$224.5 Million (260 Million Australian) of drugs was seized in Australia in 2009. Marijuana was that largest drugs seized, with $164 Million (191 Million Australian) worth of cannabis seized by police.

Source:  Peter Hawkins, “Ecstasy use up as police seize drugs worth $260m,” Sydney Morning Herald, February 7, 2010.

Between the years 2000 to 2008, 105 Australians died from taking Ecstasy.

Source:  Lisa Mayoh, “Ecstasy tablets kills more Australians,” Sunday Mail, January 31, 2010.

Between August 2008 to October 2009, around 40 boats carrying 2,000 people were intercepted while traveling to Australia from Indonesia.  Many of those attempting to be smuggled were from Sri Lanka or Afghanistan.

Source:  Naila Firdausi and Achmad Sukarsono, “Indonesia, Australia Boost Cooperation Against People Smuggling,” Bloomberg, October 20, 2009.

11 percent of adults between the ages of 20-29 in Australia use illegal drugs.

Source: Jacquelin Magnay, “Elite athletes use recreational drugs despite tests,”Sydney Morning Herald, October 9, 2009.

The Australian Government lost 50 Million ($42 Million US) in potential tax revenue to cigarette smuggling in 2008.

Source:  Daily Telegraph, “Illegal cigarettes being smuggled into Australia,” News.com.au, September 7, 2009.

Australia is the second largest market for pirated movies in the Asia-Pacific region. According to the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft, Australia losses $193 Million (233 Million Australian) to movie piracy.

Source:  Janet Fife-Yeomans, “Pirating movies is ‘more lucrative than heroin’,” August 25, 2008.

The cost of illegal drugs to Australia is estimated to be $5.5 Billion (6.7 Billion Australian Dollars) every year.

Source:  David Collins, Helen Lapsley and Robert Marks, “Illicit drugs damage Australian business,” Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, March 2007, page 4.

Up to 1,000 people are trafficked into Australia each year, according to various estimates compiled by Voice of America.  90 percent of those trafficked into the country is for sexual purposes.

Source:  Phil Mercer, “Asian Police Join to Combat Trafficking of Sex Slaves,” Voice of America News, June 27, 2009.