John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General. Attorney, will you update the House on recent progress in tackling international drug trafficking?

Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can advise the House that yesterday the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service dismantled a major international drug-trafficking syndicate. Six arrests were made. There were five people arrested in Sydney and one arrest was made in Canberra. The seizure included 200 kilograms of pseudoephedrine. It also included 1,860 litres of precursor material contained in eight 44-gallon drums. That precursor material was sufficient to make 150 kilograms of methamphetamine worth some $15 million on the streets. The operation followed seven months of extensive work between the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service resulting in conspiracy charges against the members of the alleged syndicate. The operation represents an outstanding example of cooperation between our law enforcement and border protection agencies and I remind the House that it comes on top of the four tonnes of ecstasy that were seized late last year, which was a world-record seizure. And, in addition, at that time a substantial amount of cocaine was seized.

This is a serious warning to those who would attempt to import prohibited substances. They will be stopped, they will be charged and they will be prosecuted to the full force of the law. I conclude by congratulating all those involved in the operations, led at the Australian Federal Police level by the National Manager—Border and International, Ramsay Gabor, all officers of the Australian Federal Police and members and officers of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.