THE COMMONWEALTH LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT METHAMPHETAMINE DISRUPTION STRATEGY To disrupt the supply of methamphetamine (including ‘ice’) and its precursors to Australia. September 2017 Contact officer for this report Purpose of the Strategy Commander David Bachi The Commonwealth Law Enforcement Manager International Strategy International Engagement Australian Federal Police Methamphetamine Disruption Strategy provides a framework for the Australian Government’s international engagement Chair to encourage interdepartmental cooperation towards disrupting the supply Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee of crystal methamphetamine and its National Manager International Operations precursors into Australia. Australian Federal Police EGY T RA T ION S ION T AMINE DISRUP AMINE T Agencies/departments that contributed to the Strategy: Lead agency HAMPHE T ME T Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet IONAL ENGAGEMEN IONAL T Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ERNA Department of Health T IN T AUSTRAC Department of Defence Department of Immigration and Border Protection H LAW ENFORCEMEN LAW H T THE COMMONWEAL THE Foreword Methamphetamine usage continues to rise, with The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has since led an Australia the highest per capita consumer in the world. inter-agency Working Group to identify ways to more Methamphetamine consumption has tripled in Australia effectively disrupt the supply of methamphetamine to in the past five years to around 270,000 users. Seizures Australia, including development of this strategy, along of methamphetamine and its precursor chemicals have with a classified version. increased rapidly, but high prices indicate that domestic A review of existing international engagement and demand in Australia remains strong, as demonstrated activities, undertaken in 2016, identified that, while by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s extensive international activities and training programs wastewater analysis, which confirmed that of the were already underway, more can still be done by substances analysed, methamphetamine is the highest Commonwealth agencies to better coordinate their consumed illicit drug across all regions of Australia. activities and operations in Australia, and overseas. Increased usage in Australia is part of growing global This international engagement strategy sets out twelve demand for methamphetamines. In the Indo Pacific priority actions that cut across four pillars of activity, to region, India and China are major sources of chemical better focus and align agencies’ resources and effort. precursors used in methamphetamine production; Implementing these actions will leverage the skills and China and Myanmar are major producers, and Mekong capabilities of a number of Commonwealth agencies countries are significant transit points. Organised to ensure a more coordinated and effective approach criminal groups control the trade, with links between to disrupting the supply of methamphetamines and organised crime groups in Asia, Mexico and West Africa precursors into Australia. becoming more established. The trade is dynamic, with new source and transit countries emerging, most This strategy will ensure Commonwealth disruption recently the Philippines. efforts are focussed, effective and that they adapt to changes in methamphetamine production and In response to these challenges, this Government trafficking. The Government will continue to strongly established the National Ice Taskforce in 2015. The Final support our law enforcement agencies in their pursuit Report of the National Ice Taskforce recommended of international criminal organisations seeking to Commonwealth agencies strengthen international target Australia with imports of illicit drugs, particularly engagement and coordination to disrupt the supply methamphetamine, including ‘ice’. of methamphetamine to Australia. The work of the Taskforce also informed the Council of Australian Governments’ (CoAG) National Ice Action Strategy (NIAS), that calls for development of an international supply disruption strategy. Minister for Justice The Hon. Michael Keenan MP 1 THE STRATEGY This Strategy provides the framework for the Australian Government’s international engagement to disrupt the supply of crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’) and its precursors to Australia. It identifies the international engagement that Australian Government agencies will support as part of implementation of the NIAS. Australia’s international engagement to disrupt the supply of methamphetamine will leverage existing programs and resources while ensuring their complementarity across government agencies to deliver more effective and targeted outcomes. Efforts will be focussed across four cross-cutting pillars as follows: EGY T 1 Understand the 2 Enhance law enforcement and RA T international environment. border security cooperation. ION S ION T The first step in disrupting the international Australian Government agencies will reinforce methamphetamine trade is to understand the dynamic cooperation between law enforcement agencies, both production and distribution mechanisms used by domestically and internationally, to disrupt the supply AMINE DISRUP AMINE T organised criminal groups. of methamphetamine and precursors before they reach Australia. Australian Government agencies will reinforce and build HAMPHE T on existing information sharing arrangements with Agencies will look for further opportunities for joint ME T international partners such as INTERPOL and Europol operations, collaboration and high-level strategic to develop criminal intelligence assessments focussing agreements with priority countries. on the convergence of organised crime groups. This will Agencies are already establishing innovative approaches underpin the enhanced efforts to disrupt these groups to joint law enforcement partnerships in the Asia-Pacific and the methamphetamine trade. IONAL ENGAGEMEN IONAL region, for example, with Thailand (Taskforce Storm), T Working with counterpart law enforcement agencies in Cambodia (Strike Force Dragon) and China (Taskforce ERNA T IN mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Mekong Blaze). These arrangements are led by the AFP. T region is a priority focus of the strategy. Australian The death penalty for drug offences, where implemented Government agencies will also seek to better understand by other countries, may limit the breadth of law the impact on the supply of methamphetamine and enforcement engagement and information exchange in precursors to Australia from Mexico, Malaysia, the some cases. Australia opposes the death penalty in all H LAW ENFORCEMEN LAW H T Philippines, India, Iran, Germany, the Netherlands, situations and is committed to protecting individuals of Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Pacific Islands. any nationality from the death penalty where possible. The Australian Government will continue to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. THE COMMONWEAL THE 2 3 Targeted capacity building and 4 Maximise advocacy and capability development. political engagement. Law enforcement and border security cooperation Sustained engagement on methamphetamine trafficking is complemented by activities to build capacity with decision-makers and key officials is critical to and develop the capabilities of partner agencies to building political support and obtaining buy-in from disrupt methamphetamine production and trafficking. governments for law enforcement cooperation efforts. These programs are delivered by several Australian The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will register Government agencies. the need for greater bilateral cooperation with foreign AFP, Department of Immigration and Border Protection, governments to disrupt the supply of methamphetamine and its operational arm Australian Border Force, and precursors, including through regular dialogues and Attorney-General’s Department, Department of Defence, in relevant regional fora. Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre Australian Government agencies will ensure consistent and other Commonwealth agencies will continue their and coordinated messaging in our engagement with international capacity building programs and seek foreign countries on disruption of methamphetamine further opportunities to engage with their counterparts production and trafficking. Through engagement to build their enforcement capacity relevant to tackling opportunities, such as visits and meetings between the illicit methamphetamine and precursor trade. Ministers and senior officials, we will seek to secure the However, to maximise the return on investment, political support needed to jointly disrupt the production Australian Government agencies will strengthen their and trafficking of methamphetamine. communication and coordination of such efforts, including through increased engagement at diplomatic posts. IMPLEMENTATION Implementation of the Strategy will be monitored by The Group will meet quarterly and update the an AFP-led inter-agency Working Group, to ensure Government on progress through portfolio Ministers, alignment with the dynamic international environment, relevant CoAG Councils and Department of Health-led with shifting patterns of production and changes to reporting mechanisms for the NIAS. supply routes over time. Strengthened coordination will ensure that Government resources will be targeted to where they can be most effectively utilised to deliver the best outcomes. 3 COMMONWEALTH LAW ENFORCEMENT iNTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT METHAMPHETAMINE