacy downstairs. You should check it out on google streetview.

Out of curiosity what high school did you go to?

I went to Cromer, where George Smith aka Australian rugby union captain went. I Was good with his brother Tyrone but George was already in year 11 when I was in year 7.


----------



## poledriver

Ah cool, pretty local. I went to Forest. Sadly one of the most famous people who went to the same school would be Anna.


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> Ah cool, pretty local. I went to Forest. Sadly one of the most famous people who went to the same school would be Anna.



You forgot the Farris brothers as well. I.e. the guys that started INXS. Michael Hutchince went to Davidson.

They used to lease a house in Whale Beach and get fucked up there a lot then rehearse in a studio at Avalon. Back then Heroin was the drug of choice.


----------



## poledriver

^ yes, you are right. I had forgotten them.


----------



## poledriver

*‘Breaking Bad’ defence: Drug lab manslaughter charge dropped over Kemps Creek explosion*



> A BACKYARD drug cook whose mate died when their ice lab exploded has escaped a charge of manslaughter thanks to the so-called “Breaking Bad defence”.








A BACKYARD drug cook whose mate died when their ice lab exploded has escaped a charge of manslaughter thanks to the so-called “Breaking Bad defence”.

After a seven-year legal battle, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions last month agreed to withdraw the charge against the man, who can legally only known as CLD.

The case is the first since the High Court dealt a huge blow to the police battle against suburban and rural drug labs in August when it ruled that a woman should not face a murder charge after her meth cook was killed in a similar explosion at Ryde in 2013.











It began when a 23-year-old, legally known as M, died from severe burns when the lab at the rear of a semi-rural property on Western Rd, Kemps Creek, exploded in October 2010.

Neighbours told police the eruption was so big they heard the “sound wave” from the explosion.

When police arrived at the Kemps Creek property after the explosion, they found CLD and M badly burnt.

CLD survived but suffered terrible scars and was hospitalised for three months. M later died in Liverpool Hospital.

Cont -

http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...n/news-story/dc098c1bdb6a5046fa2fb99b74ab3fa6


----------



## Jabberwocky

poledriver said:


> *‘Breaking Bad’ defence: Drug lab manslaughter charge dropped over Kemps Creek explosion*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A BACKYARD drug cook whose mate died when their ice lab exploded has escaped a charge of manslaughter thanks to the so-called “Breaking Bad defence”.
> 
> After a seven-year legal battle, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions last month agreed to withdraw the charge against the man, who can legally only known as CLD.
> 
> The case is the first since the High Court dealt a huge blow to the police battle against suburban and rural drug labs in August when it ruled that a woman should not face a murder charge after her meth cook was killed in a similar explosion at Ryde in 2013.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It began when a 23-year-old, legally known as M, died from severe burns when the lab at the rear of a semi-rural property on Western Rd, Kemps Creek, exploded in October 2010.
> 
> Neighbours told police the eruption was so big they heard the “sound wave” from the explosion.
> 
> When police arrived at the Kemps Creek property after the explosion, they found CLD and M badly burnt.
> 
> CLD survived but suffered terrible scars and was hospitalised for three months. M later died in Liverpool Hospital.
> 
> Cont -
> 
> http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...n/news-story/dc098c1bdb6a5046fa2fb99b74ab3fa6



i see you beat me to it.


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Australian meth smuggler sentenced to TEN YEARS in a New Zealand prison after being nabbed in the country's biggest EVER drug bust*

An Australian man involved in one of New Zealand's largest ever meth busts must spend a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Malachi Tuilotolava was sentenced to 24 years behind bars on Thursday for his role in the importation attempt of 501 kilograms of methamphetamine.  

The eight-person operation fell apart after a 'comedy of errors' when the group raised suspicion on Ninety Mile Beach in 2016 and half a tonne was seized, Stuff reported. 











Small amounts of the huge haul were organised to be hid in sand dunes along Northland beach with help from the 26-year-old, who is an Australian citizen of Tongan descent. 

The rest of the illegal stash - believed to be worth $130 and $150 million - was supposed to be moved in a hired campervan however was intercepted by police in Northland after the crew attracted the unwanted attention of locals.

Tuilotolava pleaded guilty to one charge of participating in an organised criminal group as well as importing methamphetamine.

Jermiah Iusitini - the man running the New Zealand side of the operation - was able to place calls to Tuilotolava with Justice Downs saying he was the 'trusted lieutenant'











Tuilotolava's lawyer claimed instead he was only the 'soldier carrying the radio'.

