Drug trafficking
The illicit drug trade has become an international, multi billion dollar enterprise, estimated to be bigger than the oil trade and second only to the arms trade.
The primary effort for the AFP is to detect illicit drugs before they reach Australia. The AFP, along with the Australian Customs Service and other Australian, state and territory law enforcement partners disrupt illicit drug manufacture, trafficking and distribution networks.
Detecting the domestic manufacture of amphetamine-type stimulants has also become a priority. The AFP has representation on the National Working Group on the Diversion of Precursor Chemicals which is continuing to review the need for additional measures to restrict the diversion of substances used in illicit drug manufacture.
By targeting the importation of chemical precursors necessary for such drugs, the AFP has been able to identify methods of importation and detect clandestine drug laboratories.