EFFECTS OF ECSTASY BUSTS UNKNOWN: POLICE

AUTHORITIES do not know what effect police seizures have on the price and
availability of party drugs such as ecstasy and speed in Perth.

But Federal police and Customs say strict policing of airports disrupts
international syndicates preying on the Australian people.

On Thursday, Customs officers at Perth International Airport allegedly
found thousands of ecstasy tablets and almost 500g of cocaine strapped to
the body of a 39-year-old German tourist.

Federal agent Steve Paynter said 5533 ecstasy tablets were in a 26m plastic
tube wrapped around the man's waist. The cocaine was in pouches of a body
corset.

Police valued the haul at $450,000.

Further investigations led Federal police to a Perth address where more
ecstasy tablets were found with $15,000 cash. Two other men were arrested
at the property.

Agent Paynter said it was difficult to judge what effect ecstasy seizures
had on the availability and price of drugs in Perth because nobody knew how
much was consumed each week.

"This seizure was by no means our biggest," he said.

WA police said London, whose proximity to drug-producing nations Holland
and Belgium had seen ecstasy supply soar and the price hit an all-time low,
was an example of what could happen if the drug trade was not policed
vigilantly.

British popular culture magazine The Face recently quoted the price of an
ecstasy tablet in London at $9.70.

Police say the price of ecstasy in Perth ranges between $30 and $50 a
tablet.

Drug users pay even more for stronger types of ecstasy such as those
stamped with an image of a windmills or a hammer.

While Perth party goers may consume one or two tablets per night, The Face
said Londoners were taking up to 12 tablets a night.

Customs spokesman Wayne Mitchell said officers pinpointed the backpacker as
someone who should be searched.

"The reason for him coming to Australia didn't match with what he was
telling the officer," Mr Mitchell said.

Officers had taken swabs from the man's clothes which had shown traces of
cocaine.

He then allegedly revealed the drugs strapped to his torso.

One of the men was remanded in custody while the other two were released on
bail.