'Mr Iusitini did not, it appears, ever go to Northland. He did not need to. You were his lieutenant.' 

Justice Downs said Tuilotolava had purchased two boats, paying with cash to then pick up the drug consignment at sea - and was the only one of the group to fly with Iusitini to Bangkok prior to the bust.


Source: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/cr...bust-smuggler-sentenced-to-24-years-in-prison


----------



## S.J.B.

noonoo said:


> *Australian meth smuggler sentenced to TEN YEARS in a New Zealand prison after being nabbed in the country's biggest EVER drug bust*



Wow, what a haul.


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force added 3 new photos.

4 hrs · 

A man will face court today charged with large-scale drug supply following an investigation by Organised Crime Squad detectives.

Just after 2am on Sunday 6 August 2017, police from Deniliquin Local Area Command stopped a campervan on the Stuart Highway, Hay, for the purpose of a random breath test.
Officers spoke to the 46-year-old male driver, and noticed two unrestrained passengers – a 42-year-old man and a five-year-old boy – in the rear of the van.

Following a search of the vehicle, police located bags containing a crystal substance concealed in a cavity under the bed, and $2000 cash.
Both men were arrested, but later released with traffic infringement notices relating to unrestrained passengers, pending further inquiries.

An examination of the substance revealed it to be 10kg of methylamphetamine, and the matter was referred to detectives from the State Crime Command’s Organised Crime Squad, who commenced an investigation under Strike Force Cormie.
Following extensive inquiries, a 42-year-old man was arrested by strike force detectives on Warrah Road, Yowie Bay, about 8.30am yesterday (Tuesday 31 October 2017).
He was taken to Miranda Police Station and charged with large commercial drug supply.

The man was refused bail to appear at Sutherland Local Court today (Wednesday 1 November 2017).

Shortly after the arrest, detectives executed a search warrant at a home on Yarraga Place, Yowie Bay, where they seized financial documents, electronic storage devices, encrypted mobile devices, mobile phones and $40,000 cash.
Detectives also executed a search warrant at a financial institution and seized a safety deposit box, which is believed to contain $100,000 cash.
Inquiries are continuing.


*NSFW*:


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force added 4 new photos.

5 hrs · 

Three men have been charged with drug supply offences as part of an ongoing investigation into criminal activity on the Mid North Coast.
Detectives from the Mid North Coast Local Area Command established Strike Force Wokari, which was assisted by Strike Force Raptor and the Police Dog Unit, to investigate the manufacture and supply of prohibited drugs and a number of organised criminal associates across NSW and interstate.

Police will allege their inquiries revealed a significant drug supply network, which included a number of organised criminal groups planning large-scale importations of border-controlled drugs.
On Wednesday 1 November 2017, strike force investigators arrested three men – aged 34, 41 and 45 – who were charged with a variety of offences.

Shortly after the arrests, strike force detectives executed four search warrants at Bonny Hills, Wauchope, and Port Macquarie.
Police will allege, they located and seized 1kg of methylamphetamine, a .22 machine pistol, a sawn off shot gun, and a sum of cash, along with other exhibits.

The 34-year-old-man was charged with 13 offences including three counts of deal with property proceeds of crime, pervert the course of justice, supply prohibited drug greater than an indictable quantity, three counts of supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity, affray, possess shortened firearm, possess unregistered firearm, not keep firearm safe, and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.

The 41-year-old man was charged with deal with proceeds of crime, possess prohibited drug, pervert the course of justice, and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.

The 45-year-old man was charged with affray, deal with property proceeds of crime, participate in criminal group contribute criminal activity, supply prohibited drug greater indictable quantity, possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, and carry, use or possess explosive, flare or firework.

All men were refused bail to appear at Port Macquarie Local Court today (Thursday 2 November, 2017).
Investigations are continuing and further arrests are expected.


*NSFW*:


----------



## S.J.B.

Is that methamphetamine in the bottom photo?  It looks a lot more brown then usual.


----------



## poledriver

Yeah I am not too sure. It looks like bread or something lol.


----------



## CFC

Nice bit of mocha fudge perhaps


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## poledriver

*NSW man charged with internal importation of Ice*


*NSFW*: 










his is a joint media release issued by the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force

A 44-year-old NSW man appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court today, charged with attempting to import crystal methamphetamine into Australia inserted within his body.

The man arrived at Melbourne International Airport yesterday morning (Tuesday, 31 October 2017) on a flight from Los Angeles.

