ONLINE AUSTRALIAN DRUG FORUMS REVEALED

AUSTRALIAN drug takers are using online social networks to compare
prices for heroin, ice, cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana.

This lets them "shop around" as if they were buying legal consumer goods.

The secretive online forums are run according to strict guidelines
and come with a warning to users not to incriminate themselves by
admitting to possessing or selling drugs.

The discussions provide an underground snapshot of the local drugs
markets - and how they compare to those overseas - with recent
threads revealing:

. AUSTRALIA is one of the most expensive markets for illegal drugs in the world

. BRISBANE is the most expensive city in the country for speed, ice,
cocaine and LSD

. ADELAIDE users pay less than those in other capital cities for
cannabis, cocaine and ice

. SYDNEY appears to be the cheapest market for ecstasy and speed.

As well as forensic discussions of pricing, one thread offers a
critique of the pills produced by Underbelly's Carl Williams and
another Melbourne identity and recalls private anecdotes from the times.

"They made the STTEST pills in Melbourne," one user said. "The pills
Carl made were (methamphetamine) and ketamine. (The associate's) were
often pink or red foxes, Carl's varied."

These self-described "harm minimisation" forums have been discussing
price variations with their international counterparts for several years.

How it works

The rules at the start of the price thread state:

"1) PRICES ONLY - No comments about how "you're paying too much for
that" or "damn, where you get that hookup?"

"2) NO DK-SIZING- You might have a really good hookup, or you might
not, so post about how you get ecstasy pills for $2 each - you're not
impressing anyone, and NO ONE will even reply to you - why? See rule #1

"3) BE REALISTIC - don't post "I get 75,000 pills for about $3 each"
- - the price may be right but no one who is doing that kind of volume
needs to inquire about prices here.

"4) DO NOT INCRIMINATE YOURSELF OF ANY ILLEGAL ACTIVITY -remember,
this is what you would pay for drugs. DO NOT ADMIT TO POSSESSING OR SELLING.

"5) USE ACCURATE LANGUAGE - Post in terms we ALL KNOW - it's not a
"jar" or a "sack" or a "quarter" or a "lick" or a "wrap" - if you use
such terms, then GIVE THE AMOUNT WITHIN."

What You Pay

In the first weeks of 2009, users from Australia, America, Britain,
Canada, Finland, Germany and Argentina have already started updating
drug prices from previous years.

The first local on this year's price thread - a user identified only
as "drug mentor" - has posted: "Yeah, first Aussie to get in on 2009
:P! I'm in Melbourne Australia.

"Weed ($)15-20=Gram, 40-50=3 Gram, 70-90=Quarter, 130-150=Half bag,
200-250 g. "Speed 50=2.5 Points, 100=Half gram, 180-200=Gram, 500-550 8Ball.

"Ice 100=2.5 Points, 200=Half gram, 400= Gram. "Heroin 50="Street
cap" I assume around a point, not sure though. "Ecstasy 20-25 a pill,
100-120=5 pills, 160-180 pills, 900-10000 pills. "GHB 3.50-5 a mil.

"I know prices for other st but that's all I have been quoted on in
2009, I post more detailed prices in 2008 thread and for the most
part they haven't changed."

High Prices

A Belgian user said he was shocked to see how relatively costly
buying illegal drugs in Australia was.

"Wow . those Aus prices keep shocking me," the man posted.

"Does it really cost that much to import those drugs across the
water, or are there only a few big players that dominate the market
and set the prices? Maybe because of harsh penalties?"

A drug user in Melbourne responded that Australia's border security
is much tighter than other countries: "I'd say it has something to do
with us being an island and having extremely tight customs and border control.

"I've heard we have some of the most tightest in the world, so
obviously the distributors on the higher end of the chain, or the
people that are responsible for 'transporting' the drugs to over
here, are going to charge a pretty hefty surcharge for the hassle.

"Also, the fact that our country isn't anywhere near as heavily
populated as United Kingdom, or The United States means that the
demand isn't as great, therefore not being as much bulk as say, what
there would be in America, etc..."

The Australian forum member went on to detail the prices for illegal
drugs in their suburb.

Breakdown

Nationally, users report increases in the price of a 3.5g bag of
cannabis in recent years, while the amount paid for a "point" - or
0.1g - of ice has fallen.

The cost of ecstasy pills in Adelaide and Melbourne fell by $5 in the
first half of 2008, while prices increased slightly in Sydney and
stayed stagnant in Brisbane.

But not all prices in every capital city have been updated on a constant basis.

In Perth, users have reported paying a similar amount for cannabis in
2008 that buyers in other cities have. But only limited information
on other drugs has been uploaded by West Australians in recent years.

Despite the unusual subject matter the forums seem to have the same
logistical concerns as other moderators of user comments:

"This is 'the format'. I encourage you to follow this and you may add
comments as long as they are relevant.

"Don't tell us how much you pay for seven pounds of raw Asian Heroin,
keep it on the average level for this board."