ACIC report reveals West Aussies among the biggest meth users in the nation

Meth consumption in regional WA is among the highest in the nation. The alarming find, contained in a new report from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, has prompted fears the State is being flooded with high levels of the drug not seen since before the COVID pandemic. The ACIC’s National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program report, released on Wednesday, shows a staggering 16.5 tonnes of meth, cocaine, heroin and MDMA was consumed across Australia between August 2022 and August 2023. That represents a 17 per cent increase from the previous year. There was also a 1.5-tonne increase in meth consumption nationwide. The report reveals WA had the highest average regional consumption of meth — better known as ice — in Australia, while Adelaide had the highest average capital city consumption. The report also reveals WA’s meth consumption rate surged 40 per cent — the biggest increase in the country. More than 1.3 tonnes of the drug was consumed in WA in 2022-23, up from 944kg the previous year. Just as alarming is the fact $12.4 billion was spent on meth, cocaine, MDMA and heroin nationwide between August 2022 and August 2023, with meth accounting for 85 per cent of that spend. Regional WA police officers — who spoke to The West Australian this week on the condition of anonymity — confirmed meth use in their small towns was having a huge effect on people. “It is now touching a significant number of people within our community,” one regional officer said. “The reach that this drug (meth) has is unbelievable, and the dealers who are selling it are preying on the addiction it creates.” In an interview with The West Australian, ACIC principal adviser Shane Neilson and director of drugs and data collection Amber Migus confirmed meth use in WA was back to pre-COVID levels. “There has been an increase in meth consumption in Western Australia in regional areas for the past two years,” Mr Neilson said. Mr Neilson said the 1.5-tonne jump in meth usage across Australia was a major worry. “That’s our major concern nationally,” he said. “That’s a real concern, an increase of that magnitude over the 12 months.” The ACIC report noted crime gangs who are flooding Australia with drugs were becoming increasingly sophisticated. “The groups engaged in illicit drug trafficking and production have no regard for our laws or the harms their trade causes. They are highly capable, well-resourced, resilient and increasingly transnational,” the report warned. More than 60 wastewater treatment plants — including seven in WA — were analysed for the report. Those facilities cover 57 per cent of Australia’s population. Police Minister Paul Papalia told The West meth use in WA had dropped by about a third when compared to 2016 when it “peaked” under the former Liberal government. “In addition to incredible drug-suppression operations being carried out by the WA Police Force, Labor’s hard borders severed bikie-controlled drug supply chains during the pandemic, seeing meth consumption plummet,” he said. “We will continue to look at ways to further reduce the harm this abhorrent drug causes.”