$3 million to expand WA Police meth teams

Monday, 14 November 2016

• 34 extra officers to be recruited to dedicated meth teams
• Eight additional vehicles will be purchased
• Meth teams form part of Government's meth enforcement action plan 

A key plank of the Liberal National Government's Western Australian Meth Strategy has been given a multimillion-dollar boost to expand the police teams dedicated to disrupting the supply of methamphetamine into WA.

Deputy Premier and Police Minister Liza Harvey today announced the State Government had committed an additional $3.134 million to expand the WA Police meth teams over the next year.

"This money will fund police officers as well as specialist roles - including interpreters, legal officers and intelligence analysts - to help combat the supply of meth into WA," Ms Harvey said.

"The officers and vehicles will also help enforce the Government's new drug transit route legislation, which targets vehicles travelling through known drug routes as well as courier and freight facilities which are unwittingly being used by drug traffickers."

The Deputy Premier said the dedicated meth teams were part of the WA Police meth enforcement action plan, which was launched in August 2015.

The meth enforcement action plan:

• formed an intelligence Meth Desk to support the meth teams
• further strengthened multi-agency partnerships targeting road, rail, air and post
• established the joint agency teams specifically targeting meth money trails. 

Ms Harvey said the plan had resulted in more than 700 kilograms of meth being seized, 466 offenders charged and 561 search warrants executed.

"While the Liberal National Government is dedicated to combatting the supply of meth into WA, we have also invested significantly in reducing the demand through rehabilitation services and education," she said.

Fact File

• In 2015-16, WA Police - in conjunction with other agencies - seized 702.3kgs of meth
• In 2014-15, prior to the meth enforcement action plan, 46.3kgs was seized