118 'clan labs' detected in Western Australia in 2009–10

The Australian Crime Commission’s (ACC) Illicit Drug Data Report 2009–10 has revealed 118 clandestine laboratories were detected in Western Australia in 2009–10, an increase of 51 per cent from 2008–09.

“There were 694 clandestine laboratories detected in Australia in 2009–10, 17 per cent of these were located in Western Australia, second only to Queensland,” ACC, Chief Executive Officer John Lawler said.

Mr Lawler launched the ACC’s Illicit Drug Data Report 2009–10 at the Royal Perth Hospital with burns specialist Dr Fiona Wood and Western Australia Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan urging people to consider the physical harms caused by clandestine laboratories.

“The majority (97) of clan labs detected in WA were found to be using the Nazi/Birch method for producing illicit drugs. This method uses highly volatile chemicals including LPG and ammonia gasses which can lead to catastrophic results,” Mr Lawler said.

“The substances used to make illicit drugs in clan labs are toxic, corrosive, explosive and carcinogenic and pose a significant risk to the community, including respiratory problems, severe burns and even death.

“The residue of drug manufacturing can pose risks for many years including damage to the environment through soil and water contamination as well as the disposal of toxic waste in public spaces.”

Western Australia Police provided key data to the report, including information on illicit drug seizures and arrests. Western Australia Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan welcomed the report, which is the 8th edition produced by the ACC.

“Illicit drug use can cause serious injury and disease, lead to unemployment, destroy relationships and damage families, and is a primary driver of organised criminal profit,” Commissioner O’Callaghan said.

“If we want to track and stop these criminals we must understand their market. This report continues to be a major tool in our efforts to address the drug trade and provides government, law enforcement and other stakeholders with a national and jurisdictional picture of the illicit drug market.”

The data collected in the report is sourced from a variety of state and federal agencies, including Western Australia Police, ChemCentre, the Australian Federal Police and Customs and Border Protection.

A copy of the report is available at www.crimecommission.gov.au.

Key findings from Illicit Drug Data Report 2009–10:

• Over 85 000 illicit drug related arrests were made in 2009–10 — the highest in the last decade.
• Drug types that recorded the most substantial increase in arrests over the last decade are cocaine and amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), increasing by 91 per cent and 58 per cent respectively.
• The 63 670 national illicit drug seizures in 2009–10 is the second highest reported in the last decade.
• Over 7.8 tonnes of illicit drugs were seized nationally in 2009–10.
• A record 694 clandestine laboratories were detected — an increase of 55 per cent from 2008–09 and 245 per cent since 2000–01.

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