The ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign – designed to target Australia’s supply of illicit drugs including methylamphetamine (ice), cocaine, MDMA, heroin and cannabis – saw an 18 per cent increase in drug-related information reports to Crime Stoppers.
The campaign, which ran for two months, launched in January and rolled out in 14 other locations including Fairfield.
During each launch, police and Crime Stoppers conducted community-engagement activities to encourage members of the public to report information about prohibited drugs.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar thanked the community for getting behind the campaign which saw a 17 per cent increase in amphetamine-related information reports.
“Since the launch of ‘Dob in a Dealer’, police across the state have been working hard to educate the community on the dangers of prohibited drugs, which is why it was so positive to see the calls coming in from members of the public,” Assistant Commissioner Cassar said.
“On behalf of all police, I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to provide that information and I can assure you that we will continue to do everything we can to reduce the availability of prohibited drugs and minimise the harm it can cause.
“It is important to remember that prohibited drugs can impact on people from all socio-economic backgrounds and spans the entire geography of this state.
“That’s why it is so important that people across NSW are doing their bit to help rid our communities of illicit substances, and I urge anyone with information to continue to come forward, as every piece of information can help solve crimes and reduce drug activity.”
In the last year, cocaine consumption in NSW has increased, almost doubling in Sydney. In addition, NSW has the highest recorded heroin usage in Australia.
Data from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commissioner’s National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program also shows the ongoing ‘ice’ problem across the country.
Crime Stoppers NSW chief executive Peter Price said the events were well received in all the locations they visited with one common goal: “to create safer communities.”
“While we are pleased with the initial success of the campaign, we would like to continue to see an ongoing increase in the reporting of drug-related crimes,” Mr Price said.
“Drug-related offences not only costs millions of dollars in healthcare and law enforcement, but tragically and unnecessarily it costs human lives.”
At the launch in February, Fairfield City Police Area Commander, Superintendent Peter Lennon said: “Drugs in the local community – ice, cannabis – are really starting to cause a lot of problems for our youth and for our adults.”
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