He was selected for a baggage examination by Australian Border Force officers. Police will allege in court the man admitted to having concealed two packages of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as Ice, within his body.

Subsequently, the man was escorted to hospital by Australian Federal Police officers, where he passed two items containing approximately 85 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

The man was charged with one count of importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to subsection 307.2(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years’ imprisonment.

The man will reappear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 23 January 2018.

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/nsw-man-charged-internal-importation-ice


----------



## poledriver

NSW Police Force added 5 new photos.

1 hr · 

Five Australians have been charged following a joint-agency investigation into an international drug importation syndicate.
In March 2017, detectives from the NSW Police Force’s Organised Crime Squad established Strike Force Rowena to investigate the importation of methylamphetamine and cocaine to Sydney.

Investigators have been working closely with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
As a result of their joint inquiries, and with the assistance of the Mexican Federal Police, officers intercepted 101kg of methylamphetamine in Mexico on Thursday 14 September 2017.
Police will allege in court the drugs, which have an estimated potential street value of more than $50 million, were destined for Australia.

Further investigation revealed an alleged conspiracy to import 500kg of cocaine, which has an estimated potential street value of $150 million, from Columbia to Sydney, for further distribution across Australia.
Following further inquiries, a controlled operation was conducted, and investigators arrested two men – aged 46 and 48 – at a car park on Market Street, Darling Harbour, just before 11am yesterday (Thursday 2 November 2017).
The pair was taken to Day Street Police Station and charged with attempt to possess a commercial quantity of border controlled drug and supply large commercial of a prohibited drug.
Shortly after, strike force investigators arrested a 40-year-old man at a home at Epping.

At the same time, a 41-year-old man was arrested by South Australia Police outside a home at Collinswood, South Australia.

Both men were charged with two counts conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, with the Epping man also charged with deal proceeds of crime.
The NSW men were refused bail to appear at Central Local Court later today (Friday 3 November 2017).
The SA man was refused bail to appear at Adelaide Magistrates court later today. Strike force investigators will travel to Adelaide to seek the man’s extradition to NSW in coming days.

Following the arrests, investigators executed search warrants at a home at Epping and hotel rooms at Darling Harbour and, with the assistance of South Australia Police, executed five search warrants in South Australia, including homes at Collinswood, Mawson Lakes, Seacombe Gardens, and Plympton Park, and a business at Kensington Gardens.

Strike Force Rowena investigators seized more than $50,000 cash, designer watches, gold and silver bullion, numerous documents, and mobile telephones.
A 36-year-old woman was arrested by South Australia Police after locating methylamphetamine at the Plympton Park home.

She was charged with trafficking a controlled drug and granted bail to appear at Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday 13 December 2017.
Investigations are continuing in NSW and internationally.

NSW Police Force’s Organised Crime Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Scott Cook, said the investigation is indicative of the future of how law enforcement targets organised crime.

“The Organised Crime Squad has developed strong relationships with law enforcement and intelligence agencies at home and abroad, which allows us to target drugs and other commodities at the source,” Det Supt Cook said.
“By working together, we can cut deep into the profits of organised criminal activity, and prevent these poisons from even reaching our borders.”

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission NSW State Manager, Warren Gray, said this interception demonstrates the importance of international law enforcement and intelligence agencies working together to effectively target transnational criminal enterprises.

“The trust that is built between nations through joint operational activity is paramount to the successful fight against organised crime, and we are committed to working with our domestic and international partners to connect, discover, understand and respond to the threat and harm caused by these illicit activities,” Mr Gray said.

The United States’ Drug Enforcement Administration Sydney Resident Agent-in-Charge, Eric W. Baldus, said, “The seizure of more than 100kg of methamphetamine is a testament to the strong relationships we enjoy with our Australian law-enforcement partners.

“This collaborative approach has repeatedly proven to be a catalyst for success when combating today’s sophisticated transnational drug trafficking organizations.”


*NSFW*:


----------



## poledriver

*Police arrest men in relation to alleged ice smuggling*

Police video shows arrests in relation to their allegations that four Australian men have "likely" worked with drug cartels to smuggle large quantities of ice and cocaine into the country from Mexico and Colombia.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-03/police-arrest-men-in-relation-to-alleged-ice/9115226


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> *NSW man charged with internal importation of Ice*



I come here to see some nice shards as usual and instead I get these bloody balloons.  Yuck!


