Drug-Related Crime

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:54): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Police a question regarding two drug investigations.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: A recent trial involving an alleged $151 million outlaw motorcycle gang drug syndicate was recently withdrawn due to SA Police's refusal to divulge information relating to GPS surveillance techniques. The accused were charged with drug manufacturing and trafficking and being members of a criminal organisation allegedly responsible for millions of street deals, two clandestine labs and a burial of large amounts of methamphetamine and ecstasy tablets.

SA Police apparently spent two years investigating the alleged drug syndicate. However, due to the lack of information that was decided to be provided by the police in the end in relation to the use of the GPS devices, the court was not satisfied with the veracity of the evidence, which forced prosecutors to withdraw the charges. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister deem this a satisfactory outcome?

2. How will the government and SAPOL respond to the outcome of this case? Will there be any changes to the manner in which drug offences are investigated and prosecuted to prevent a similar outcome in the future?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:55): I thank the honourable member for his question. He will be pleased to know this is something that I have made inquiries of SAPOL about, upon learning of this particular instance. I can confirm that I have received a brief from SAPOL on this particular incident. I have to say that I understand the reasons why the prosecution decided to withdraw their case, under the particular circumstances.

Needless to say, and I am sure the honourable member will appreciate this, that being an issue of an operational nature that speaks to surveillance, particularly in the context of organised crime, in this case outlaw motorcycle gangs, there is a need to observe a degree of operational confidentiality so as not to compromise future investigative efforts. Having said that, I am sure the honourable member would be pleased to know this is something that I am intending to have a further dialogue with SAPOL about so as to prevent such instances occurring again in the future, where that is possible.

We want to make sure that, as a parliament, I would have thought, we are doing everything we can to support those men and women within SAPOL who go about the extraordinarily dangerous task of working in the section that investigates organised crime. They obviously need to deploy the best resources and technologies as reasonably can happen so that they are able to monitor suspects' activities and ultimately get a conviction.

I will be working with the police commissioner and the Attorney-General, if need be, to ascertain whether or not there is anything that needs to be done, in SAPOL's mind at least, in order to address this particular instance. This is something the government is keeping abreast of and has been working closely with SAPOL on so that where we can achieve successful convictions in respect to drug activity in particular amongst organised crime, that we are able to do so.