Pubdate: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 Source: Northern Territory News (Australia) Copyright: 2004 Northern Territory News Contact: http://ntnews.news.com.au/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/283 DRUG THREAT ON NT TRAINS Authorities fear the Adelaide-to-Darwin rail link will open up a drug corridor from Asia to Australia's south. Police and customs have begun intelligence-based operations in readiness for the first freight train journey on January 15. They fear illicit drugs such as heroin and amphetamines will be transported from boats or planes at Darwin and brought to South Australia via the railway for distribution to the eastern states. Detective Chief Superintendent Denis Edmonds, officer-in-charge of Crime Services in SA, said police had identified the railway as an opportunity for crime syndicates from South-East Asia. "We have made the appreciation that it is obviously an avenue that the organised crime people will have thought about," he said. "The rail provides organised crime with the opportunity to transport contraband between the top of Australia and down through SA and the eastern states." Chief Supt Edmonds said police would work closely with Customs and the Australian Federal Police to monitor the rail line when it opened. He said while most drug smuggling occurred through the eastern states, there had been several significant heroin seizures in Darwin. "Various syndicates have their own transportation methods," he said. "Our intelligence suggests that most of the heroin comes into Australia and finishes up being distributed throughout the Eastern seaboard, but if you go back in history there were a few significant seizures in Darwin. "While most of our amphetamine output is homegrown, there is an opportunity to import amphetamines from that part of the world and there is also an opportunity to import chemicals for amphetamine production. "Customs obviously have trouble examining every piece of cargo. "It is an opportunity for organised crime." Customs corporate communication manager Chris Schofield said officials would continue to monitor the importation of drugs into Darwin closely. "Customs is fully aware of the potential for drug smuggling and the importation of other prohibited products through Darwin," he said. The Adelaide-to-Darwin railway is the longest north-south rail line in the world and connects Australia's economic heartland with Asia. The freight service will operate five times a week and is expected to carry 800,000 tonnes a year by 2007. A passenger service, which will take 48 hours to travel from Adelaide to Darwin, begins on February 1. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom