Photo Illustration: 731; Photos: New South Wales Crime Commission
How Australia Became the World’s Unlikely Cocaine Capital
Australia has the highest rate of cocaine use in the world, making it a lucrative market for criminals despite its remoteness.
Michael Barnes, who stepped down this week from spearheading Sydney’s fight against organized crime, has a message for the wealthy professionals whose rampant drug use has turned Australia into the unlikely cocaine capital of the world: you’re funding criminal enterprises that engage in murder, human trafficking and extortion.
The latest United Nations World Drug Report shows some 4.5% of Australians use cocaine each year – double the rate in the US. And wastewater analysis by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission shows cocaine use nationwide jumped 69% to a record in the 12 months ended August 2024.