PARTY DRUG WARNING AFTER FIND

POLICE have warned people to stay away from party drugs during the
holiday season.

The call came after 3kg of ecstasy tablets were intercepted at Perth
Airport last week.

Police media spokesman Bill Malasits said drugs like ecstasy became
more of an issue at this time of year, but said it was hard for
police to target so-called party drugs because of the number of
parties held.

The ecstasy tablets intercepted at the airport's international
terminal on Wednesday were disguised as lollies in a passenger's
luggage.

British national David James Evans, 47, appeared in the East Perth
Magistrate's Court on drug charges on Saturday and was remanded in
custody to reappear on December 15.

"There are people who are certainly attempting to make it available
at this time of year," Sen. Const. Malasits said.

"People celebrating the season and people who have not tried them
before may decide to try it now."

He praised Customs and the Australian Federal Police for detecting
the ecstasy haul. "Any seizure of drugs is a help to keep it off the
streets and at this time of year it has put a real dent in somebody's
ability to sell these items," Sen. Const. Malasits said.

Federal Customs Minister Amanda Vanstone said Customs officers had
used a combination of targeting techniques and sophisticated X-ray
equipment to make the seizure.

Recent overseas seizures had netted ecstasy mixed with rat poison and
powdered glass. These mixtures were used to induce bleeding in the
stomach lining in an attempt to get the drug into the bloodstream
faster.