4
owing lamps and the 1 200 seedlings were watered by flooding the floor from a tank higher up the slope. A second, 50 by 50 metres bunker had been excavated and was near completion when discovered.
14.
Overall, in 1991, 310 000 plants were seized from commercial plantations in Australia. This equates to 140-7 tonnes of cannabis products. At a wholesale price of $A 3 000 per kilogram, this could represent a $A 422 million gross return. Street seizures have increased to a national total of 3-48 tonnes of cannabis and its by-products. In 1991 there were 29 209 cannabis related arrests.
Amphetamines
15.
Amphetamines were freely available throughout Australia in 1991. After cannabis, amphetamines were the most widely used illicit drug in Australia. As Australia is regarded to be self sufficient in amphetamine production for internal use, the amounts of amphetamines entering the country are generally small. This excludes the drug "ecstasy" which is not thought to be manufactured in Australia as yet and probably all imported. Ecstasy is also known as "MDMA" from its chemical name of "methelyenedioxymethamphetamine".
16.
During 1991, Australian Customs made only 17 seizures of amphetamines at the Customs barriers, while Federal law enforcement agencies seized 2 kg of the drug, mostly domestically produced. Seizures for all amphetamine during 1989 totalled 35 kg. This figure, however, was out of proportion as 32 kg of the total was for a single seizure of MDMA.
17.
Illicit amphetamine manufacture and distribution have in the past been closely linked to outlaw motorcycle groups, and such groups are still involved in manufacture and distribution. Other organised criminals in Australia have identified the profit-making potential of amphetamine production and some recent arrests for the operation of clandestine laboratories were not linked to the outlaw motorcycle groups. Mobile clandestine laboratories, often disguised as campers, are used by manufacturing groups to make detection much harder.
18.
Federal agencies seized 351 gm of MDMA or ecstasy during 1991, however there are indications that greater amounts are entering the country. All seizures made were from the international mail and parcels, with the United States the principal source country. Reports indicate that its use remains