WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson warns of flood of methamphetamine coming by sea

The State’s top cop has told a Parliamentary committee that more resources are needed to stop large amounts of methamphetamine flooding into WA by sea.

Commissioner Chris Dawson said more aerial and ocean patrols are needed.

“There is a very great shortage of maritime and aviation assets that patrol our borders,” he said. “By volume the mode of entry into Australia is dominated by maritime shipments. I’m saying that the number of maritime assets that are available should be increased.”

There is evidence that more meth is getting through, is if a higher purity and becoming cheaper to buy.

Mr Dawson also cautioned against following the decision of some US states to legalise cannabis sales.

He said he has been briefed by the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency about an increase in organised crime working to undercut legitimate retail cannabis sales.

He also said there is good evidence about the social harms resulting from legalising cannabis in Colorado.

The Commissioner reiterated his stand against pill testing at music festivals, saying it’s not safe to test one pill because the others in a batch could still prove fatal.