All illicit drug users are contributing to deadly street violence, AFP boss says
All Australians who take illicit drugs are contributing to the organised crime violence behind the mistaken shootings of innocent people, the nation’s top federal police officer has said.
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett says there is a direct connection between Australia’s appetite for illicit drugs, the huge profits flowing to organised crime and deadly violence spilling onto suburban streets.
Marco Tapia, 23, and Joshua McDonald, 40, were shot dead in suspected cases of mistaken identity in Sydney within 48 hours earlier this month. Supplied
Her message comes after two innocent men, Marco Tapia, 23, and Joshua McDonald, 40, were shot dead in suspected cases of mistaken identity in Sydney within 48 hours earlier this month.
Asked if Australians buying drugs recreationally were part of the problem, Barrett said: “I would say this is a whole of society issue, and any drug use is contributing to what we are seeing on the streets in Australia.”
“I want people to draw the connection between what they might see as everyday or accepted drug use and what we are seeing happen on the streets,” she said.
“You know, the misidentification of people, innocent people that are being shot, there is a correlation there.”
Barrett says there is a direct connection between Australia’s appetite for illicit drugs, the huge profits flowing to organised crime and deadly violence on our streets. 9News
Barrett said Australia’s demand for illicit drugs and the enormous profits on offer had created a lucrative market.
“Wherever there is demand, and there is profit to be made, we’ve got organised crime networks who are taking advantage of that, and as a result of that, we are seeing violence on our streets,” she said.
“We are seeing mistaken identity shootings. We are seeing everyday Australians getting caught up in this violence, and this is because of, as I said, the profits and the demand for drugs in this country.”
Tapia was in bed when he was shot inside a home on Mount Sugarloaf Drive at Glen Alpine about 3.40am on September 1.
Detectives believe the 23-year-old was mistakenly killed amid gangland violence.
Marco Tapia was in bed when he was shot inside the house on Mount Sugarloaf Drive in Glen Alpine on September 1. Nine
His parents Sergio and Claudia told A Current Affair their son dreamed of becoming an engineer and was a star university student.
He was also a youth leader and volunteered in his spare time.
“It was a nightmare. It was a nightmare waking up to that,” Claudia said.
“It all happened so fast.”
Sergio and Claudia, told A Current Affair that Marco had dreams of being an engineer. NIne
The following afternoon, McDonald was gunned down in broad daylight at a home on Bruce Street in Merrylands West.
The 40-year-old was also believed to have been an innocent victim mistakenly targeted in the attack.
Barrett said organised crime groups were increasingly outsourcing shootings, arson and other offences to young people, including teenagers as young as 14.
She said the consequences extended beyond violence in Australian suburbs.
“We have seen a number of examples in this country where state actors and organised crime networks have worked together to carry out atrocious offending,” she said.
“That is a national security issue for this country, and that is a conversation that we should all be having.”
The Commissioner said she wanted Australians to recognise the consequences attached to the country’s demand for illicit drugs.
“I want a debate. I want a conversation. I want acknowledgement that illicit drug use is contributing, and the illicit commodity trade in this country is contributing to violence on our streets, but also as an extension, national security.”
Barrett said tackling the problem could not fall to law enforcement alone.
“This is a whole-of-society issue. This is not something that law enforcement can solve on our own.”
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