The Queensland Police Service (QPS) and the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) have today announced a collaboration as work continues to identify traffickers and suppliers of a dangerous drug which has caused people to hallucinate and act violently on the Gold Coast, Queensland Police say.
South Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd said the QPS and the CCC would work together to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people living on and visiting the Gold Coast.
"Over the last few days, we have seen a number of people have significant adverse reactions to this drug. Many of those people ended up in hospital and one young man remains in a critical condition," Assistant Commissioner Codd said.
"Our message today is simple: all illicit drugs are dangerous and you should not take them under any circumstances.
"Taking dangerous drugs has the potential to cause serious harm and possibly even death.
"The impact of drug use on individuals, their loved ones and the community can be devastating – and we have seen this first hand on the Gold Coast recently."
State Crime Command’s Drug and Serious Crime Group Detective Superintendent Jon Wacker said the QPS would continue to work with its law enforcement partners to prevent these drugs from hitting the streets.
"Drugs are manufactured locally and internationally and this is something we need to address at all levels," Detective Superintendent Wacker said.
"We need to have the strategies in place to disrupt their supply, but we also need to infiltrate the networks using intelligence.
"An approach using our combined efforts and commitment is the most effective way to apprehend those who seek to spread drugs across the community."
The CCC’s Executive Director Crime Kathleen Florian said the CCC would use its coercive powers to assist the QPS to identify the traffickers and suppliers of this drug and to remove it from circulation.
"The CCC has always used its coercive hearings powers to identify criminal syndicates responsible for supplying and trafficking dangerous drugs in Queensland," Ms Florian said.
"Although the CCC does not usually speak publicly about its crime or intelligence operations, on this occasion we felt it was important to inform the public and those supplying this drug that we will use coercive hearings to try and identify you, and we warn suppliers who may still be holding the drug not to release it further into the community."
CCC intelligence has shown for a number of years drug use peaks on the Gold Coast during motorsport events.
"We have a message for anyone who may be tempted to continue to profit from the supply of this dangerous drug," Ms Florian said.
"We are actively pursuing you. If you supply the drug further, you may be identified by the QPS and CCC and it is likely you’ll face serious criminal charges, particularly if users suffer harm as a result of your drug supplying."
Anyone with information which could assist with this matter should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.