----------



## poledriver

lol, plenty of shards in the next post tho


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> lol, plenty of shards in the next post tho



That's true, I suppose all is forgiven, haha.


----------



## CFC

poledriver said:


>



OMG! I had a proper pavlovian reaction to that!!! Look at those shards..............


----------



## poledriver




----------



## poledriver




----------



## CFC

So big you could create jewellery out of them


----------



## S.J.B.

My favourite methamphetamine photo is from a National Geographic Drugs Inc. episode:


----------



## poledriver

Yeah that's a pretty cool pic SJB. I dont know about handling it like that though, unless you are a frequent user, otherwise surely it's going to go into your pores and get you wasted? What do you think? A friend was telling me he handled I think he said 50 acid trips and later on he felt like he was tripping. I was sceptical but maybe some of it soaked into him via touch an effected him?

The other thing is it could well not even be meth. I've seen crystals that looked very similar to shard before that wasn't meth. It was some chemical for lowering the chlorine level in large pools. Like council pools. I might try find a pic of it.


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> Yeah that's a pretty cool pic SJB. I dont know about handling it like that though, unless you are a frequent user, otherwise surely it's going to go into your pores and get you wasted? What do you think? A friend was telling me he handled I think he said 50 acid trips and later on he felt like he was tripping. I was sceptical but maybe some of it soaked into him via touch an effected him?
> 
> The other thing is it could well not even be meth. I've seen crystals that looked very similar to shard before that wasn't meth. It was some chemical for lowering the chlorine level in large pools. Like council pools. I might try find a pic of it.



Even with LSD and things like super-potent fentanyl analogues, the general consensus is that it would be very unlikely that you could get intoxicated by absorption through your skin.  If you had a cut on your skin, it might be possible, or maybe if you rubbed your eyes or picked your nose or something like that.  Methamphetamine, however, is approximately two orders of magnitude less potent than LSD, so I don't think you would get intoxicated unless you were deliberately licking your fingers.  However, you would probably get moisture and skin oils on the meth, so gloves would still be a good idea!

In the episode, they go to Mexico and talk with alleged traffickers, and that's where they got this photo from.  Of course, there's no guarantee it wasn't someone pretending to be a Mexican meth dealer just to get on TV, but I think the most likely possibility is that it is in fact methamphetamine.  Considering the scale they make the stuff on in Mexican labs, it wouldn't surprise me that they get crystals that large.


----------



## poledriver

Yeah I agree with all of that. 

Why can't they make crystals that are the size of say, our arm? Fat and long like that. Is there a size limit on meth crystals lol?

I think I've seen the episode before.


----------



## CFC

My first thought was that they were isopropylbenzylamine crystals but since it's NatGeo I doubt they'd be lying.

But he must have several grams just in dust on his hands after handling that :D

And you could make a massive crown jewel from one of those shards!


----------



## S.J.B.

poledriver said:


> Why can't they make crystals that are the size of say, our arm? Fat and long like that. Is there a size limit on meth crystals lol?



It's probably possible.  You would just need a big enough vessel, an extremely slow crystallization, and an atrocious amount of meth, haha.


----------



## poledriver

*Man accused of contaminating baby’s dummy with ice*

A man is facing court today accused of contaminating a baby’s dummy with the drug ice.

A 24-year-old man was arrested in Albury, New South Wales, following a chase just before 9am yesterday after a four-month-old girl was found with the drug in her system.

“Police will allege that the ice was administered to the baby via a contaminated dummy,” Detective Acting Inspector Peter Owen told reporters today.

NSW Health referred the matter to police last week after the baby was admitted to Albury Base Hospital late last month suffering from the effects of the illicit drug.

Pathology tests later revealed amphetamines and methylamphetamine (ice) in her system.

“The baby was in a critical condition for a number of days,” Det. Insp Owen said.

“Following the baby’s release, the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse commenced investigations which yesterday led to the arrest.

“Unfortunately we have seen cases like this before. We have seen cases where children have been malnourished, have had encrypted drugs admitted to them – either recklessly or intentionally.”

The man was taken to Albury police station and charged with using poison to endanger life or inflict grievous harm.

He was refused bail to appear at Albury Local Court today.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2...d-baby-dummy-with-drug-ice?ocid=Social-9NewsS


----------



## poledriver




----------



## poledriver

*'Drug taxis' busted delivering ice to the front door of users*

A 9NEWS investigation has busted a slew of drivers delivering ice and other illegal substances to the front door of customers in Queensland’s south-east.

