In the Australian city of Melbourne, paramedics were called to respond to 592 cases of crystal meth usage during 2011-2012. In the 2010-2011 year, city paramedics dealt with 282 cases of crystal meth, and 136 cases in 2009-2010.
Officials say that the calls for crystal meth problems spike during the weekends.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Australia has the highest price of meth in the world, with a gram costing $614.
Source: AAP, “Meth use doubles across Melbourne: report,” Sydney Morning Herald, May 14, 2013.
There are around 2,200 online gambling websites that illegally provide gambling services to customers in Australia, according to government officials.
The customers lose an estimated $1.04 Billion (1 Billion Australian Dollars) in illegal online gambling activities.
Source: Asher Moses, “Online apps take bite of illegal betting,” Age, April 1, 2013.
A survey of drug users in Australia found that 60 percent of cocaine users in the country had above-average income, with 25 percent earning over $103,000 (100,000 Australian).
The price of cocaine in Australia was reported to be $310 (300 AUS), with “luxury” cocaine being sold for $415 to $466 (400 to 450 AUS). The luxury cocaine is sold with the promise of having a higher quality, and most of the users who purchased the more expensive cocaine stated that it was worth it.
Source: Kate Hagan, “Paying through the nose for cocaine,” The Age, March 19, 2013.
In 2011 and 2012, Australian Customs Officials seized over 700 packages of counterfeit drugs. The number seized during each of the two years is significantly higher than the 262 packages of fake drugs seized by Customs in 2009-2010.
The fake drugs consisted of counterfeit erectile dysfunction pills and pills to assist with weight loss and tanning.
Source: Nick Taylor, “Australia reports jump in fake drug cases,” March 18, 2013.
There were 705 opioid deaths in Australia in 2010, nearly doubled the 360 deaths in 2007.
In 2008, there were 500 people in Australia between the ages of 15 to 54 who died from accidentally overdosing of prescription opioids.
Source: Mellissa Davey, “Death toll rises as prescription drug abuse grows,” Age, March 17, 2013.
The Australian Crime Commission reported that up to 54 percent of all drug labs discovered in Australia between 2001 to 2011 were located in the state of Queensland. Most of the clandestine labs were found in residential areas.
In 2012, security officials seized nearly 25 kilograms of precursor chemicals from entering the country and its way to drug labs.
Source: Marissa Calligeros, “Wasted Lives: the lucrative, illicit trade,” Brisbane Times, March 10, 2013.
A kilogram of cocaine that is produced in South America costs between $1,000 to $2,000. It is then smuggled across the Pacific Ocean to Bali, Indonesia, where it is sold to drug traffickers at a price between $20,000 to $90,000.
The cocaine is then sold to Australia for it is sold for $250,000.
Source: Kathryn Bonella, “The darker side of Bali: Drugs, mules and tourism,” CNN, February 25, 2013.
According to a news article, the price of a fake Australian Passport on the Internet is $806 (600 Euros). For an extra $268 (200 Euros), the website will include fake ID cards and driver licenses.
A fake diploma from a university in Australia is being sold online for $249.
Source: Asher Moses, “Identities for sale: fake documentation on the rise,” Sydney Morning Herald, January 26, 2013.
The World Wildlife Fund estimates that up to 100,000 green turtles are killed and smuggled each year in the waters of Indonesia and Australia.
The turtles are considered a delicacy among the people of Bali.
In 2012, wildlife protection officials broke up 80 smuggling attempts where green turtles were being illegally brought into the island.
Back in the late 1970s, up to 30,000 green turtles were being killed and eaten in Bali.
Source: Luh De Suriyani, “Green turtle smuggling continues,” Jakarta Post, Bali Daily, January 21, 2013.
Between 2001 and 2012, at least 1,000 people have died by drowning in the waters between Indonesia and Australia as they were attempting to be smuggled into Australia to receive asylum.
Human smuggling activities is active in the waters off of Australia due to its asylum policy. In 2012, law enforcement officers in Australia broke up 65 human smuggling operations involving 2,900 people.
Source: Peter Hirschberg, “Australia in Sri Lanka Talks to Curb People Smuggling, Carr Says,” Bloomberg, December 16, 2012.
