Serious and organized crime is costing Australia more than 26 billion U.S dollars every year, according to Justice Minister Michael Keenan on Friday.
Keenan said research conducted by the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) revealed the shocking figures which were more than double previous estimates. He said drugs such as "ice" - which command prices of up to 50 times that in other countries - were enticing more and more organized crime gangs to set up shop in Australia. "Organized crime represents an ongoing threat to this country.
They are violent predators who profit from the misery of evil trades," Keenan said on Friday. "Australia has become a target for organized criminals from all around the world because Australians are paying top dollar for the misery these crooks peddle like the drug ice.
"Users are not only bankrolling the criminals that are infiltrating and destroying our communities with their dangerous drugs, but they are ensuring our nation remains a lucrative market for international crime syndicates." He said the 25 billion U.S dollar figure took into account both the cost or serious and organized criminal activity (15 billion U. S dollars) as well as the cost of preventing it (11.5 billion U.S dollars).
Recently, he said, Australia has embarked on stopping criminals from reaching its shores by setting up joint taskforces with nations such as China. "The ACC is boosting our international cooperation to crack down on organized criminal syndicates responsible for the exportation of ice to Australia, including through Taskforce Blaze - a joint agency taskforce between the Australian Federal Police and the Chinese National Narcotics Control Commission," Keenan said on Friday. "It is focused on investigating organized criminal syndicates responsible for the exportation of ice to Australia.
This is the first ever joint agency taskforce of its kind." Keenan said the revelation - the first in Australia's history - would further help the government crack-down on organized crime, as law enforcement agencies now have a greater understanding of dire situation.
"This is the first time the ACC has estimated the cost of serious and organized crime on the economy. It does not represent an explosion in crime, rather an improved understanding of the cost impacts to government, the community and the private sector," he said in the statement. "This will assist government and our law enforcement and intelligence agencies to make an informed response to tackling this evolving market." enditem
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