Just 40 minutes after ordering an methamphetamine or “ice” through an online website, a silver ute arrived and offered an undercover 9NEWS crew the illicit substance.

“Yeah, I’m the ice-man,” the dealer boasts to the camera, before asking “cash bro?”

While the dealer waited for money, 9NEWS phoned the police. By the time authorities arrived at the scene in Brisbane, the man had fled.

In a separate incident, another ice dealer promised a drop-off in the CBD. However, once he had arrived he admitted there were no more drugs left.

“I was just going to re-load and you wanted some,” the dealer told 9NEWS’ Tim Arvier, offering to take the journalist to a nearby hotel.

Criminologist Terry Goldsworthy said modern apps make it hard for police to detect offences; with illicit substances easily available, more people may be tempted by the drug trade.

“I think it presents a real challenge to law enforcement due to the sheer scale of the activities taking place,” Mr Goldsworthy said.

Many dealers advertise illicit substances on popular shopping websites, before using encrypted mobile apps to communicate with customers.

Mr Goldsworthy said that authorities must work with the creators of the sites to combat crime.

“You go back to the owners of the app or the creators of the technology… and see if they're prepared to work with you,” he said. 

Watch the full news bulletin on 9Now

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2...-to-the-front-door-of-users?ocid=social-9News


----------



## poledriver

*Mum, dad, son spend $55,000 on drugs in five monthsMum, dad, son spend $55,000 on drugs in five months*

A KYOGLE mother and her 23-year-old son have told a Lismore court how their spiralling ice addiction saw them and a third person blow an estimated $55,000 on the destructive drug in five months.

Nicola New, 44, and son Richard John Matthews are facing sentencing in Lismore District Court for supply of more than 140g of methamphetamine, and other charges.

Between May and September last year police intercepted phone calls and texts implicating the mother and son alongside Matthews' father Thomas John Kedwell, aka John Matthews, in the purchase of shipments of the drug from Queensland.

Both have pleaded guilty: New to the supply of 141g and Matthews to the supply of 176g.

But during the sentencing hearing yesterday the pair gave evidence that most of the drugs were for personal use.

New, a mother of three, told the court how she had tried the drug occasionally "at parties" but her habit ramped up following a personal tragedy.

By early 2016 the trio were arranging cross-border purchases of between 1.5g and 28g at a time to satiate the habit. Most was used "between the three of us", New told the court.

Matthews said he first tried ice when he was 18 and within a year was using daily. His father condoned and even made drugs "available" once Matthews started down the path.

"Looking back on it, just looking at what it's done to my family, it's been (incredibly) destructive," he said.

The trio were arrested in early September and New and Matthews spent some two months in prison before being released on bail.

Both mother and son had ceased their drug use entirely since their spell in custody and had good prospects for rehabilitation, the court heard.

Matthews, who has a newborn daughter, told Judge Wells he "simply didn't have time to relapse".

Judge Wells has adjourned the final sentencing until today.

https://www.northernstar.com.au/new...ion-cost-trio-55000-in-five-m/3265310/?ref=hs


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Police ‘found 1kg of meth’ after BMW rammed cars*






TWO men have been charged with drug offences after interstate raids allegedly uncovered a cache of methylamphetamine and police cars were rammed by a luxury car in Sydney’s northwest.

The BMW rammed cars with detectives from the NSW Police Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS) when they tried to pull it over in Dundas on Monday afternoon, police said.






A 49-year-old Queensland man was charged with a large commercial drug supply after officers allegedly found one kilogram of meth in the car. Shortly after MEOCS raided a home in Greenacre and charged a 34-year-old man who is alleged to have had supplied the Queensland man with the meth earlier in day. Both men will face court today.

The cross-state investigation by MEOCS detectives and Queensland’s organised crime squad also led to the arrest of two men in Queensland.






At the same time in Queensland, Major and Organised Crime Squad investigators executed search warrants at a home at Acacia Ridge and an automotive repair business at Sunnybank Hills, where they seized 285g of ice, and documentation.

Two further people were arrested by investigators during the Queensland warrants.

MEOCS Commander, Detective Superintendent Peter McErlain, said collaborative law enforcement investigations are key to targeting organised criminal activity in Australia.

“NSW Police Force has strong relationships with our law enforcement partners both here in Australia and abroad, which allows us to track criminal networks across borders,” Det Supt McErlain said.

“By sharing information and working together, we can better understand how illicit businesses are connected, and ensure we intercept their illegal trades and cut deep into their profits.”


