Drugs located during mail centre intercept operation
Yesterday, members of the Queensland Police Service, Australian Border Force and Australia Post seized cannabis, methylamphetamine and a variety of performance and image enhancing drugs during a mail centre examination conducted as part of the ongoing Operation Detect.
In May 2017 the Queensland Police Service, in partnership with the Australian Border Force and Australia Post, commenced Operation Detect which forms part of a nationwide operation focused on disrupting and targeting the distribution of dangerous drugs through the domestic mail stream and within the online environment.
Since May 2017, nine separate mail operations have been conducted through the mail gateway facilities resulting in 462 individual detections. This includes the seizure of 25kg of cannabis, 2.12kg of methylamphetamine (‘Ice’), 154g of cocaine, 715 LSD tabs, 170g of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) powder, 1954 MDMA tablets, 1333 pharmaceutical tablets, 2916 performance and image enhancing tablets, four litres of performance and image enhancing liquids, four grams of heroin, 16mg of fentanyl and $61,050 cash.
During yesterday’s operation, 30 separate detections were made. In total, two kilograms of cannabis, 26 grams of methylamphetamine, 30mls of pharmaceutical liquids, 57 pharmaceutical tablets, 150grams of performance and image enhancing drug powder and 1390 mls of performance and image enhancing liquids were detected.
The QPS is committed to a whole of government response to addressing harms associated with the misuse and abuse of both licit and illicit substances in addition to working with partner law enforcement agencies, non-government agencies and the community.
“We recognise the online environment continues to pose challenges for law enforcement globally. Just as offenders evolve in their offending methodology, the QPS is also evolving and adapting our investigative methodologies to disrupt and deter this type of offending,” Detective Superintendent Jon Wacker of the Drug and Serious Crime Group said.
Operation Detect forms just one part of a multi-faceted strategy by the Queensland Police Service to target drug offending. In line with the National Drug Strategy 2017 – 2026 and the Queensland Government ‘Action on Ice’, the Queensland Police Service continues to work with stakeholders and partner law enforcement agencies throughout Australia to address the threat posed by individuals involved in the supply and trafficking of dangerous drugs, including ‘ice’, in the online environment.
“Successfully targeting the problems associated with drug use requires more than a focus on supply reduction by law enforcement. The Queensland Police Service recognises success can only be achieved through the combined efforts of all levels of government, industry, communities, families and individuals themselves,” Superintendent Wacker said.
The Queensland Police Service continues to work with communities to encourage the reporting of criminal activity related to the supply, trafficking and production of illicit drugs.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.
