Drugs suppliers and users beware, you will be caught!

Good work by the Queensland Police Service and important government programs have seen Queensland maintain its reputation as having the toughest stance against drugs, Minister for Police Judy Spence said today.

“Queensland police arrest more people for drugs and find more drug labs than any other state in Australia,” Ms Spence said.

“A recent Australian Crime Commission report shows 32, 857 people were arrested in Queensland in 2005-06 for drug offences, with 4,797 of those arrested for providing drugs to other people.

“New South Wales recorded the second highest number of arrests with 12,343.

“Queensland police also detected almost three times more clandestine drug labs than any other state or territory, finding 161 labs in 2005-06.

“Queensland police have continued the good work this year with 27, 812 people arrested for drug offences and 115 drug labs located to the end of April,” Ms Spence said.

Ms Spence said the opposition’s use of these figures to label Queensland the drug capital of Australia proves their inability to recognise the excellent work police are doing in the fight against drugs.

“Police are using superior resources and intelligence to produce these results,” Ms Spence said.

The Queensland Government has also introduced a number initiatives to help fight the production and consumption of drugs.

“Queensland police and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia launched Project STOP in April 2006 in a bid to monitor the sales of medicines containing pseudoephedrine at chemists,” Ms Spence said.

“More than 90 per cent of Queensland pharmacists are using the Project STOP database and already 46 people have been charged with offences arising from the project.

“I urged my state and territory counterparts at the Australasian Police Ministers’ Council last November to adopt Project STOP and I am happy to report the project will be rolled out nationally by the middle of this year,” Ms Spence said.

Queensland police are also involved in the National Drug Strategy initiative, ‘Putting the Breaks on Speed’ which encourages the community and chemical suppliers to report all suspicious behaviour or purchases of chemicals used in the production of amphetamines.

“I congratulate the members of the Queensland Police Service, the Pharmaceutical Guild of Australia, the National Drug Strategy and the community for their contributions in the fight against illicit drugs,” Ms Spence said.

“I can say with confidence people who grow, manufacture, sell or use drugs in Queensland will be caught.”

Media Contact: Troy Davies 3239 6218, 0439 673 287