Source:https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...s/news-story/301221558b721813066275ac5b1d3792


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Sydney drug bust: Police, DEA smash transnational syndicate*

THREE men have been charged following a joint-agency investigation into alleged conspiracies to import more than $250 million of illicit drugs into Australia.

Strike force detectives, with the assistance of the Tactical Operation Unit, arrested two men at a warehouse at Alexandria, just before 11am yesterday.

A short time later, a third man was arrested outside a home at Coogee.






A 37-year-old Coogee man was charged with two counts of import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, and direct activities of criminal organisation.

The 60-year-old Strathfield man and a 64-year-old Lilyfield man were also charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.






All men have been refused bail to appear at Waverley, Central, and Newtown Local Courts respectively later today.

The maximum penalty for import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs is life imprisonment.

Following the arrests, strike force investigators executed five search warrants at Coogee, Lilyfield, Regents Park, Strathfield, and Zetland, where they seized more than $500,000 cash, ice, mobile phones, and items relevant to the investigation.

A 24-year-old woman was arrested at the Zetland property and charged with deal with property proceeds of crime.

She was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court in January 2018.






Investigators working closely with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and the Australian Federal Police, intercepted 313kg of methylamphetamine (ice) in Panama on 26 October 2017.

This was the largest single-seizure of ‘ice’ in Panamanian history.

Police will allege in court the drugs, which have an estimated potential street value of $133 million, were destined for Australia.

Further investigation revealed an alleged conspiracy to import 300kg of cocaine, which has an estimated potential street value of $120 million, from South America to Sydney.






“Over the past 12 months, NSW Police Force — in partnership and co-operation with local and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies — has uncovered some sophisticated attempts to bring narcotics through our borders and onto the streets of Sydney,” Det Ch Supt Smith said.

“Our joint investigations have ensured these attempts were only attempts; tonnes of these harmful substances have been seized and countless members of criminal syndicates arrested and put before the courts.

“International co-operation in law enforcement and intelligence is not new, but our relationships are stronger than ever, allowing us to reach across the globe to target any crime that may impact on the people of NSW,” Det Ch Supt Smith said.


Source: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...e/news-story/cc04fae453cc7f76af43d45dc72bd337


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Joshua Johnson stole $65,000 worth of diamonds, traded them for ice and $1500 cash*

A man who stole $65,000 worth of diamond rings from a Newcastle jeweller, and then traded it in for methylamphetamine and $1500 cash has been jailed for a maximum of two years.

Joshua Johnson, 25, pleaded guilty to nine charges at Newcastle Local Court, including larceny greater than $15,000, disposing of stolen property, intimidation, armed with intent, stealing and contravening an apprehended violence order. 






Johnson walked into the Michael Hill store at Charlestown Square about 1.25pm on September 24 and started looking in a display cabinet near the entry that contained diamond rings valued at $5000 each, according to a statement of police facts. 

Police said that while the three sales staff members were busy, Johnson reached over the display counter into the cabinet and removed two trays containing 32 diamond rings.

Johnson then ran out of the store and through a car park, according to a statement of police facts. 

The entire incident was captured on CCTV footage and several witnesses saw a man running through the shopping centre, police say.

Police were called and lifted fingerprints from the counter that matched Johnson. 

Staff at Michael Hill performed a stock take and found that the rings stolen were valued at $65,270.

But when he was arrested, Johnson would tell police that he traded the rings in for only a quantity of methylamphetamine and $1500 in cash. 

He said he was in the store for about 15 minutes and wasn't being served when he noticed the cabinet containing the rings was unlocked.

He reached over the counter and removed the trays, which he said contained diamond rings valued at a total of more than $100,000.

He then sold the rings for methylamphetamine and $1500 in cash, the transaction brokered by a friend, who he refused to tell police any details about.

"[Johnson] advised he had been informed that the rings were going to be melted down and, as such, police would not be able to recover any of them," according to a statement of police facts. 

Johnson, who was refused bail after his arrest in October, was jailed for a maximum of two years, with a non-parole period of 16 months on Monday.

Magistrate Ian Cheetham ordered he be eligible for release from custody on February 12, 2019. 

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/joshua-jo...em-for-ice-and-1500-cash-20171205-gzyxjy.html


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Two men jailed for 24 and 26 years for beating and shooting a mother of two and disposing of body in mineshaft*

Brendan Neil subjected his girlfriend Simone Quinlan to a deadly beating in front of friends to punish her for "snitching", after she made a family violence report to police.

