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Editors --- "Drugs fight stepped up with launch in Eastern Region of mobile strike teams" [1998] AUFPPlatypus 18; (1998) 59 Platypus: Journal of the Australian Federal Police, Article 6


Drugs fight stepped up with launch in Eastern Region of mobile strike teams

The fight against the illicit drug trade in Australia was stepped up in April when Justice Minister Senator Amanda Vanstone launched the first three of the AFP's mobile strike teams established after the federal government's announcement late last year of a $20 million funding commitment for the AFP as part of its ‘Tough on Drugs' strategy.

The first of the strike teams was already operational when Senator Vanstone made the official launch with Deputy Commissioner Adrien Whiddett at the AFP's Eastern Region office in Sydney. The second team began operations the same month while the third will be active by July. Three more teams are being established in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne.

"These first three teams in Sydney increase AFP agent numbers by 54," Senator Vanstone said.

There was no doubt that drugs are one of the most serious social problems confronting our community, she said.

"When you consider that just one 300g block of heroin about the size of an adult's hand can be ‘cut' into more than 6,000 ‘hits' or ‘deals' capable of killing a user, the potential spread and impact of the drug problem is horrifying," the Minister said.

"This puts into stark contrast the significance of seizures like the 78kg of heroin in Sydney last year which represented something in the order of 1.5 million ‘hits'.

"While the AFP, in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies has had significant success over the past year, these new strike teams will boost efforts to dismantle the higher level drug syndicates involved in illicit drug importation."

The teams will be deployed throughout Australia and will assist in targeting and proactively investigating major drug syndicates operating anywhere in Australia. They will be intelligence driven and will provide a flexible response capacity in the attack against all aspects of a drug syndicate's operation including financing, transportation, distribution networks and money laundering. They will be able to react quickly to the changing operational circumstances which are a common feature of the drug trade.

National Coordinator for the Strike Teams, Federal Agent Ray Tinker, said the teams would complement other operational areas of the AFP.

While fighting illegal drug trafficking has long been an area of great vigilance in AFP operations, the strike teams will enhance this capability so that the organisation can focus on a more pro-active role in its mission to target high level importers and traffickers, Federal Agent Tinker said.

People deployed on the teams would bring a breadth of knowledge and experience with them, he said.

The AFP has people who are flexible, adaptable and multi-skilled, risk-takers yet cautious, who have honesty and integrity, and who are willing to take the next step.

Coordinating operations will present significant challenges, Federal Agent Tinker said.

"Some of these people [in the illicit drug trade] only do one importation a year, so you have to be constantly juggling jobs and be where we should be at the right time." [International drug cartels export up to hundreds of kilos of illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine at a time.]

The AFP's International team plays a strong support role, particularly with overseas liaison. Further enhancement of this role was also announced in the second phase of the Tough on Drugs strategy with $5.978 million over four years being allocated for new AFP overseas posts.

Authorities say the posts will be established in key drug transit countries in the East Asian region, closing gaps in Australia's capacity to combat international trafficking directed to this country. The posts will be positioned to head off any emerging problems of drug trafficking and strengthen cooperation with other law enforcement agencies in the region.

Also part of the government's second instalment of the National Illicit Drug Strategy was the establishment of the Australian National Council on Drugs with Commissioner Palmer being appointed Deputy Chairman. The Council will bring together a wide range of community representatives with experience in dealing with all aspects of the illicit drugs problem.


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