1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/01/2002   
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Contents >> Crime and Justice >> Drug offences

The traffic in and abuse of illicit drugs results in significant costs to individuals and the community. To minimise the harm associated with illicit drug activity there is close cooperation between the Commonwealth Government, the State and Territory Governments, the various police services and other law enforcement agencies. Included in these is the Australian Customs Service, which has responsibility for the enforcement of laws controlling importing and exporting of illicit drugs. These agencies direct particular attention to monitoring the popularity of the various types and forms of illicit drugs and identifying emerging patterns of use through the analysis of law enforcement data on illicit drug seizures and arrests.

As table 11.11 shows, in 1999-2000 by far the largest category of drug offenders involved cannabis offences, with 55,480 offenders (67% of the national total). The next largest category of offenders involved heroin offences, with 11,223 offenders (14% of the national total).

Information on the widespread problems arising from drug abuse in Australia, and on how these problems are being approached, is presented in the Australian Illicit Drug Report produced by the Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence.


11.11 TOTAL OFFENDERS, By Drug Type - 1 July 1999 to 30 June 2000

Drug type
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
Aust.(a)(b)

Cannabis
14,121
7,419
13,654
11,789
6,798
799
900
n.a.
55,480
Cocaine
356
43
23
5
6
-
-
n.a.
433
Heroin
3,782
5,952
644
326
495
9
15
n.a.
11,223
Amphetamine
2,786
1,140
2,158
743
1,104
28
124
n.a.
8,083
Hallucinogens
68
-
79
62
72
1
8
n.a.
290
Steroids
45
-
22
-
-
1
6
n.a.
74
Other drugs
2,335
2,431
1,304
264
403
44
31
n.a.
6,812
Total
23,493
16,985
17,884
13,189
8,878
882
1,084
n.a.
82,395

(a) Excludes Australian Federal Police drug arrests data.
(b) Excludes data for the Australian Capital Territory.

Source: Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence, Australian Illicit Drug Report, 1999-2000.



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