At the recent serious and Organized Crime Conference in Melbourne Deputy Commissioner Ken Jones drew attention to the blight caused to neighborhoods, towns, cities and even countries caused by illegal drugs.

He also paid tribute to the efforts of law enforcement across Australia, and Victoria Police, on their many successful operations against those who are involved in illicit drug manufacture, trafficking and dealing.

Efforts which have seen drug related deaths fall in Melbourne, record seizures of drugs and record closures of clandestine laboratories. In response to views expressed to him that maybe it was time to look at legalization of drugs DC Jones said that he totally disagreed with that approach.

He said that legalization of illegal drugs would quickly lead criminals to develop ever more toxic illicit substances, further damage neighborhoods and would result in further waste and loss of life.

In effect legalization would lead to a race to the bottom between the producers of illicit substances and those countries foolish enough to attempt to regulate and license illicit drugs.

He also said that some of those those currently involved in such illegal activity would simply move on to other criminal activity; more crime would result.

Such a policy, he said, was a dead end. He said that the current approach in Victoria and Australia was the right one and that he supported it.

DC Jones also said that as a father he would not support the availability of further legal narcotics in addition to the two already available - alcohol and tobacco - which had blighted lives and resulted in huge costs to our health and justice sectors.

He said that those proposing legalization ought to do so publicly when he would be willing to debate them.

He said that many of those in the legalization corner were naive, presented a counsel of despair, and usually failed to address the whole argument.

DC Jones has held his position on this subject for decades and, at least in the UK, this is well known.

He has always advocated a multi pronged strategy to deal with the issue which covers: education, diversion, treatment and robust law enforcement and the state, national and international level.

Unfortunately his challenge to those suggesting legalization was wrongly interpreted in some media outlets.
Victoria Police stands behind DC Jones position and will continue to play its part in the fight against illegal drugs.

Share This Page