71 'clan labs' detected in South Australia in 2009–10

The Australian Crime Commission’s (ACC) Illicit Drug Data Report 2009–10 has revealed 71 clandestine laboratories were detected in South Australia in 2009–10.

South Australia reported an increase in clan lab detections in 2009–10 rising nine per cent from 65 in 2008–09, and a total increase of 195 per cent since 2000–01.

“There were 694 clandestine laboratories detected in Australia in 2009–10, 10 per cent of these were located in South Australia,” 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 substances used to make illicit drugs such as MDMA and Methylamphetamine in illicit clan labs are toxic, corrosive, explosive, carcinogenic and pose a significant risk to the community, including respiratory problems, severe burns and even death,” Mr Lawler said.

“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.”

South Australia Police provided key data to the report, including information on illicit drug seizures and arrests. South Australia Police Assistant Commissioner (Crime) Grant Stevens welcomed the report, which is the 8th edition produced by the ACC.

“Illicit drug use harms individuals and families, while drug-related crimes impact the whole community,” Mr Stevens said.

“It is a concern that despite all the warnings about the extreme dangers of clandestine drug laboratories, people still engage in this highly dangerous practice, often in residential areas.

“Often organised crime groups are involved in the manufacture of illegal drugs. SAPOL continue to target these criminals and their associates to disrupt their business and stop the flow of money and illegal goods that fuel this insidious business.”

The Illicit Drug Data Report has become a key tool in the fight against illicit drug use, by providing government, law enforcement and relevant stakeholders with a national picture of the illicit drug market.

South Australia statistics are drawn from data provided by South Australia Police, Forensic Science South Australia, 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 throughout Australia — an increase of 55 per cent from 2008–09 and 245 per cent since 2000–01.

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