The mother of two was viciously kicked, punched and tormented at Neil's Melton home in Melbourne, in August 2015.

The killer and his friends all took ice, and Wayne Marmo sawed off the barrel of a point 22 rifle as the group watched Neil unleash the savage bashing.






Once it appeared Quinlan was dead or dying she was wrapped in a sheet and placed in the tray of Marmo's utility.

Wayne Marmo said to Brendan Neil "he's got to get rid of her, if she's snitched before imagine what she'd do now if he took her to hospital" Justice Jane Dixon recounted in sentencing.

Marmo was described as a "loyal friend" who fired five shots into Quinlan's head as she lay lifeless in the back of his ute.

The 26-year-old dumped Simone's body down a mineshaft in Kangaroo Flat and set it alight.

The judge was critical, telling Marmo: "You were prepared to involve yourself in a murder because of this loyalty."

Marmo washed and torched the vehicle, while Neil sanded his floorboards to remove any blood stains.

Neil contacted Quinlan's family to say the couple had split, in an attempt to avoid any suspicion over the 33-year-old's disappearance.

The court heard in the days leading up to the killing Neil had hit his girlfriend of four months over the head with a baseball bat.

He later convinced Quinlan to withdraw her family violence complaint with police.






Both Neil and Marmo were undergoing community corrections orders at the time of the murder and both men have a history of family violence offending.

Neil pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 26 years behind bars, while Marmo was jailed for 24.

Quinlan's family and friends all wore red in court today to show their support for her.

Mother Lynda said while the sentences would "never be enough", it was what the pair deserved.

"It is better than some of the outcomes I've seen in recent times," Dad Wayne told reporters.

"At the end of the day we've now got a result, something we can look back on and we move forward from that.

"I don't think I or my wife will ever lose the hatred of what they've done because we now have to live with that and our families have to live with that."

The couple said Quinlan's children were still struggling, but had the support of family and friends and were doing the best they could.

Quinlan's brother Troy said it was nice to see justice done against repeat offenders.

"Hopefully this will put a lot more people in the future on notice," he said.


Source: https://www.9news.com.au/national/2...ed-girlfriend-for-reporting-domestic-violence


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Skaf gang rapist Mohamed Ghanem charged in drug sting despite being on parole*

ONE of the men involved in the notorious Skaf gang rapists was out on parole when he was allegedly caught trying to sell one kilogram of ice this week.

And now serious questions are being asked as to why he was out on parole — and why the authorities had removed his electronic monitoring bracelet.

When Mohamed Ghanem was 17 years old, he acted as the “enthusiastic lieutenant” to the abhorrent rapist gang’s ringleader Bilal Skaf in 2000.

After spending 14 years behind bars for the sexual assault of two women in a Greenacre park, Ghanem, now 34, was released in December 2015.






His release was delayed because parole authorities formed the view Ghanem, who only knew adult life behind bars, should be slowly reintegrated into the community through prison release programs.

He also posed a medium-to-high risk of reoffending, the Court of Criminal Appeal heard in 2014.

Despite parole conditions banning him from having contact with “organised crime networks”, police allege Ghanem managed to get his hands on one kilogram of ice to sell in a lucrative drug deal in Greenacre.

The Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad allegedly caught him selling the drugs to a man at the Bankstown Motel 10 on the Hume Highway on Monday afternoon.

When police caught up with Ghanem’s alleged buyer — Queensland businessman Hussein Sarhan — he tried to flee but ended up smashing into several unmarked police cars in Dundas.

Both Sarhan and Ghanem are facing charges of large commercial drug supply.

Corrective Services NSW confirmed Ghanem’s parole for the gang rapes had since been revoked.

Shadow Minister for Corrections Guy Zangari said the revelations raised serious questions about the level of monitoring on Ghanem.

“This is of major concern that someone who is a high risk sex offender is let out on parole and able to allegedly commit this offence,” he said.

“Who is monitoring this guy? Is the system really working?”

Almost two decades ago, Ghanem, who had his electronic monitoring bracelet removed last year, was one of several men involved in the brutal sexual assault of two young women in Greenacre.

One women was crash-tackled, thrown in a bush, held against her will and raped.

The other was dragged to a toilet block and forced to perform oral sex.

Several men were eventually convicted for the assaults of at least seven young women over four weeks in 2000, a series of crimes that terrified Sydney women.

