Australasian Biker News
Bikie gangs behind our drug trade
12:00a.m. 6 March 2008
| By Blythe Seinor
Outlaw motorcycle gangs are choosing to set up camp on the Sunshine
Coast with the specific intention of manufacturing and distributing
drugs.
The information from Coast police comes on the same day as a new UN
report naming Queensland as the drug capital of Australia.
Police Superintendent Ben Hanbidge said illicit drug use was no worse on
the coast than anywhere else in the state, but said bikie gangs were big
players in the local drug trade.
“Outlaw motorcycle gangs are strategically located throughout the North
Coast region and the Sunshine Coast for very specific purposes, one of
which would be the distribution of amphetamines,” Supt Hanbidge said.
“It’s for this reason that Sunshine Coast police and police throughout
the north coast region have commenced an ongoing target of enforcement
against outlaw motorcycle gangs.”
But he said illicit drug use was a problem everywhere, not just on the
Sunshine Coast.
“We’ve certainly seen an increase in the number of arrests for
drug-related matters but it’s probably more so because of increased
enforcement carried out by police, rather than increased drug use,” Supt
Hanbidge said.
“But certainly with the use of drugs such as ecstasy there seems to be a
mindset amongst young people that this form of drug is not as harmful as
others, which is totally incorrect.
“The fact remains that it is an extremely dangerous drug with lethal
consequences.”
Yesterday, detectives from the North Coast Region and State Crime
Operations Command in partnership with the Australian Crime Commission
arrested 16 people as part of a major police investigation targeting
illicit drug supply on the Sunshine Coast.
Seventy police officers were involved in Operation Echo Coma which
involved the execution of 22 search warrants on the Sunshine Coast,
Brisbane and Ormeau.
Police seized more than $24,000 in cash suspected of being proceeds of
crime as well as a range of illicit drugs including MDMA tablets
(ecstasy), methylamphetamine, cannabis and steroids with a street value
of approximately $50,000.
A concealable firearm and ammunition were also seized.
Police laid 37 criminal charges including supply of a dangerous drug,
possession of a dangerous drug (exceeding scheduled amounts), possession
of an unlicensed concealable firearm and possession of money suspected
of being the proceeds of crime.
Detective Inspector Marty Mickelson from the State Drug Investigation
Unit said the operation focused on a number of people suspected by
police of being involved or associated with the sale and supply of
illicit drugs on the Sunshine Coast.
“This is the second major police operation targeting drugs on the Coast
in as many weeks,” Detective Inspector Mickelson said.
“Our activities here today, combined with the ongoing efforts by local
police, send a clear message to people involved in the drug scene here
on the coast that their activities are constantly being monitored and it
is only a matter of time until they get caught up in one of our ongoing
operations,” he said.
Detective Acting Superintendent John Maloney, North Coast Regional Crime
Coordinator, is encouraging members of the public to keep reporting
these sorts of illegal activities to police.
“Once again, valuable information from the community has played a
significant part in assisting police in identifying those people
involved in the supply and use of illicit drugs here on the Sunshine
Coast,” he said.
A number of those arrested appeared in the Maroochydore and Beenleigh
Magistrates Courts yesterday with the remaining people issued with
notices to appear in court at Maroochydore at a later date.
Police encourage anyone with information about the production,
distribution and supply of drugs to provide information to Crime
Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Just last month 43 people were charged after a series of raids on the
coast netted over $100,000 worth of drugs including ecstasy, cocaine and
LSD.
One of the sheds raided at Kuluin was believed to be owned by the Rebels
Motorcycle gang.
The report from the UN drug watchdog, International Narcotics Control
Board, found amphetamine and marijuana use in Australia was among the
highest in the world.
“In Australia, Queensland seems to be the base of (amphetamine)
clandestine manufacturing, which supplies the whole country,” the report
said.
The report prompted Premier Anna Bligh to vow to get even tougher on
drug traffickers.
I thought it worth posting this comment published in the same paper
Posted by Jason from Pomona
on 6 March, 2008 at 7:21 a.m.
Not long ago there was public outrage at alcohol fuelled violence on the
coast. The State government responded that they didn't have the
resources to permanently place police in known violent trouble spots
such as Alex state park. Instead we get drug busts (as I predicted) and
tough on drugs announcements. However nothing changes.
Drug busts simply weed out the competition in the supply market. The
profits are so high that there is a steady stream of people willing to
take over when the police bust someone. It's a vicious cycle, we've had
prohibition for over 70 years and not once has the overall illicit drug
supply been dampened let alone stopped. If anything some of the drugs
have gotten worse, methylamphetamine is truly a vile drug.
Supt Hanbidge needs to read the scientific literature on MDMA, his
hysteria is not backed up by the facts or reality. Problems with MDMA
are more effectively dealt with as a health issue not a law enforcement
issue.
These drug operations cost millions and will be repeated year after year
after year. The fact remains that the vast majority of drug busts
involve small amounts of cannabis. Take the profits out of the market
and you'll break the back of the organised crime gangs that control the
markets.
They could start with cannabis. Leave cannabis as a prohibited drug but
have a formal no enforcement policy. If bikies are supplying pot to fund
illegal activity the police can bust them, if people are dealing to
children or on the street, they can be busted. If an individual grows a
handful of plants in their backyard, they're left alone. If a small
business like a cafe grows pot and sells it in a responsible manner to
the public, they are left alone. It's time to try something that's less
expensive and that might actually work. Prohibition as a policy is an
expensive failure.