FIGHTING NARCOTICS IN ASIA

AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty has spoken out frankly for the first time
since his appointment in April about the threat to Australia from organised
Asian crime syndicates.

Mr Keelty said the AFP was tackling the syndicates on their own turf before
the drugs got into the country. Agents were working in isolated locations
and putting their lives at risk in poor and remote conditions.

"They are really at the front line," he said. "Asia is flooded with
methamphetamines and if we don't have a relationship with authorities [in
Asia] we are not going to be able to get on top of shipments in these
countries."

The AFP aimed to cocoon Australia from the drug trade.

Drug problems to Australia's north were similar to Australia's but on "a
much larger scale".

Mr Keelty said the syndicates were involved in drug trafficking, money
laundering and people smuggling.

Recent busts by Thai police had led to seizures of up to 11 million
ecstasy-type tablets and two tonnes of drugs in two weeks.

The AFP feared traffickers were stockpiling drugs in South Pacific
countries for filtering into Australia in 1kg or 2kg lots.

The AFP has established its first outpost in Hanoi and will have its first
agent in Phnom Penh by July 1. It is among the first Western countries to
base agents in countries like Burma, China and Thailand.

But efforts to provide farmers in Burma with alternative crops to opium
poppies backfired, and led to caffeine becoming a major component (66 per
cent) in locally manufactured methamphetamines.

The AFP had worked hard to develop closer ties with Indonesian authorities
to stem the flow of boat people and drugs.

"If you don't have a relationship with them, you end up with a flood of
narcotics," Mr Keelty said.

"At least we are trying to engage in some sort of cooperation. It is a way
of getting credibility in the region and to get access to the sort of
cooperation to make a difference back here. We are stopping this stuff
coming in."

The AFP faces competition from the United States, Canada and Britain, whose
agencies also seek ties with Asian police to deal with their own drug
problems. Asian police had to deal with their own issues of drugs, child
prostitution and criminal operations, often led by white Caucasian men.

However, he stopped short of calling it a war on drugs. "Drugs affects mums
and dads and kids in the home. It is too real for that."