Ghanem was sentenced to 17 years behind bars, with a non-parole period of 12 years, for his role in the Greenacre attacks.

His electronic monitoring was removed last year due to “due to compliance with his case management, reporting obligations and low risk of sexual reoffending”, a Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman said.


Source: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...e/news-story/0f0c4abd1b6b1453016abb21a99873dd


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Australia’s biggest drug bust: Billion dollar meth haul*

A BOAT in Western Australia has played host to Australia’s biggest drug haul.

Eight men have been charged over the $1.04 billion drug bust involving a boat in Geraldton on Thursday and face life in jail if they convicted of drug importation.

The massive drug bust tops a 903kg seizure in Melbourne earlier this year in which the drug was found packed inside the hollowed out floorboards of a sea container.

The joint Western Australian and Federal police operation culminated in a pre-dawn raid on the 16m vessel early yesterday, and the arrest of at least six people. All have all faced the Geraldton Magistrate’s Court charged with possessing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.











It is understood the drug haul could have fetched more than $1 billion if it had been allowed to hit Australian streets.

Police allege a vessel called Valkoista arrived in Geraldton, in WA’s Mid West region, about 2am on Thursday and the drugs were then offloaded into a white van just before 4am.

Officers intercepted the van as it reversed from the dock, allegedly finding 59 bags containing about 20kg of methamphetamine.











Police arrested the three people inside, including a 33-year-old man from southern Sydney and two other men from NSW, aged 38 and 52.

Officers also boarded Valkoista and arrested three crewmen including a 45-year- old man from the NSW Central Coast and two men from South Australia, aged 48 and 44.


A bag containing about 20kg of methamphetamine was found on the vessel. Police believe the drugs originated from China and were destined for the east coast.

A further 20 search warrants were conducted at residential properties in Sydney, the NSW Central Coast and Adelaide.

Two men from South Australia, both aged 37, were later arrested at a Perth hotel.

Charges include importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, and possessing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug reasonably suspected of having been unlawfully imported.

Details of the case were only revealed today after a suppression order which prevented publication of any details surrounding the case was lifted.

The order allowed police to conduct further raids and arrests, including today’s in Perth.

The bust was the culmination of a six-month, multi-agency investigation.


Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/cri...l/news-story/0e0ea75ef788908c4a88223fd33046a0


----------



## Newbie25

I know I’m not from Australia but I was born to a woman who did all sorts of drugs and alcohol while she was pregnant with me and I may not be very smart and I sometimes act like a child I am glad she had me because if she didn’t I wouldn’t have the awesome family that I do


----------



## Jabberwocky

*Campsie meth bust: police find 70 litres of drugs, arrest Hong Kong national*






Police seized a whopping 70L of methylamphetamine from a Campsie home in a raid last week.

A 53-year-old Hong Kong national now faces life imprisonment after he was arrested and charged with knowingly manufacturing a prohibited drug in a greater than large commercial quantity.

The Joint Organised Crime Group has been investigating the man’s alleged involvement in methylamphetamine manufacturing since 2017.

JOCG investigators assisted by NSW Police State Crime Command’s Drug Squad executed the search warrant at the Campsie residence on January 10.

The man has been refused bail to reappear at Burwood Local Court on March 7.

Organised Crime Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Tony Cooke said police were committed to reducing the availability of prohibited drugs on NSW streets.

“This result is a further demonstration of the ability of law enforcement agencies at a State and Commonwealth level to work in partnership to seize drugs and remove them from the community,” Det Supt Cooke said.

“The community has an important role to play in reducing the impact of illicit drugs – you are our eyes and ears, and we want to hear from you if you notice something suspicious.”

The JOCG includes members from the Australian Federal Police, NSW Police, Australian Border Force, Department of Home Affairs, NSW Crime Commission, and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.



Source: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...l/news-story/8fc3b8b9ee896af54c66abb1a403050c


----------



## S.J.B.

noonoo said:


> *Campsie meth bust: police find 70 litres of drugs, arrest Hong Kong national*



What is that, a meth slurry?  Or is it all solid?  Hard to tell from the photo.


----------



## Jabberwocky

S.J.P. said:


> What is that, a meth slurry?  Or is it all solid?  Hard to tell from the photo.



They cook it down to a paste and then reheat etc till it becomes crystalised then people in Australia pay $800 a gram for it thinking it was cooked by Walter White


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## Beentheredone

They are just trying to scare you kids. Doing that kind of shit isn't caused by meth it is caused by being out of your fucking mind. If it really happened at all.


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