Question
Number
866
Subject
Alcohol and other drug use
(Illicit drug related offences)
(Illicit drug related offences)
Asked by
Kikkert, Elizabeth
Directed to
Attorney-General
Question asked on
04 August 2022
Answer due on
04 September 2022
Question asked
- How many people were charged with illicit drug related offences, broken down by (a) month, (b) type of drug and (c) quantity possessed, in (i) 2019-20, (ii) 2020‑21, (iii) 2021-22 and (iv) 2022 to present.
- How many of the people referred to in part (1) were charged multiple times for separate instances of illicit drug related offences.
- How many of the people referred to in part (1) were incarcerated either as sentenced detainees or unsentenced detainees.
Answer
Answer Published
19 September 2022
Answered by
Attorney-General
Answer
- The below table is a breakdown of people charged with illicit drug related offences:
| People Charged with Illicit Drug Related Offences | |||||
| 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Total | |
| 1a) Charges by month | |||||
| July | 35 | 15 | 14 | 25 | 89 |
| August | 27 | 21 | 10 | 6 | 64 |
| September | 24 | 23 | 10 | 0 | 57 |
| October | 38 | 13 | 17 | 0 | 68 |
| November | 40 | 15 | 21 | 0 | 76 |
| December | 45 | 24 | 17 | 0 | 86 |
| January | 27 | 32 | 16 | 0 | 75 |
| February | 17 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 39 |
| March | 46 | 20 | 12 | 0 | 78 |
| April | 22 | 31 | 20 | 0 | 73 |
| May | 32 | 23 | 14 | 0 | 69 |
| June | 23 | 21 | 23 | 0 | 67 |
| Total | 376 | 249 | 185 | 31 | 841 |
| Total Illicit Drug Related Charges | |||||
| 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Total | |
| 1b) Drug Type | |||||
| 1,4-BUTANEDIOL | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| ACETYLCODEINE | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 14 |
| ALPRAZOLAM (XANAX) | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| AMPHETAMINE | 5 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 17 |
| BENZOCAINE | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| BENZODIAZEPINE (E.G. DICLAZEPAM, FLUBROMAZOLAM) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| BUPHEDRONE, MABP (A-METHYLAMINO-BUTYROPHENONE) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| BUPRENORPHINE (SUBUTEX, BUPRENEX) | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| CANNABIS (THC,CBD) | 276 | 129 | 106 | 1 | 512 |
| CLONAZEPAM (KLONOPIN) | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| COCAINE | 92 | 106 | 93 | 3 | 294 |
| CODEINE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| DIAZEPAM (VALIUM, RANZEPAM) | 7 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 30 |
| DMT (N,N-DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| ETHYLPHENIDATE (EVOKE, GOGAINE) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| FENTANYL (DUROGESIC) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| GBL (GAMMA-BUTYROLACTONE) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 24 |
| GHB (GAMMA-HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| HEROIN | 20 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 47 |
| KETAMINE | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| LIGNOCAINE, LIDOCAINE, XYLOCAINE | 1 | 10 | 20 | 0 | 31 |
| LSD, LYSERGIDE (LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMIDE) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| MDA (3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYAMPHETAMINE) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| MDMA (3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE) | 77 | 32 | 19 | 0 | 128 |
| METHADONE | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| METHAMPHETAMINE | 198 | 133 | 85 | 1 | 417 |
| METHYLPHENIDATE (RITALIN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| MONOACETYLMORPHINE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| MORPHINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| NANDROLONE (DURABOLIN) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| OXYCODONE (OXYCONTIN, ENDONE) | 4 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 14 |
| PSEUDOEPHEDRINE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| PSILOCIN | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| STANOZOLOL (WINSTROL) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| TAPENTADOL (PALEXIA, NUCYNTA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| TEMAZEPAM | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| TESTOSTERONE | 13 | 5 | 19 | 2 | 39 |
| THC (TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL) | 10 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 27 |
| TRAMADOL (TRAMAL, DUROTRAM) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| TRENBOLONE | 11 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 19 |
| OTHER - IDENTIFIED DRUG | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| OTHER - UNIDENTIFIED DRUG | 60 | 66 | 116 | 1 | 243 |
| Total | 834 | 589 | 539 | 9 | 1971 |
| Total Weights for Illicit Drug Related Charges | |||||
| 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Total | |
| 1c) Quantity possessed (Net Weight) | |||||
| Weight not recorded | 118 | 158 | 129 | 3 | 408 |
| 0 - 0.5 grams | 288 | 147 | 116 | 0 | 551 |
| 0.5 - 1 grams | 100 | 48 | 56 | 1 | 205 |
| 1 - 1.5 grams | 48 | 27 | 21 | 0 | 96 |
| 1.5 - 2 grams | 26 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 52 |
| 2 - 5 grams | 74 | 52 | 55 | 2 | 183 |
| 5 - 10 grams | 46 | 33 | 50 | 2 | 131 |
| 10 - 50 grams | 74 | 47 | 48 | 1 | 170 |
| Over 50 grams | 60 | 58 | 57 | 0 | 175 |
| Total | 834 | 589 | 539 | 9 | 1971 |
- ACT Policing drug seizures count each individual drug package/item seized. As a result drug seizure counts will not equate to charges. Contributing factors include:
- Like for like drug seizures may be combined for an individual drug possession charge.
- Ownership of seized drugs may not be able to be ascertained, and
- Drug seizure counts also include where drugs have been found, stolen or surrendered to police and may include traces or residue only.
(2) The below table represents the number of apprehensions for repeat offenders*:
| 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Total | |
| Apprehensions for repeat offender | 78 | 56 | 24 | 3 | 161 |
* An individual is considered a repeat offender if they are apprehended more than once over the four financial years.
(3) The below table represents the individuals cleared by arrest or result in imprisonment**:
| 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Total | |
| Cleared by arrest or court result of imprisonment | 118 | 84 | 70 | 7 | 279 |
**The number of offenders arrested and those whose court result was imprisonment.
- ACT Policing is unable to supply the number of unsentenced detainees (those on remand and yet to attend court).