Featured Image Credit: Science Photo Library / Alamy Stock Photo. redbrickstock.com / Alamy Stock Photo
Charisa Bossinakis
Ah, Sydney you’ve officially been crowned as the cocaine capital of Australia.
Sydneysiders, you really do enjoy the finer things in life.
While Australia's overall use of illegal drugs dropped by about 10 per cent in the year to last August, nose candy is still going strong in Emerald City.
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According to the latest findings from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, Sydney recorded the most cocaine use in all the Australian capital cities in April 2022.
Acting Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (AACIC) CEO Matt Rippon said drug use nationwide was a ‘concerning amount’, as per 9News.
"The findings show methylamphetamine continues to be the most consumed illicit stimulant by some margin.
"We also saw record low national consumption of cocaine."
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He added that the low consumption of white powder was due to police seizures that had limited the supply, as nothing indicated the demand had slowed down.
Greg Denham, a former Victoria police senior sergeant, told Sydney Criminal Lawyers that detection and seizures had minimal impact on the long-term availability of drugs.
“At most 10 to 15 per cent of drugs are seized by law enforcement. And where there has been a shortage created by a drug bust, it usually has only short-term effects,” he said.
In the latest wastewater analysis, it revealed Melbourne is the MDMA capital of Australia, while regional Queensland had the biggest snorters of ketamine.
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Adelaide had the highest use of ice (methamphetamine) and Hobart is now the oxycodone capital of the country.
Last year, data from NSW’s Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BCSR) showed that cocaine arrests were at an all-time high.
The research found that December 2021 saw a spike, with 275 arrests for cocaine usage across the state. A third of those arrests occurred in the Sydney CBD.
Talk about a white Christmas.
This was supported by last year’s findings in the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, which showed that the white tornado hurled its way through the city more than any other place in Australia.
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AACIC Chief Executive Michael Phelan said that increase was most likely attributed to the booming drug supply post the Covid-19 disruption, according to Daily Mail.
“Organised crime groups have redoubled their efforts to supply the major illicit drug markets as Covid restrictions eased, generating significant illicit revenue, but they continue to face challenges, not least from law enforcement agencies,” he said.
“Our report helps address harmful drug consumption through improving knowledge about these influences so that tailored supply, demand and harm reduction efforts can be developed and implemented by decision makers on a range of drug and public health issues.”